Support The World's Smartest Network
×

Help the New York Academy of Sciences bring late-breaking scientific information about the COVID-19 pandemic to global audiences. Please make a tax-deductible gift today.

DONATE
This site uses cookies.
Learn more.

×

This website uses cookies. Some of the cookies we use are essential for parts of the website to operate while others offer you a better browsing experience. You give us your permission to use cookies, by continuing to use our website after you have received the cookie notification. To find out more about cookies on this website and how to change your cookie settings, see our Privacy policy and Terms of Use.

We encourage you to learn more about cookies on our site in our Privacy policy and Terms of Use.

#IAmNYAS: Mark Jackson

Learn about one of the biggest challenges physicists face in securing funding for their projects from Fiat Physica founder and CEO, Mark Jackson, PhD.

Published February 23, 2016

#IAmNYAS: Mark Jackson

After spending a number of years working in theoretical physics at an array of prestigious institutions, from the Member Mark Jackson decided to change things up a bit in his career. In 2014, he harnessed his entrepreneurial spirit, years of experience as a researcher, and love of sharing science with the public to found Fiat Physica, a crowd-funding platform specifically for physics, astronomy, and space exploration.

Learn more about Mark and the biggest challenge he thinks physicists face when seeking funding:

What is one of the biggest challenges you're facing right now?

When I began Fiat Physica I believed that the challenge would be to convince the public that science was worth supporting. This turned out not to be a problem: the public loves science! The problem is that most researchers do very poor job of communicating their work to the public. Much of Fiat Physica's focus is now educating researchers on how to market their projects in a way that engages the public.

Who has been your biggest science inspiration?

Linus Pauling: the only person to have won two unshared Nobel Prizes (Chemistry and Peace), social and peace activist, and fellow Oregonian.

What's the best piece of career advice you've received?

If you don't want your supervisor's job, you have the wrong job.

Why did you become a Member of the New York Academy of Sciences?

I first attended Academy events as a graduate student at Columbia University. When I moved back to the city last year, I became a Member of the New York Academy of Sciences because I wished to engage not just with other scientists, but also science enthusiasts.


Need help solving the challenge of communicating your science to the public? Don't miss our two-day intensive workshop, "Speaking" Science: How to Communicate, Connect with Audiences from March 7 - 8. You can also check out our Communicating Science to the Public eBriefing.

Read other #IAmNYAS profiles here.