Mike Duncan
American political history podcaster and author. His award winning series, “The History of Rome,” remains a legendary landmark in the history of podcasting.
Arts & Sciences
Renowned scholars from the academic and social science fields
Betsy Gaines Quammen
Author of American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God, and Public Lands in the West. Environmental historian and writer with a background in international conservation work, land issues, science denialism, and anti-government agitation in the American West.
Charles Johnson
National Book Award winner for Middle Passage, Dr. Charles Johnson writes captivating novels that address issues of being African-American in today’s U.S. society.
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Your personal astrophysicist and host of the Emmy Award winning, COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey and StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson. Dr. Tyson’s passion for science communication changes the way we think about the universe.
Sandra Steingraber
An international anti-fracking fearless activist & biologist who fights for environmental rights as a basic human right. Her expertise in environmental health and science sparks crucial conversation and drives meaningful change.
Charles C. Mann
Offering valuable insights into the most significant events, from the European discovery of the Americas to the rise of the digital age, Charles Mann transforms our views of history. His book, The Wizard And The Prophet, asks the question “Can Earth support 10 billion people?”
Robert Bullard
“Father of Environmental Justice,” & “One of 13 Environmental Leaders of the Century”. Dr. Robert Bullard is a leading voice on environmental racism, sustainable housing & human rights reshaping our perception of environmental concerns and building resilience for a more equitable future.
Daisy Hernández
Daisy’s work is at the intersection of culture, identity, social justice and media representation. Winner of the Pen Book Award for The Kissing Bug which turns a critical eye to a devastating infection, Chagas disease, affecting predominantly impoverished and marginalized communities.
David Quammen
Internationally acclaimed science writer and National Book Award Finalist. Author of Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus. Three-time winner of the National Magazine Award (the Ellie) and author of more than 15 books.
Michael Mann
An award-winning climate scientist and expert on climate change. His work has played a crucial role in shaping public discourse and climate change policy. He is part of the IPCC team that won the Nobel Peace Prize and has been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society. Selected by Scientific American as one of the 50 leading visionaries in science and technology.
Steven Strogatz
An award-winning researcher, teacher, and science communicator, Strogatz finds math in places where you’d least expect it – making it accessible and fascinating to illuminate life’s mysteries, big and small.
Jessica Valenti
Called “one of the most successful and visible feminists of her generation” by the Washington Post and one of the “Top 100 Inspiring Women in the World,” Valenti is a NYT Best-selling author, columnist and ‘the best abortion journalist in the country’.
Richard Rodriguez
An award–winning, thought provoking writer, hailed by The Washington Post as “one of the most eloquent and probing public intellectuals in America”.
Derrick Pitts
NASA’s first Astrobiology Ambassador & Chief Astronomer and Planetarium Director at the Franklin Institute. One of the world’s leading science communicators on astronomical phenomena and cosmic discoveries.
Rinku Sen
Rinku brings an innovative approach to complex social and racial justice issues. She is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, known for her transformative work promoting equity across marginalized groups.
Christine McKinley
STEM activist, mechanical engineer, musician, host of Discovery Channel’s Decoded, and author of Physics For Rock Stars. Her musical Gracie and the Atom won a Portland Drammy for Original Score.
Jeff Lieberman
Scientist, musician, roboticist, and sculptor Jeff Lieberman combines his passions for art and science in ways that reveal how one influences the other. Art meets science through interaction, connection, and challenged perception.
Annie Leonard
Former Executive Director for Greenpeace USA and widely known for her documentary The Story of Stuff, Leonard is dedicated to ecological sustainability. Her criticism of excessive consumerism challenges what we make, use and throw away. Her passion for the planet has inspired millions to take action and create a more sustainable world.