Rowan Jacobsen writes about science and nature for The Atlantic, Scientific American, The New York Times and more. He writes about endangered diversity, focusing on the environmental and evolutionary impact of synthetic biology. A Nova Media Fellow, he researches the science of sun exposure. His new book, In Defense of Sunlight: The Surprising Science of Sun Exposure, will be published on the Summer Solstice, 2026. Rowan (aka Nancy Jacobsen’s son) received awards from the Society of American Travel Writers and the Overseas Press Club and is the author of nine books, including Fruitless Fall, and Truffle Hound and has appeared on CBS, NBC, and NPR. Patti Rausch will be our service leader.