About


Mission

The Chicago Council on Science and Technology’s (C2ST) mission is to enhance the public’s understanding and appreciation of science and technology and their impact on society.

C2ST has spent the past decade working towards its mission of a community engaged with science. Pursuing that goal hasn’t been simple, and has required the work of dedicated people from day one. C2ST’s four founders laid the groundwork and in 2005, they came together with one simple idea.

They would create an organization to connect the public with science and the scientific community with itself.

A grant from NASA aimed at outreach led to a series of talks open to the public on energy and climate change, which was heavy in the public mind at the time and the NASA talks were so successful there was no reason not to create similar programs.

So, the Chicago Council on Science and Technology was born.

The council has grown to encompass much of the Chicago area and done its best to create a place where anyone from anywhere can come to learn.

C2ST History

Year-In-Review Archive

“C2ST serves as a vital resource to our community for perpetuating knowledge about the importance of science and technology in our daily lives. It is easy to take for granted special medications, diagnostic tests, cell phones, alternative sources of energy and more – but decades of research have been devoted to these advancements that allow us to enjoy the fruits of dedicated scientists. Now, we have a responsibility to train the next generation of innovators, and C2ST plays a major role in this noble goal.”

-Mary J.C. Hendrix, President, Shepherd University


Board of Directors

Alan Schriesheim, President C2ST
Director Emeritus
Argonne National Laboratory

Jay Walsh, Board Chair
Vice President of Research
Northwestern University

Bob Arthur
President
Magellan Corporation

Gerald Blazey
Vice President for Research & Innovation Partnerships
Northern Illinois University

Philip Cable
President
John A. Cable Foundation

Gastone G. Celesia, Ex-Officio Board Member
Professor Emeritus
Loyola University

Holly Copeland
Director, Public Affairs & Corporate Social Responsibility
Horizon Therapeutics

Alan W. Cramb
President
Illinois Institute of Technology

Marten L. denBoer
Provost
DePaul University

Lance Grande, Board Representative
Program Committee Chair
Distinguished Service Curator
The Field Museum of Natural History

Mary J.C. Hendrix
President
Shepherd University, WV

Paul Kearns
Director
Argonne National Laboratory

Charles Knapp
VP of Conservation and Research
John G. Shedd Aquarium

Bob Kriss
Senior Counsel
Mayer Brown LLP

Richard Lariviere
President
The Field Museum of Natural History

Ka Yee Lee
Vice Provost for Research
University of Chicago

Susan A. Martinis
Interim Vice Chancellor for Research
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Alison Markovitz
Chief Strategic Partnerships Officer
Fermilab

Walter Massey
President Emeritus
School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Jon D. Miller, Co-Founder
Director International Center for the Advancement of Scientific Literacy
Institute for Social Research
University of Michigan

David Mosena
President & Chief Executive Officer
Museum of Science and Industry

Lynn Narasimhan, Board Representative
Professor and Director, STEM Center
DePaul University

Norman Peterson, Board Representative 
Director, Government Relations
Argonne National Laboratory

Rob Scott
Vice President, Development and Chief Medical Officer
Abbvie

Thomas P. Shanley
Chief Research Officer
Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute

Arch Shaw
President & CEO
Arch Investors Ltd

Kay Torshen
President
Torshen Capital Management, LLC

Sarah Tucker-Vandenplas
President
ARCS Foundation, Inc., Illinois Chapter

Jessica Turner-Skoff
Treeologist
The Morton Arboretum

Maria Velissariou
Chief Science and Technology Officer
Institute of Food Technologists

Ralph Wanger
Chairman
RW Investments

Patricia Ward, Board Representative
Director, Science Exhibitions and Partnerships
Museum of Science and Industry

TBD
Exelon


Auxiliary Board

Adam Arcus, President
Creative Director 1871

Andie Asimes, Vice President
Research Associate Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology Loyola University Chicago

Gillian Catrambone
Director Of Operations Uptake

Julia Haried
Co-Founder & Executive Director MakerGirl

Shyama Majumdar
Oncology Ventures Associate Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Chicago

Zuri McClelland
Support Virtual Lab Manager HappiLabs

Kathleen Slingerland
Program Lead, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Color Deployment Mars Wrigley Confectionery

Jessica Turner-Skoff
Treeologist The Morton Arboretum


C2ST Artist In Residence

Aaron Freeman
Comedian and Artist

C2ST Educator Fellow

Kori Milroy
Science Teacher, Skinner West Classical School


C2ST Staff

Katie Ahmed, MA

Katie Ahmed, MA

Manager of Operations and Communications
Mary Madden, MA

Mary Madden, MA

Manager of Programs and Grants
Alexandra Prokuda, PhD

Alexandra Prokuda, PhD

Director of Programs and Engagement