Shawn Lawrence Otto is a writer and cofounder and CEO of ScienceDebate2008.com, a non-partisan citizens initiative to elevate science issues in the American political dialog, supported by the presidents of over 100 leading American universities, dozens of Nobel laureates, major CEOs, and nearly every major American science and engineering organization. You can read Obama and McCain’s answers to the 14 top science questions facing America at www.sciencedebate2008.com

When he’s not cheering for science in America he’s working as a writer and director in Hollywood. He is best known for the Oscar-nominated House of Sand and Fog. He currently lives in Minnesota, where he is married to Rebecca Otto, the current State Auditor.

Shawn’s works have won numerous awards including an Alfred P Sloan fellowship for best science screenplay, A McKnight Artist Fellowship, and a finalist for a Pen Center award. He serves as a judge for the prestigious Writer’s Guild of America Awards, and is the chair-elect of the Loft, America’s largest literary center.

Shawn graduated from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, studying psychology, physics, neuroscience, and philosophy. He was a National Merit Scholar, graduated Magna Cum Laude, and earned admission to Phi Beta Kappa, as well as American Mensa. He has been a guest lecturer on creative writing and drama at several colleges and universities, and has made numerous national and international television, radio, and print appearances including NPR’s Talk of the Nation, Earth & Sky Radio, Radio New Zealand, German Public Radio, PBS, CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, MSNBC, Lehrer NewHour, BusinessWeek, the New York Times, Salon.com, Newsday, Science, Huffington Post, and many others.

Originally trained in Architecture, Shawn designed and built the Ottos’ wind-powered, geothermal, passive solar home with his own hands; the home has been featured in local and national publications and toured by thousands of people as an example of green building.

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