David Heil is the Aspen Science Center President and Treasurer, and a member of the executive committee. As President of David Heil & Associates, he works with non-profit organizations, governmental agencies and corporations to design, launch, and evaluate a range of educational and public outreach initiatives. Former Director of Informal Science Education for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), Mr. Heil is an innovative science educator, new enterprise developer, lecturer, and author. He is the former host of the Emmy Award-winning science series, Newton’s Apple. He was lead author on the award-winning program, Discover The Wonder, and is editor of Family Science. David was the Associate Director of the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry. While there, he initiated and administered many of the museum’s nationally recognized education and outreach programs, and also developed hands-on exhibits for a national tour. He also taught science and enrichment programs in grades 7-12, conducted research in plant biochemistry and radiochemistry, and worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He served on the Board of Directors of the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, the Keystone Center, and currently serves as the Senior Science Advisor for the Council of Chief State School Officers. Mr. Heil recently received NSTA’s award for Distinguished Service to Science Education.
William “Bill” Turner is chair of the board of directors. Bill spent 35 years as a management consultant, working with large financial institutions on issues of strategy, corporate governance, and operational effectiveness. While at McKinsey, PriceWaterhouse Coopers, and A.T. Kearney, he assisted clients in 25 countries and resided overseas for more than a dozen years in London, Seoul, and Hong Kong. He led strategy and financial services consulting practices in the U.S., the United Kingdom, the Middle East, across Europe, and in Greater China. Prior to consulting, Bill led the corporate banking business for Chemical Bank, now JPMorgan Chase, in five mid-western states, managing relationships with large corporations and banks, and structuring and negotiating complex credit transactions. Eons ago, he graduated from Brown University with a degree in economics and then earned an MBA in finance from Columbia. Bill’s family has been coming to Aspen and Snowmass since the mid-1980’s, and Bill, wife Paula, and their dog Sofia have lived in Snowmass Village for 25 years. Bill rolled off the board of Aspen Public Radio, where he was Chair for several years, and he serves on the board of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation in New York. Science – especially physics – has played an important role in Bill’s life. Brownian motion has kept him traveling around most of his life. From early on he accepted Einstein’s attributed comment that the most powerful force in the universe is compound interest. And, Bill views the world with lots of Fresnel rings, now that he has multi-focal intraocular lenses.
Mark Munger recently retired from a 40+ year career in science education, including 13 years at Aspen Community School, and 28 years at Aspen Middle School. Mark earned a B.A. degree in Geography from the University of Kansas, a Teaching Certificate from the University of Northern Colorado, and an M.A. degree in Science Education from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. He considers himself a very lucky person, having the good fortune to live and work in the Roaring Fork Valley for the past 42 years. His passions of hiking, skiing, fly fishing, and salsa tasting are all readily accessible. Working with two school systems that valued academic achievement, experiential learning, and community involvement, provided the opportunity to fully engage with students while taking them on numerous outdoor trips, cultural exchanges, and community service projects. He has been known to say that “Outside the classroom is the best classroom”. For nine years Mark served as Board member and President (2010-2012) of the Crown Mountain Park & Recreation District in El Jebel, Colorado, and from 2014 – 2020 he served as Vice President and then President of the Aspen Education Association.
A theoretical physicist, author and former museum director who began her trek through the world of science deep in the cosmos, studying the composition and evolution of the Universe. Her most recent position took her in a very different direction - and offered her the chance to spend a day digging for mastodon bones not too far from where she lives in the beautiful Capital Creek valley of Old Snowmass. She spent most of her physics career as a member of the research faculty at the University of Chicago, and for 2 years served as Assistant Director of the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics. Her foray into the museum community began at the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum in Chicago where she was Vice President for Science & Education. After publishing her first book, Einstein's Telescope: The Hunt for Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe (W.W. Norton 2009), she returned to the museum world as the Executive Director & CEO of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. She is currently on the Board of Trustees of the Aspen Center for Physics, and the Physics Policy Committee of the American Physical Society. Her and her husband love living in Old Snowmass and spend as much time as possible exploring the trails and mountains around them. She remains passionate about inviting every curious mind on the planet to explore the natural world around us, from our own backyards to the most distant galaxies - and beyond.
Dr. Martha Elena Márquez recently moved to the Roaring Fork Valley from Mexico City where she first earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences, then A Master’s and Ph.D. in Philosophy of Science at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma deMéxico, graduating Summa Cum Laude. In between she earned a second Master’s in Philosophy, Science, and Values from the Universidad del Pais Vasco, España/Basque Country University, Spain. From 2005 -2022 she was a Professor at UNAM specializing in Science, Technology, and Society (STS), critical thinking, history of science, and the sociology of science and technology. She combined her academic teaching career with managing multidiscipline and multicultural international research projects between academia, government, and society. Dr. Márquez also served as Institutional Management Coordinator at the Research Seminar on Knowledge, Society, and Cultural Diversity; and during her student years on campus, coordinated information at the Technical Council for Scientific Research at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UMAN). An experienced researcher, teacher, project evaluator, and speaker, Elena brings a wealth of rich experiences and a passion for STEM teaching and learning to her role on the ASC Board.
An Aspen native and long-time resident of the Roaring Fork Valley. A graduate of Princeton University (AB Sociology, 1988), Colorado Mountain College (AAS Veterinary Technology, 2009), and a certificated Equine Rehabilitation Practitioner (University of Tennessee, 2021). She has cultivated both local and global legacies in competitive athletics, civic engagement, philanthropy, innovative ranching, environmental advocacy, and education. Kate was member of the US Jr. Olympic Ski Team (1976-1984), a 6-time Champion and World Record Holder in the 24 Hours of Aspen Downhill (1993-1999), and World Professional Ski Tour member (1996-1998). In 1986 she was a member of the US National Select Soccer Team and has coached both skiing and soccer for years. Kate has served as Director, Vice President, and Secretary of the Aspen Business Center Foundation; Founder and President of the Sopris Foundation; Director of the McBride Africa Internship and the McBride Internship At Home Environmental Camp. She owns and operates The Other Side Ranch a Dairy where she also runs and Equine Fitness & Rehab Center. Kate has served on a number of local Boards and Commissions, including the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, and the Aspen Historical Society. She is also a licensed private and commercial pilot and mother of two daughters, Riley and Annalisa.
A co-founder of the Aspen Science Center and a past President of the Aspen Center for Physics. He holds a B.S. from Harvard College and a Ph.D. in Physics from Cornell. He is trained as a theoretical condensed matter physicist and is known for his work in strongly correlated quantum systems. He later redirected his interests towards biology-driven research. He was awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship, an Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, and a Humboldt Foundation Senior Prize. Dr. Ruckenstein is Professor of Physics and former Associate Provost & Vice President for Research at Boston University. He is also Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research at Lancaster University.
President, founder and principal designer of Harry Teague Architects. Teague grew up in Alpine, New Jersey, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1966, and has lived in Colorado since receiving his M.Arch. from the Yale School of Architecture in 1972. He began his architectural practice in 1975 as a designer/builder, and personally constructed his designs for the first seven years of his career.Since 1975 HTA’s diverse practice has produced many significant buildings for educational, cultural and scientific institutions, as well as numerous award-winning residences. Teague was named AIA Colorado Architect of the Year in 2000, and Harry Teague Architects was named Firm of the Year by the AIA Colorado and the AIA Western Mountain Region in 1994 and 1995. In addition to working closely with many non-profits as their architect, Teague has served on several boards including, as board president, the International Design Conference in Aspen, Aspen Science Outreach Center, and Aspen Journalism. His work has been included in exhibitions and published internationally in magazines and books. He has lectured and taught throughout the country, served on numerous professional design award juries and has received numerous local, state and national design awards.