About Us
Meet the research team behind ELT-Bench
James Edgell
Lead Data Scientist
James is a Lead Data Scientist at Oxford University Press, leading the design, build and operation of machine learning (ML) systems to serve teachers and learners. His expertise in data science, natural language processing, customer analytics and ML engineering allows him to work across technology, product and business to help improve learning outcomes in OUP's ELT digital courses. He studied Physics at the University of Warwick and Geophysics at the University of Leeds. He has international experience leading an analytics team for N America's 7th largest airline, and built ML systems for personalisation at the UK's largest hotel chain.
LinkedIn Profile
Isaac Pattis
AI Incubation Manager
Isaac is an AI Incubation Manager at Oxford University Press, specializing in designing and deploying AI solution architectures. With expertise spanning information architecture, machine learning, and natural language processing, he architects foundation model adaptations and agentic AI systems. Isaac holds an MLIS from the University of Washington and brings extensive experience from Microsoft's Cloud + AI division. He focuses on transforming complex AI capabilities into intuitive, production-ready systems that bridge data science and business applications. Previously a Language Information Architect optimizing datasets for model training, Isaac combines technical knowledge with strategic implementation to drive innovation in enterprise AI deployment.
LinkedIn Profile
Ben Knight
Head of Pedagogy Research
Ben is Head of Pedagogy Research at Oxford University Press. He is responsible for ensuring a clear research-informed pedagogical approach underpinning Oxford ELT courses and learning materials. His current priority is developing a pedagogical-based approach to using emerging technology in order to help teachers and learners in their language learning. He studied Linguistics at the University of York and Applied Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh. He has been a teacher, trainer and lecturer, in schools, universities and the British Council, in various countries around the world, in Asia, Africa and Europe.
LinkedIn Profile
Danielle Carvalho
Learning Designer and Pedagogy Specialist
Danielle is a Learning Designer and Pedagogy Specialist at Oxford University Press, where she blends pedagogical insights with practical learning design to create learner-centred language learning experiences. Her work draws on the science of learning and design thinking to ensure solutions are both research-informed and effective. She holds a Cambridge DELTA and brings a broad background in educational publishing, having held roles at FlashAcademy, Astrid Education, Springer Nature, and EF Education First.
LinkedIn ProfileConnect with Us
We welcome any general inquiries, collaboration opportunities, and feedback about the ELT-Bench project. Whether you're an educator interested in using our benchmark, a researcher looking to collaborate, or an institution considering AI tools for language education, we'd love to hear from you.
Email: elt-bench@oup.com
Research Collaboration
ELT-Bench is currently in active development before its public release. We're actively seeking research partners and collaborators to help refine the benchmark. If you're interested in early access or contributing to the development process, please reach out.