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Matt McNeill, Ph.D.  works as a staff scientist in the bioinformatics group at Integrated DNA Technologies, located in Coralville, Iowa. He has a general interest in biology, new technology development, and the scientific process. Over his career, he has studied the development of neuromuscular junctions in fruit flies, the importance of an ion channel in the development of skin and brain, the biological underpinnings of social behavior, and the molecular mechanisms important for DNA hybridization. He has developed an interest in microscopy, genetics, genomics, animal behavior, and most recently, bioinformatics methods. He has implemented and developed novel methods and technologies, such as an approach to quantify changes in gene expression within 3‐dimensional brain images; these technologies have furthered biological research. He has shared his interests through volunteer activities, such as Brain Awareness Day, volunteering at elementary schools, Iowa City Darwin Day, where he served on the board, and most recently, advising University of Iowa graduate students on career options in industry. Matt received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Iowa in 2009, and he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Illinois.

Matt Gilchrist, MFA,  Associate Professor of Instruction, University of Iowa Department of Rhetoric and Director of Iowa Digital Engagement and Learning, teaches courses in persuasive speaking and writing, including three at the graduate level: Public Speaking for Academics, Science Communication in the Digital Age, and Writing in the Disciplines. He directs Iowa Digital Engagement and Learning, a program that supports faculty and students who use digital classroom projects to engage the world beyond the classroom. He earned his MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.