Contributors and Volunteers

Like much of science today, Pop-Up Science is a team effort. 
Take a look below at some of our fabulous contributors, from scientists to teachers to artists.
We're an ever-evolving community of passionate movers and thinkers. 
Want in, too? ​Email us and we'll get you on this bandwagon.
Allison Lee is a researcher at the Institute for Systems Biology studying the response of phytoplankton to ocean acidification and climate change. She's worked on various wildlife projects around the world---studying endangered parrots and blue whales in Mexico, songbirds in Seattle, squirrels in Washington, biodiversity in the flooded Amazon Basin, macaws in Peru, big cats in Africa, and algae in Antarctica. 

Allison spends a considerable amount of time volunteering for outreach opportunities to educate the public and has partnered with Pop-Up Science, Ocean Inquiry Project, Inner City Outings Sierra Club, Conservation Northwest and Pacific Science Center.  She also maintains an outreach blog called woman scientist which aims to inspire young women to pursue careers in environmental/wildlife sciences and get out in the field.

Allison has a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Earth and Space Sciences from the University of Washington. She also speaks Spanish and French. When she is not doing science she is running marathons, cycling, hiking, reading, and socializing. 
Warren Carter is a molecular biology researcher at the Institute for Systems Biology working on projects focused on algae biofuel, aquaponics, and genetic networks of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Prior to ISB, he researched algae biofuel at the University of Washington and taught genetics in the UW Office of Minority Affairs Instructional Center. His passion for science education outreach led him to be involved in organizations like Washington Alliance for Better Schools.
 
He’s usually found staring into microscopes or growing algae in bioreactors, but when he’s not working in the lab he loves to get others excited about what excites him most—biology! He’s thrilled about contributing to Pop-Up Science because it gives him the opportunity to share his passion with kids and adults in an unconventional entertaining way! Warren received his B.S. in Biology from Gonzaga University, and on the weekends he is usually skateboarding, rock-climbing, playing soccer, hiking, surfing, or snowboarding (depending on the season). 
Rachel Vander Giessen is an oceanographer at University of Washington’s Applied Physics Lab and provides outreach for the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS).  She grew up in Seattle and spends as much time outside and on the water as possible. She has worked as crew and naturalist on vessels along the Inside Passage and volunteered with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Seattle Aquarium and Ocean Inquiry Project. 

Rachel has a B.S. in Physics and a B.S in Astronomy from the University of Washington and spent a year as a transfer student studying physics at Justus-Liebig University in Giessen, Germany. 
"I loved being a part of Pop-Up Science’s Street Smarts event because it’s a great chance to bring important science to the public in a non-traditional, informal and fun way. ​"
Alex Ellis graduated from Seattle University with a Bachelor's of Criminal Justice in Forensics and a Minor in Film. While trying to choose a career path that did not deal with corpses, she's worked as a bartender, a social media consultant, a retail manager, a media production consultant, a videographer, a dishwasher, and a special effects artist. She can also balance a wine glass on her foot but no one has paid her for it…yet.

She's thrilled to be a part of Pop-Up Science because she is thoroughly convinced that science will save the world. And what better way than through a really cool medium like flash-mob science demos that are later uploaded to social media? #CountMeIn
Matt Richards is treading the line between a scientist and an engineer as he puts the finishing touches on his PhD. He works as a systems biologist at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, where he use computer modeling to try to improve biofuel production. 

As a child of two professors, he has always had a passion for teaching and especially loves teaching science. He has worked with teachers on science curriculum development, on both K-12 and community college levels. He loves contributing to Pop-Up Science because he gets to show people all the cool things you can do with science. 

Matt grew up in Los Angeles and holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from U.C. Berkeley and an MS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois. When not doing science, he enjoys hiking, playing various sports, and eating all sorts of tasty food. 
Elizabeth Rainey is a classically trained pianist and cellist originally from Spokane, WA and K-12 Spanish educator. Her current pursuits include Elementary Spanish instruction before and after school in two Seattle Public Elementary Schools (Adams and North Beach). She is subbing in Edmonds, Lakeside and Shoreline School Districts and has her sights on a Music Direction position with Broadway Bound (a local children’s theater organization). 

​Elizabeth holds a B.A. degree in Spanish and Portuguese Studies from the University of Washington and a M.A degree in Education from Eastern Washington University.