Dr. Scott Solomon is a biologist, professor, and science communicator. He teaches ecology, evolutionary biology, and scientific communication as a Teaching Professor at Rice University in Houston. Dr. Solomon is also a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. He has a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the University of Texas at Austin where his research examined the evolutionary basis of biological diversity in the Amazon Basin. He has taught field biology at Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado and in the rainforests and reefs of Belize. He developed a series of online introductory biology courses through Coursera as well as two complete digital series with The Great Courses called Why Insects Matter: Earth’s Most Essential Species and What Darwin Didn’t Know: The Modern Science of Evolution. Before coming to Rice, he worked as a visiting researcher with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC and São Paulo State University in Rio Claro, Brazil.
Dr. Solomon’s research examines the ecology and evolution of insects, microbes, and humans. He is a Fellow of The Explorers Club, an Associate Editor of the Journal of Tropical Ecology, and a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society, and the Society for the Study of Evolution.
Dr. Solomon often speaks and writes about science at schools, museums, churches, science cafés, TEDx events and other venues. He is the creator and host of the podcast Wild World with Scott Solomon. He has appeared on numerous television and streaming series such as Becoming Martian, Life 2.0 and NASA’s Unexplained Files, radio broadcasts on NPR and the BBC World Service, as well as webinars and podcasts such as CityCast Houston, Lucy in the Sky and Science Fantastic with Dr. Michio Kaku. His writing and photography have appeared in publications such as National Geographic, Slate, Aeon, Nautilus, MIT Technology Review, NBC News, and Wired and his first book, Future Humans: Inside the Science of Our Continuing Evolution was published by Yale University Press and was included on the 2017 Best Book List by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He co-wrote and co-produced a three-part docu-series for CuriosityStream called Becoming Martian released in 2021. He is the co-host of a live webinar series called DORKS: Discussing Our Research & Knowledge Socially. He is currently working on a popular science book for MIT Press about how living in space will affect the human body and mind.
Despite what the Internet may say, Dr. Solomon hasn’t (yet) played in the NFL.
Research Publications on Google Scholar
“Scott Solomon brings science and scientists to life.” —Melvin Konner, author of Believers: Faith in Human Nature
“Solomon keeps his arguments entertaining, and the science, strong.” —Mark W. Moffett, author of The Human Swarm
“He’s the kind of guy I wish I had as a professor when I was in college.” —The Chronicle of Higher Education
