Aaron Freeman

Aaron Freeman is a writer, actor, stand-up comedian, producer, science commentator, and funnyman. Freeman is the former host of NPR’s weekly talk show Metropolis, WPWR-Ch. 50’s “Talking with Aaron Freeman,” and WTTW’s Chicago Tomorrow weekly science-and-health half-hour magazine. He performed Chicago’s Second City comedy troupe and co-authored “Do the White Thing” with Chicagoan Rob Kolson. Freeman was also the first African-American essayist for the “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour” on national PBS television. Freeman’s passion is science and learning. He creates short science commentaries on his YouTube channel “Sciency Optimist” and airs a podcast that focuses on different neuroscience topics with Professor Peggy Mason. Since 2015, Freeman has been the Artist in Resident at the Chicago Council on Science and Technology where he often shares his take on a variety of science topics through posts, videos, and live performances.

Peggy Mason, PhD

Peggy Mason received her BA in Biology in 1983 and her PhD in Neuroscience in 1987, both from Harvard. After postdoctoral work at the University of California – San Francisco, she joined the faculty at the University of Chicago in 1992, where she is now a Professor of Neurobiology. For 25 years, Dr. Mason has worked on the cellular mechanisms of pain modulation. Since 2008, she has pioneered work on the biology of empathy and helping behavior.

Dr. Mason is committed to increasing interest in neurobiology through teaching. She taught medical students for 25 years during which time she wrote a textbook, Medical Neurobiology (Oxford University Press, 2011; 2^nd edition, 2017). Dr. Mason is currently the inaugural Director of the undergraduate major on Neuroscience at the University of Chicago. She also teaches a popular Coursera course that has attracted almost 175,000 students to date. She has received multiple awards for her teaching.

Maria Weber, PhD

Maria Weber, PhD, is a National Science Foundation Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow at Adler Planetarium and the University of Chicago. She studies how the Sun and other cool stars generate and sustain magnetic fields that may impact nearby worlds. She has a background in theoretical and computational physics, and works within Adler Planetarium’s Space Visualization Group to develop innovative new ways for museum visitors to explore space and science concepts. Her passions include public outreach, developing visualizations for more effective science communication, and supporting the participation of women in STEM through an outreach project called Soapbox Science.