National Academies Keck Futures Initiative

The Keck Futures Initiative sponsors an annual scientific conference focusing on a different issue each year. Past topics include sustainable ecosystems, complex systems and healthspans. Leading scientists from various disciplines come together to discuss possible solutions to complex focused questions.

Each year graduate students, primarily science and science journalism majors, are selected to document the conference meetings. Barbara Culliton's role is to ensure the final conference publication accurately reflects the conference discussions and is scientifically correct.

The challenge for the graduate students is to work quickly with a real-world deadline. The attending scientists can be difficult to reach once the conference is over. Details are critical and must be correct. Suggestions for future reseach topic must be recorded with the context of the conversation.

Barbara works with the students until the conference publication is complete. Past conference details can be reviewed on the Keck Futures Initiative website.