George Sparks has been the President/CEO of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science since November 2004. He spent 24 years in the electronics measurement business at Hewlett-Packard and Agilent Technologies. His career included marketing, sales, and general management of global businesses in software, systems, and services.

Prior to joining Hewlett-Packard, George spent 9 years in the Air Force as a pilot and as an Assistant Professor of Aeronautics at the USAF Academy (1976-1978). He is a Distinguished Graduate of the USAF Academy with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering and holds an MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT.

George's passion is public policy, particularly around science and education. He is a member of the Colorado Forum, Colorado Concern, and is on the Boards of Colorado Education Initiative, Colorado Business Round Table, Colorado Music Hall of Fame, Denver Council of Foreign Relations, and Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

George is the founder of the Institute for Science & Policy, a program of the Museum.

Kristan Uhlenbrock is the Executive Director of the Institute for Science & Policy, a project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, where she works to ensure science has a respected role in public discourse and policymaking. She is motivated by life’s interesting people, places, problems, and potential for advancing our understanding of the world and the solutions we need to sustain it.  

For the past two decades, she’s worked at the intersection of science, policy, community engagement, and communication for organizations like the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, the Center for American Progress, the American Geophysical Union, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the White House. In 2023, she was the recipient of the National Academies Eric & Wendy Schmidt Excellence in Science Communication Award.  

Kristan values giving back through leadership and volunteer roles, including serving on boards and committees for the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion, the American Meteorological Society, the Association of Science & Technology Centers, and the Science Writers Association of the Rocky Mountains Board, as well as being a mentor for the Morgridge Acceleration Program and the Promoting Geoscience Research, Education, and Success Program. She was a CIVIC DNA Fellow and an ASTC Deliberation & Dialogue Fellow.  

In her free time, Kristan enjoys escaping to the outdoors, writing, and good food and drink with friends. 

Heather Douglas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy and a member of the Socially Engaged Philosophy of Science Group at Michigan State University.  For the 2021-2022 academic year, she was the Senior Visiting Fellow at the Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh. 

She received her Ph.D. from the History and Philosophy of Science Department at the University of Pittsburgh in 1998, and has held tenure-line faculty positions at the University of Puget Sound, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Waterloo prior to miving to Michigan State in 2018. 

She is the author of Science, Policy, and the Value-Free Ideal (2009), The Rightful Place of Science: Science, Values, and Democracy (2021), as well as numerous articles on values in science, the moral responsibilities of scientists, and the role of science in democratic societies.  She edits the book series Science, Values, and the Public for University of Pittsburgh Press.  Her work has been supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.  

In 2016, she was named an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) fellow.  She is also a fellow of the Institute for Science, Society, and Policy at the University of Ottawa.  In 2020, she was the lead organizer for the Public Engagement with Science: Defining and Measuring Success conference. 

I'm a social epistemologist; I study the relationship between knowledge and society and how social interactions shape, create and direct what counts as knowledge. And there's no better space to study this than science communication and science policy.

I usually take a philosophical approach in my studies, though I also engage in empirical research. Basically, data without good reasoning isn't particularly insightful, and reasoning without grounding it or relating it to the empirical world isn't particularly meaningful.

I'm especially interested in areas that are challenging and uncomfortable, from ethical and justice issues (who gets to know what and who should get to know what; who gets a say and who should get a say; etc) to questions over contentious or controversial science and technologies (gene tech; alternative medicine; etc). I also have an interest in how economics (the discipline, not the economy) is made public, and how that interacts with other forms of knowledge and expertise.

I'm an active member of the science communication community in New Zealand and internationally, and was the president of the Science Communicators' Association of New Zealand from 2015 to 2018.

Maya Goldenberg's research addresses the fundamental epistemic question, “How do we know what to believe?” (or when are knowledge claims justified) in health care.  

Flora has been working in radio, podcasts and video for almost 20 years. She created and hosted the podcast Every Little Thing, which ran for five years and published more than 200 episodes. Previously, she wrote for Bill Nye's Netflix show "Bill Nye Saves the World” and co-directed the Emmy-nominated video series Animated Life on The New York Times Op-Docs channel. Flora created and hosted The Adaptors podcast about climate change, worked as a video editor and substitute host at public radio’s Science Friday and co-wrote a book on the science of annoyingness. And long, long ago, she worked for a NATO oceanographic lab in Italy. For the lab's research expeditions, she lived on a ship where apertivi were served on the top deck, hoisted there via pulley by the ship's chef.

Mónica grew up in rural Puerto Rico, surrounded by nature, catching lizards and with a cow in her backyard, which sparked her interest in all things biology. She am a bilingual (Spanish and English) scientist-turned-communicator and tap into her training (a PhD in neurobiology), personal background, and culture (a woman from a working class community in Puerto Rico) to engage historically underserved and overlooked audiences, especially Puerto Ricans and other Spanish-speakers, with science.

Mónica applies a cultural lens to science communication and storytelling to make science more equitable and inclusive. Through filmmaking, the writing of articles, and media engagement, she seeks to change stereotypes about scientists of color. She partners with leaders from marginalized communities to increase their capacity to use science to address their needs and priorities. Through science communication trainings and mentoring, Mónica helps minoritized scientists step into the power of their identities and stories and support their career development. Through advocacy, she promotes science and science-based decision-making in Puerto Rico.

Mónica is the Director of Communications and Science Outreach for Ciencia Puerto Rico and the Director of Inclusive Science Communication and Engagement for Science Communication Lab.

Dr. Heidi Steltzer is an environmental scientist, speaker, and writer. She is a lead author on the High Mountains chapter of a 2019 IPCC report on climate change impacts. She founded the Heidi Mountains Cooperative, a non-profit in Cortez Colorado that honors science and faith as ways of knowing. Heidi is a professor at Fort Lewis College in Durango and a Master’s student in Theological Studies at Iliff School of Theology in Denver.

Aimee Pugh Bernard, PhD, has a broad background in cellular immunology and molecular biology, with specific expertise in human immunology, having attained her PhD in the developmental regulation of human B cells and the autoimmune disorder Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). As a graduate student, Aimee studied the developmental regulation of VH4.34-expressing B cells as an experimental system for the study of human B cell tolerance. Her studies revealed that mechanisms of cellular regulation during development are impaired in patients with SLE leading to a breach in self-tolerance.

Dr. Bernard is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Colorado Anschutz medical campus (CU AMC), the Executive Director of the Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Initiative, and the Director of the CU AMC Basic Sciences Departments Science Communication Program. Aimee is a dedicated educator who teaches immunology to a variety of professional students across the CU AMC and serves as the immunology content director for the CU School of Medicine (CUSOM) undergraduate medical curriculum.

To fulfill her desire to promote science literacy beyond the walls of academia, Aimee frequently hosts community-based vaccine education seminars and Q&A sessions, records a podcast (Help! Make It Make Sense with Dr. Toni and Dr. Aimee) devoted to answering listener’s questions and concerns about vaccination, and authors the Team Vaccine Immunology 101 blog series focused on explaining how vaccines work with the immune system to defend us from disease. In all her roles, Aimee strives to serve as a positive influence on education, science communication, and public policy.

Joe Wertz is the climate and environment editor at CPR News.

Professional Background: Joe joined CPR in 2020 after working as a senior investigative climate and environment reporter at the Center for Public Integrity. He previously worked as a managing editor and senior reporter at StateImpact Oklahoma, a journalism collaboration of public radio stations in Oklahoma, where he covered environment and energy issues for NPR audiences and other national outlets.

His work includes leading coverage of his home state’s oil- and gas-linked earthquake surge and the state’s plodding regulatory response, Scott Pruitt’s rise and fall at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and national reporting on drilling, renewable energy, agriculture, pollution and climate change. Joe also teaches a university course on data journalism and has worked as an editor and staff reporter at several major newspapers in Oklahoma.

Education: Bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma, emphasis on journalism.

Evan Thornburg currently serves as the Health Equity Officer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health in the Division of HIV Health and has previously served the City and residents of Philadelphia as the Deputy Director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs and the Director of Training and Program Development of the Mayor’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Kenney Administration. Evan is an expert in intersectionality in systems of healthcare and public health, specializing in policy/legislation, equity-based program development and comprehensive training on health equity, health disparities, social determinants of health, and the inclusion of vulnerable populations in system level redesign. Evan grew up between Philadelphia, PA and Houston, TX, received her BA in American Studies/Civilizations from Ursinus College, and a Master’s in Urban Bioethics at Temple School of Medicine specializing in the ethics of biotechnology/AI and the public health threats of mis/disinformation in media.
Evan has trained thousands of individuals and collaborated with hundreds of organizations and institutions over the last 15 years when it comes to inclusion, competency, advocacy, and proactive engagement of marginalized/vulnerable communities, specifically LGBTQ folks, BIPOC, elders, and youth. Currently some of Evan’s more profound and exciting work accomplishments are executing an equity assessment and plans of action for all new grantees at DHH and designing an HIV Low Health Literacy Guide that directs providers on best practices for health literacy in HIV clinical spaces and case management. Evan’s past accomplishments have been co-creating an expansive prevention-based Healthcare Initiative for LGBTQ+ elders at John C. Anderson Apartments, being on and advising PDPH’s RFP application teams for COVID and monkey pox vaccine distribution, and writing DHH’s current (and first) health equity policy. Evan is a social media creator who runs a popular bioethics TikTok account, EVN the (Bio) Ethicist, where she uses her expertise in ethics, media, and public health to educate on issues of health and medicine. Evan believes there’s never too much reading, coffee, or drawing that can be had or done in this world, all of which she likes to do with her furry best friends, Harley Quinn, Noon, and Joon.

Faith Kearns is a scientist and science communication practitioner who focuses primarily on water, wildfire, and climate change in the western United States. She is the author of the book Getting to the Heart of Science Communication, and her work has been published in New Republic, On Being, Bay Nature, and more. She has been working in the science communication field for more than 25 years, starting with the Ecological Society of America and going on to serve as a AAAS Science and Policy Fellow at the US Department of State, manage a wildfire research and outreach center at the University of California, Berkeley, bridge science and policy advocacy efforts at the Pew Charitable Trusts, and lead science communication efforts with the California Institute for Water Resources. She is currently the Director of Research Communications for the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative with Arizona State University's Global Futures Lab. Kearns holds an undergraduate environmental science degree from Northern Arizona University, and a doctorate in environmental science, policy, and management from the University of California, Berkeley.

George Sparks has been the President/CEO of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science since November 2004. He spent 24 years in the electronics measurement business at Hewlett-Packard and Agilent Technologies. His career included marketing, sales, and general management of global businesses in software, systems, and services.

Prior to joining Hewlett-Packard, George spent 9 years in the Air Force as a pilot and as an Assistant Professor of Aeronautics at the USAF Academy (1976-1978). He is a Distinguished Graduate of the USAF Academy with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering and holds an MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT.

George's passion is public policy, particularly around science and education. He is a member of the Colorado Forum, Colorado Concern, and is on the Boards of Colorado Education Initiative, Colorado Business Round Table, Colorado Music Hall of Fame, Denver Council of Foreign Relations, and Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

George is the founder of the Institute for Science & Policy, a program of the Museum.

We are a catalyzing force for better policy making by encouraging Americans to talk to each other again, and to solve problems through civil dialogue and scientific thinking. A project of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Learn more at institute.dmns.org

Congressman Joe Neguse represents Colorado’s 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected to his first term in November 2018, becoming the first Black Member of Congress in Colorado history. In December 2022, Rep. Neguse was elected by his colleagues to serve as Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), becoming the first Coloradan to serve in a senior elected leadership role in the House in over 85 years. He serves on the Natural Resources and Judiciary Committees, and was also appointed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to serve as one of four Democrats on the prestigious Rules Committee. Rep. Neguse serves as Ranking Member on the House Subcommittee on Federal Lands, which he previously Chaired in the 117th Congress.  
 
Rep. Neguse has earned national praise for his ability to effectively craft and enact legislation. In the 117th Congress, during his second term, he introduced 103 bills — the second-most of any member in the House — and 22 of these measures ultimately became law. He received the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Legislative Action Award in 2022 for his ability to work across party lines, and in 2021 was ranked among the top 10 most effective lawmakers in Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking, including as the most effective for legislation on public lands. In 2020, he was recognized as the most bipartisan member of Colorado’s congressional delegation by the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, and he received the “Spirit of Service” award from the Town Hall Project for his successful Service Town Hall initiative. 

Roger Pielke, Jr. has been on the faculty of the University of Colorado Boulder since 2001, where he teaches and writes on a diverse range of policy and governance issues related to science, technology, environment, energy, climate, innovation and sports. At Colorado, Roger is a professor in the College of Arts and Sciences. Most recently Roger was on sabbatical at the University of Oslo where he worked to help the university start up a pandemic research center. Roger is also an Honorary Professor at University College London, awarded in 2022.

Roger also oversees a popular Substack —The Honest Broker — where he is experimenting with a new approach to research, writing and public engagement. Roger is frequently called upon by governments businesses, universities, sport governance organizations and others around the world as a speaker and policy advisor. His research is widely cited in multiple fields. Roger’s most recent NSF grant focused on science advice in the pandemic across the world.

Roger holds degrees in mathematics, public policy and political science, all from the University of Colorado Boulder. In 2012 Roger was awarded an honorary doctorate from Linköping University in Sweden and was also awarded the Public Service Award of the Geological Society of America. In 2006, Roger received the Eduard Brückner Prize in Munich, Germany in 2006 for outstanding achievement in interdisciplinary climate research.

Roger has been a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan since 2016. From 2019 he has served as a science and economics adviser to Environmental Progress. Roger was a Fellow of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences from 2001 to 2016. He served as a Senior Fellow of The Breakthrough Institute from 2008 to 2018. In 2007 Roger served as a James Martin Fellow at Oxford University’s Said Business School. Before joining the faculty of the University of Colorado, from 1993 to 2001 Roger was a Scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

At the University of Colorado Boulder, Roger founded and directed the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research and the Sports Governance Center, both of which are no longer active. He also created and led the university’s Graduate Certificate Program in Science and Technology Policy, which has seen its graduates move on to faculty positions, Congressional staff, presidential political appointees and in positions in business and civil society.

His books include Hurricanes: Their Nature and Impacts on Society (with R. Pielke Sr., 1997, John Wiley, full text free as PDF), Prediction: Science, Decision Making and the Future of Nature (with D. Sarewitz and R. Byerly, 2001, Island Press), The Honest Broker: Making Sense of Science in Policy and Politics published by Cambridge University Press (2007), The Climate Fix: What Scientists and Politicians Won’t Tell you About Global Warming (2010, Basic Books). Presidential Science Advisors: Reflections on Science, Policy and Politics (with R. Klein, 2011, Springer), and The Edge: The War Against Cheating and Corruption in the Cutthroat World of Elite Sports (Roaring Forties Press, 2016). His most recent book is The Rightful Place of Science: Disasters and Climate Change (2nd edition, 2018, Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes).

Global executive leader with 20+ years of IT and data science experience. Previously, in her roles as Chief Data Officer, Chief Data Scientist, and Global Talent Transformation Leader, Beth drove transformation for her clients through the design and delivery of scaled AI systems. She made innovation with analytics and AI into a 2B$ business and intends to show the world what it feels like to experience Trusted AI.

In 2023 she was recognized as one of the 100 most brilliant leaders in AI Ethics. She is now the CEO and Chairwoman of Bast AI and has released her book AI for the Rest of Us.

Dominick Moreno grew up attending public schools where he graduated valedictorian while working afternoons at the local Dairy Queen. Through scholarships and part-time jobs, he attended Georgetown University and graduated with a degree in American Government. Dominick quickly moved back to the home he loves — Colorado — where he combined his education and commitment to public service. At the age of 24, Dominick was elected to city council in Commerce City – the youngest member in city history. Dominick went on to serve in the Colorado House of Representatives for two terms before being elected to the Colorado Senate in 2016. He was selected to serve on the esteemed Joint Budget Committee, the principal committee tasked with balancing Colorado’s $36 billion state budget each year and chaired the committee twice. Dominick has served as Majority Leader of the Colorado Senate since February 2022.