Science has become political, but too few politicians and citizens are well-versed in science. Even though science and technology will be the focus of many of the challenges facing the next president, there has been little discussion of any of these issues in the campaign thus far. Mr. Krauss will speak about how public scientific literacy affects policy on issues like teaching evolution in schools, global warming, national defense, stem cell research, and support for the scientific research that can preserve U.S. economic competitiveness.

Lawrence M. Krauss is the Ambrose Swasey Professor of Physics, a professor of astronomy, and the director of the Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics at Case Western Reserve University. Mr. Krauss was appointed a professor of physics and astronomy at Yale University in 1985 before joining Case as chair of the Department of Physics in 1993, a position he held until 2005. During this time, he built an internationally ranked research center and created new programs, such as the Physics Entrepreneurship Masters Program. The author of seven popular books, including the international bestseller The Physics of Star Trek (Harper, 1996) and the award-winning Atom: A Single Oxygen Atom's Journey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth . . . and Beyond (Back Bay, 2002). His newest book is Hiding in the Mirror: The Mysterious Allure of Extra Dimensions from Plato to String Theory and Beyond (Viking, 2005). Mr. Krauss is also the author of over two hundred scientific papers. He is the only physicist to have been awarded the highest awards of the American Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers, and the American Institute of Physics, and he is a fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Mr. Krauss is also a regular radio commentator and essayist for newspapers such as the New York Times. In addition to his scientific research, he has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, judged at the Sundance Film Festival, and been nominated for a Grammy Award.