We are in the process of assembling the Scientists’ Speakers Bureau, but in the meantime we are beginning to assemble bios of scientists who will be on the SSB. For some speakers, we have added an extended bio that includes information on how to contact that speaker.

Bios of potential SSB speakers:

David Beach
Director, GreenCityBlueLake Institute at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History
http://www.gcbl.org
Speaking topics: climate change, regional planning, sustainability, transportation planning, water quality
David Beach has been a leading writer and activist on environmental and urban design issues in Cleveland for more than 25 years. He communicates a broad vision about sustainability being rooted in the development of ecological cities that work for people and nature. He has a special interest in the moral and ethical dimensions of climate change.

Dorothy Boorse
Professor of Biology at Gordon College; Member, of Ecological Society of America, Society of Wetland Scientists, American Scientific Affiliation; Board Member, AuSable Institute of Environmental Studies
http://www.gordon.edu/dorothyboorse
Speaking topics: biodiversity, climate change, ecological restoration, environmental stewardship ethic, food and sustainable agriculture, invasive species, overconsumption, religion and ecology, sustainability, water availability
Dr. Boorse is an aquatic ecologist whose specialty is small wetlands. She is a co-author on a college level environmental science textbook. Her interests are in communication about environmental science and sustainability, especially to faith communities. Her biggest interest is in the Christian environmental stewardship ethic, and its application to a range of issues, especially to climate change and poverty.

Mark Brunson
Professor and Department Head, Environment and Society, Utah State University
http://www.cnr.usu.edu/envs/htm/faculty-staff/memberID=770
Speaking topics: ecological restoration, food and sustainable agriculture, invasive species, land conservation, religion and ecology, wilderness protection
Mark Brunson is a socio-ecological systems scientist interested in the causes and consequences of human behaviors in natural environments, and how those behaviors may be influenced by people’s perceptions of the ecological conditions that result from human impacts. His research focuses on human-environment interactions pertaining to non-native species invasions, wildfire and wildfire hazard reduction, and restoration of native rangelands and deserts after environmental disturbances.

F. Stuart “Terry” Chapin III
Professor Emeritus of Ecology, University of Alaska Fairbanks; Member of Ecological Society of America (Past President), National Academy of Sciences, American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Participant in U.S. National Climate Assessment, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
http://terrychapin.org/
Speaking topics: biodiversity, climate change, eco-justice, sustainability
Dr. Chapin speaks to faith communities about climate change impacts on ecosystems and society, stewardship strategies for sustainability, and local adaptation to climate change.

Scott Collins
Regent’s Professor & Loren Potter Chair of Plant Ecology Department of Biology, University of New Mexico; Member, Ecological Society of America, American Institute of Biological Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Science, British Ecological Society, American Society of Naturalists; President, Ecological Society of America.
http://temperate.lternet.edu/collins/
Speaking topics: biodiversity, climate change
Dr. Collins is Regents Professor of Biology and Loren Potter Chair of Plant Ecology at the University of New Mexico. He is also President of the Ecological Society of America and Director of the Sevilleta LTER.

Julie Doll
Education and Outreach Coordinator of the Kellogg Biological Station Long-term Ecological Research (KBS LTER) program, part of Michigan State University.
http://lter.kbs.msu.edu/people/360
Speaking topics: climate change, food and sustainable agriculture, sustainability
Dr. Doll develops outreach and educational programming about agriculture and ecology, with a focus on field crops and climate change. She works with a wide variety of stakeholders, ranging from elementary students to journalists to farmers. She has experience integrating ecological concepts into religious education for youth and adults and presenting on climate change to churches and non-scientific groups.

David Dow
Retired Biological Oceanographer from NOAA Fisheries’ Northeast Fisheries Science Center Lab in Woods Hole, Ma; Volunteer, Sierra Club; Activist, Cape Cod & the Islands Group Excom, Massachusetts Chapter Marine & Coastal Committee, Marine Action Team and Toxics Activist Team; Member of the Green Sanctuary and Social Action Committees at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth
Speaking topics: sustainability, marine conservation, toxic chemicals, wastewater, water quality
Dr. David Dow is a retired scientist who supports engagement of community of faith organizations and under-represented Environmental Justice constituents on Cape Cod. He has worked on two issues that are of crucial importance to local residents: contamination via wastewater and climate adaptation. He has been recognized for his environmental justice work with the Sierra Club.

Megan M. Gregory
PhD Candidate, Cornell University Department of Horticulture; Member, Ecological Society of America; Member, Committee on Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC), First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca
http://blogs.cornell.edu/gep/
Speaking topics: climate change, eco-justice, ecological restoration, food and sustainable agriculture, religion and ecology, sustainability, water quality
Megan is a graduate student in agroecology and community education at Cornell University, where she works with gardeners to develop ecologically-based vegetable gardening practices. She also has experience engaging students, faith communities, and civic groups in local stewardship projects and policy advocacy to support sustainable agriculture and food systems, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and social and environmental justice. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Rick Hammer
Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Science, Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, TX.
http://www.hsutx.edu/faculty-profile/holland/hammer-rick
Speaking topics: biodiversity and conservation, religion and ecology, religion and environmental ethics, ecology and applied outdoor ethics (Leave No Trace), climate change, eco-justice.
Dr. Hammer is a plant conservation biologist and ecologist and conducts research on rare and endangered plants in Texas. He is focused on the integration of religious faith, ecology, and environmental stewardship. He is open to outreach across all faith traditions and has been particularly active in the area of Christian environmental stewardship and ethics.

Gregory E. Hitzhusen
Lecturer, Ohio State University School of Environment and Natural Resources; Board Chair, Ohio Interfaith Power and Light; Vice-Chair Nominee, Ecological Society of America Environmental Justice Section
http://senr.osu.edu/our-people/gregory-hitzhusen
Speaking topics: climate change, eco-justice, religion and ecology, sustainability, wilderness protection, eco-theology, wilderness spirituality, energy efficiency, getting a green team started.
Dr. Hitzhusen has spoken at more than 100 faith community venues in Ohio in the last five years, addressing a range of topics to help congregations wrestle with environmental questions and solutions. He serves as coordinator of the Scientists Speakers Bureau for Earth Stewardship Outreach to Faith Communities.

David Inouye
Professor, Department of Biology, University of Maryland; Researcher, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory
http://biology.umd.edu/faculty/davidwinouye
Speaking topics: biodiversity, climate change, wildlife
David has worked for over 40 years at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, in Colorado, on how the timing and abundance of flowering by wildflowers are influenced by the changing climate. More recently the project has been expanded to include how animals such as pollinators are being affected by the changes in flowering, and how plant populations are changing.

Forest Isbell
Assistant Professor, University of Georgia; Member of the Ecological Society of America
http://sustainingnature.org
Speaking topics: biodiversity, climate change, ecological restoration, food and sustainable agriculture, invasive species, land conservation, overconsumption, religion and ecology, sustainability, water quality, wilderness protection.
Dr. Isbell speaks to faith communities about contemporary changes in nature and sustainable solutions.

Leanne Jablonski
Dr. Jablonski is the Coordinator of the Sustainability, Energy, Environment Initiative at the University of Dayton. She is also Director of the Marianist Environmental Education Center and the Ecological Society of America’s Environmental Justice Section Chair.

Joseph Leyda
President, Leyda Consulting, Inc.
http://www.leydaconsulting.com/
Speaking topics: air quality, climate change, eco-justice, ecological restoration, food and sustainable agriculture, invasive species, land conservation, sustainability, water quality, wilderness protection, wildlife
Recent subjects include: the effects of pollution on ecosystems, including nutrients, metals, petroleum, coal mining and coal dust, gravel, uranium and tar sand mining; wildlife, wetland and aquatic ecology; wetlands and climate change; environmental policy, regulation, and permitting; endangered species conservation; raptor biology and natural history; permaculture and forest garden design and modeling.

Kellen Marshall
Doctoral Candidate, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Illinois-Chicago; Director of Research, Eden Place Nature Center, Ecological Society of America; Blacks In Green (B.I.G.); Committee Member, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Working Group Member, Vital Lands Illinois, Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences
https://sites.google.com/site/kellenmarshallgillespie/
Speaking topics: STEM, Diversity, urban environmental history, green businesses
Kellen has used her passion for the field of ecology to connect communities of color to conversations surrounding urban ecosystems. She was the host of the first environmental show on WVON Chicago 1690 AM called “Living Healthy, Living Green” as well as owner of Roots & Shoots Organic Gardening. Her research interests are within urban ecosystems with strong ties to the discipline of environmental justice through studying ecosystem services of green infrastructure.

Nalini Nadkarni
Director, Center for Science and Mathematics Education; Professor, Department of Biology, University of Utah http://www.nalininadkarni.com/
Speaking topics: biodiversity, religion and ecology
Dr. Nadkarni is a forest ecologist who carries out research on forest canopy biota in tropical and temperate rainforests. She also carries out projects for public engagement of science to underserved public audiences such as faith-based communities, urban youth, and incarcerated men and women.

Lucas Sabalka
Applied Mathematician at a tech venture capital firm; Climate Leader for the Climate Reality Project http://presenters.climaterealityproject.org/presenter/lucas-sabalka_3394
Speaking topics: climate change, sustainability
Dr. Sabalka is a trained speaker for the Climate Reality Project. He has given over a dozen presentations on climate change, including its impacts, the science behind climate change, the scientific consensus on climate change, local implications of climate change, and ways we can all work to address climate change as individuals and collectively.

Scientists’ Speakers Bureau Bios

Bios of potential SSB speakers: