Dr. Jonathan M. Berman, postdoctoral fellow at UT Health San Antonio spoke about “How to be a Passionate Advocate for Science” on Saturday, November 18 at this year’s TedxSanAntonio at the Witte Museum.

Career Advisory Council member Dr. Lindsay Bira and Biomedical Engineering Alumnus Dr. Travis Block presented at last year’s TedxSanAntonio talk. To watch their talks, read the article on what it’s like to present at TEDx Conference.

Short description of talk:

Although science itself is just a tool for distinguishing true beliefs about the world from false beliefs about the world, science denial has profound negative consequences which give science a moral valence. Likewise, as scientists we can choose to do science that serves humanistic values: human health and well-being, a just and equitable society, and greater human agency and freedom. Scientists can convince deniers and those on the fence by putting as much passion as data into their arguments. Likewise already-passionate activists can train themselves to think more scientifically by engaging with the scientific method in their day-to-day lives.

About the speaker:

Jonathan Berman is a postdoctoral fellow at UT Health San Antonio, where he studies the molecular origins of hypertension. He received a Ph.D. from SUNY Buffalo in 2015, and a BS from the Rochester Institute of technology in 2009. He was a national co-chair of the March for Science on April 22nd, 2017, host of the unveiling of the world’s largest periodic table of the elements, a standup comedian for nine years, a rickshaw driver, pizza cook, adjunct, and radio host, cable access director, film extra, volunteer block walker, carpet remover, and photographer. He has taught critical thinking, genetics of hypertension, kidney endocrinology, human development, and cognitive biases. He believes that building academic environments that foster passionate advocacy for science is key to fighting science denial.

TEDxSanAntonio is run by Fiesta for the Mind, an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization.