PhD, Yale University
M.Phil, University of Oxford
Dr. Aaron F. Mertz is a biophysicist, a science advocate, and the founding Director of the Aspen Institute Science & Society Program, launched in 2019, which endeavors to generate greater public appreciation for science as a vital tool to address global challenges and to foster a diverse scientific workforce whose contributions extend beyond the laboratory. Previously, Mertz was a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow in stem cell and tissue biology at Rockefeller University. He has held leadership roles in advocacy for women and LGBTQ+ people in STEM fields. A term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Mertz earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Washington University in St. Louis; a master’s degree in the history of science, medicine, and technology from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar; and a doctorate in physics from Yale University.
