About Speaker

Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Washington, DC where she leads the institution’s portfolio of creative engagement activities, focusing on innovative outreach programs that contribute to an increased public understanding of science. Her three decades (yes, decades) at the Academies have been characterized by unconventional challenges in service to mission-driven goals and objectives. With a special interest in promoting science, engineering, and medicine through non-traditional channels, she was instrumental in launching and now overseeing The Science & Entertainment Exchange, a program of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that seeks to connect entertainment industry professionals with top scientists and engineers. She also has responsibility for LabX, another flagship outreach program of the NAS. She led the NAS initiative called The Science Behind It, a creative campaign consisting of video and web assets aimed at millennial audiences around a variety of science topics. She also has responsibility for the institution’s large-scale outreach events such as TED@NAS, the USA Science & Engineering Festival, and Family Science Day at the NAS. In the now-distant past, Merchant served as marketing director for the Academies’ publishing division where she and her staff promoted and marketed more than 175 new titles every year.