About Us 01

Shawn Otto writes about the American Dream. The son of an immigrant, he speaks to audiences worldwide about the scientific foundations of democracy and freedom, and the causes and dangers of anti-science authoritarianism. He was awarded the IEEE-USA National Distinguished Public Service Award for his work elevating science in American public dialogue though the US presidential science debates.

He is author of the award-winning nonfiction book The War on Science, which started a national conversation and predicted the rise of anti-science authoritarians and the threat they pose to democracy.  The book has been called “a game changer, and probably the most important book you’ll read this year.” He has advised candidate science debate efforts in many countries, including among three cycles of US presidential candidates.​

He also an award-winning screenwriter and novelist, including writing and co-producing the Academy Award-nominated movie House of Sand and Fog starring Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly, and the LA Times Book Prize finalist literary crime novel, Sins of Our Fathers.

He lives in Minnesota with his wife, Rebecca Otto, the former Minnesota State Auditor, in a solar- and wind-powered green home he designed and they built with their own hands.

America was founded on the principles of science. Every freedom we cherish, we have because people fought and died for the ideal of a government based on evidence.