Shannon Mayer, Ph.D. is a physics professor and Chair of the Department of Physics at the University of Portland. She and her husband Steve, a chemistry professor at the University, are the parents of two young-adult daughters. Shannon is the co-editor of the book Awaken the Stars, a collection of essays about wonder, transformation, empathy, and faith from the faculty at the University Portland. Shannon is passionate about science-faith dialogue, and serves on the Board of the Oregon Leadership Development Institute where she enjoys mentoring young adults through the work of the Portland Fellows program.