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Paul Sutter          

Theoretical Cosmologist, NASA Advisor, U.S. Cultural Ambassador & Author; Host, "How the Universe Works," "Space Out" & "Ask a Spaceman"

Paul M. Sutter is a theoretical cosmologist, award-winning science communicator, NASA advisor, U.S. Cultural Ambassador, and a globally recognized leader in the intersection of art and science. Sutter is a research professor at the Institute for Advanced Computational Science at Stony Brook University and a visiting professor at Barnard College, Columbia University.

Sutter's areas of research include studying the largest empty regions in the universe, mapping the leftover light from the Big Bang, and developing new techniques for finding the first stars to appear in the cosmos. He has authored dozens of academic papers and given hundreds of seminars, colloquia, and conference talks at institutions around the world. He serves on numerous panels and committees, including as a consultant for the Department of Energy and as an external advisor for NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts Program.

A knowledgeable and enthusiastic presenter, Sutter hosts a variety of science shows on TV and digital media, including "How the Universe Works" on Science Channel, "Space Out" on Discovery, and "Edge of Knowledge" on Ars Technica, as well as numerous appearances on other shows. He also writes and hosts his hit Ask a Spaceman podcast, which has been downloaded over 7 million times. In addition to writing three critically acclaimed books exploring everything from our place in the universe to the ways modern science can improve its relationship with the public, Sutter’s work also appears in Scientific American, Ars Technica, Nautilus, Undark, Popular Mechanics, and more.

Audiences can often find Sutters in national news providing commentary, especially in his role as The Weather Channel's Official Space Specialist. He has consulted on everything from major TV shows, such as "Star Trek Discovery" and "Another Life," to films, comic books, and stage plays. He was even given the opportunity to act in one project, "UFO," giving him an “Erdős–Bacon number” of 5.

In addition to his mainstream science communication, Sutters has spent years exploring the intersection of science and art, working with artists, dancers, filmmakers, poets, directors, and musicians. In 2017, he wrote, produced, and narrated Song of the Stars, a dance performance exploring the history of our universe, which aired on PBS member stations nationwide. Sutters worked with director Tom Dugdale to create Into the Void, a narrative journey into a black hole backed by a full orchestra. With avant-garde composer and musician Keith Patchel, He developed MarsBand, an improvisational exploration of the cosmos. Most recently, Sutters has collaborated with Syren Modern Dance of New York City on Ticktock, a stage experience exploring the nature of time through a performance weaving narration, music, and movement. Ticktock has been presented on stages worldwide, including in 2022 at the World Expo in Dubai.

Sutters earned his PhD in physics in 2011 as a Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellow at the University of Illinois. He then spent three years as a research fellow at the Paris Institute for Astrophysics, followed by two years at the Trieste Observatory in Italy. Prior to his current appointment, he held a joint position as the chief scientist at the Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio, and as a cosmological researcher at the Ohio State University. Sutters is routinely brought in to speak to diverse audiences, including at the Boston Museum of Science, the Houston Museum of Science, the Griffith Observatory, the Frost Science Center, King Abdullah University, and more. He speaks about physics, astronomy, cosmology, space exploration, the intersection of science and art, and the relationship between science and society.

Speech Topics


Your Place in the Universe: Feeling Important? Not Anymore

How is a galaxy billions of light-years away connected to us? Is our home nothing more than a tiny speck of blue in an ocean of night? In this exciting tour of a universe far larger than we can imagine, astrophysicist Paul M. Sutter emphasizes how amazing it is that we are part of such a huge, complex, and mysterious place—and he explores how our experience here on Earth fits into that grand context.

Through metaphors and uncomplicated language, Sutter breathes life into the science of astrophysics, unveiling how particles, forces, and fields interplay to create the greatest of cosmic dramas.

Topics include our place in the Milky Way galaxy; the cosmic web, a vast weblike pattern in which galaxies are arranged; the origins of our universe in the big bang; the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy; how science has dramatically changed our relationship to the cosmos; conjectures about the future of reality as we know it; and more.

For anyone who has ever stared at the starry night sky and wondered how we humans on Earth fit into the big picture, this talk is an essential road map.

Approximately 40 minutes in length, plus plenty of time for Q&A. Appropriate for all ages.

How to Die in Space: A Choose-Your-Own Adventure That You Probably Won’t Survive

So you’ve fallen in love with space and now you want to see it for yourself, huh? You want to witness the birth of a star, or visit the black hole at the center of our galaxy? You want to know if there are aliens out there, or how to travel through a wormhole? You want the wonders of the universe revealed before your very eyes?

Well stop, because all that will probably kill you.

From mundane comets in our solar backyard to exotic remnants of the Big Bang, from dying stars to young galaxies, the universe may be beautiful, but it’s treacherous. In this one-of-a-kind show, you get to choose your path through the universe...and hopefully make it back home!

Approximately 45 minutes in length, plus plenty of time for Q&A. Appropriate for all ages.

A Sickness in Science: The Problems with Modern Science and How to Fix Them

Vaccine hesitancy. Rejection of critical thinking. Dismissal of scientific authority. Despite constant messaging promoting the value of science, trust in science is at an all-time low. And from what I’ve seen on the inside, scientists are to blame.

I’ve seen it all. In this talk we will explore the meteoric rise of fraud caused by the pressure to publish, the disdain most scientists have for public outreach, the lack of diversity and the inability for young scientists to advance their careers, the politicization of science to serve political gains while scientists remain clueless, and more.

As the world is mired in countless pressing social issues, science can be a light in the dark, but first it has to redeem itself. This talk is the brutally honest, essential guide to rebuilding trust.

Approximately 45 minutes in length, plus plenty of time for Q&A. Appropriate for all ages.

Dance Like a Scientist: See The World in a Different Way

We will explore how an astrophysicist (Paul M. Sutter) collaborated with the artistic directors of Syren Modern Dance (Kate St. Amand and Lynn Peterson) to create "Ticktock", a performance using narrative sections, Mozart, and movement to explore time. The performance explores several hard science concepts, like entropy, relativity, and the arrow of time, as well as humanistic and personal experiences of time like memory, loss, and anticipation for the future.

We will discuss how scientists and artists can work with each other and learn from each other, and tips on how to build collaborations across disciplines. We conclude with a science/dance movement exercise for the audience to participate in.

Approximately 45 minutes in length, plus plenty of time for Q&A. Appropriate for all ages.

The Universe at Your Fingertips: Custom Talks

Engage with Paul on a variety of topics, including but certainly not limited to: astronomy and physics, the latest space and science news, the relationship between science and society, the intersection of art and science, and more!

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