Mary Poffenroth

During her eleven years as a San Jose State University biology lecturer, Mary Poffenroth has made innovation in science education and communication a priority. Whether through making original videos for TEDed and Wiley & Sons, writing for Science magazine, presenting her research at Stanford University, or speaking to live audiences at TEDx, Comic Con, and Inbound, Mary’s goals are the same: Make science accessible for all.

Mary, a Salzburg Global Fellow, holds two masters degrees, one in biology and the other in science communication from Imperial College London, in which she graduated with honors. She is the author of Write Present Create: Science Communication for Undergraduates and has taught nearly 20,000 students both in person and online since 2007. She began her research career in astrophysiology at NASA Ames Research Center Moffet Field in 1999 and now focuses her research on the intersection of fear science, communication, and personal/social change.

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