2025-03-16 –, Main Stage
Ann Pace, Executive Director of Wise Ancestors, and Brad Shaffer, Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolution at UCLA and Director of the UCLA La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, and member of the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), will discuss the urgency of genomic sequencing amid the biodiversity crisis. They will explore how pioneering EBP-affiliated projects are reshaping global conservation and scientific collaboration to safeguard Earth’s genetic heritage.
Ann Pace is a scientific research organizational leader. Ann started her career as a pharmaceutical scientist at Pfizer Central Research in Connecticut, working on dosage form development. Her Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology at UC San Francisco focussed on studying how specific genetic changes lead to tumor growth. She performed research in signal transduction using functional genomics approaches as an NIH postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University. Ann went on to work in gene discovery, sequencing and bioinformatic analysis at a Silicon Valley biotech firm before returning to academia to help start and lead several new endeavors at UC Santa Cruz including the Center for Biomolecular Science and Engineering (CBSE), the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), the Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells (IBSC), and the Genomics Institute (GI).
Aleksandra Smilek is a foresight strategist and creative director with a decade of experience designing and implementing innovative solutions at the intersection of science, technology, and culture. Her career includes roles across Europe, the Middle East, and the United States, reflecting her global perspective and ability to navigate diverse contexts.
Aleksandra previously worked as a strategist at the Auditoire agency and now consults for various tech and science organizations through her organization Nodes. She consult for the Foresight Institute, Protocol Labs, Molecule.xyz, Accenture, Dassault Systèmes, Cartier, Mauboussin, and Intel.
Passionate about enhancing the accessibility and interactivity of scientific dialogue, Aleksandra applies her expertise to build tools and frameworks that empower researchers to share data and insights more effectively.
