Join us for the next Bridges to Action Webinar Series, where we’ll explore ways STPF alumni can get involved with initiatives both within and beyond AAAS. You’ll also gain insights into program processes and connections— and we want to hear from you! Come ready to share your thoughts on what’s missing in the ecosystem of science in policy, media, and education.
The third webinar in this series will focus on providing scientific context for judges and the justice system featuring two organizations doing important work at the intersection of science and law:
Have questions? Please contact the alumni engagement team at [email protected].
Please note: this event is exclusive to alumni (those who have completed their time as a fellow and are no longer in the core fellowship program).
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Theresa Harris is Director of the AAAS Center for Scientific Responsibility and Justice, where she leads work on science and the courts and the social responsibilities of scientists. She coordinates science briefings for judges and the National Conference of Lawyers and Scientists, a joint initiative with the American Bar Association, and advises the ABA Task Force on AI and Law.
She has also managed the On-call Scientists initiative, co-authored publications on scientific evidence in international courts, organized conferences and workshops, and edited reports on science, law, and human rights. Before coming to AAAS, Theresa represented survivors of human rights violations in U.S. and international legal systems, so she knows the justice space quite well.
Honorable John Leventhal, Retired Associate Justice of the State Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division; NCSI Board of Directors
John M. Leventhal is a partner at the law firm Aidala, Bertuna and Kamins, P.C., concentrating on appellate practice and civil and criminal litigation. Justice Leventhal serves as President of the National Courts and Sciences Institute (NCSI) and previously served as a Director and Co-Chair of the Genetic Engineering Concentration for Judicial Training. He is a fellow of ASTAR (Advanced Science Technological Adjudication Resource Center).
Leventhal served as a trial judge in the Supreme Court of the State of New York for thirteen years and as an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division for thirteen years. As a trial judge, Leventhal presided over the nation’s first felony Domestic Violence Court, as well as a guardianship Part for alleged incapacitated persons. Justice Leventhal authored a book entitled “My Partner, My Enemy: An Unflinching View of Domestic Violence and New Ways to Protect Victims” and thirty-one articles on legal issues. As an appellate judge, he presided over a multitude of cases involving science and scientific principles including Ratner v McNeil-PPC, Inc., a case involving the admissibility, pursuant to Frye v United States, of a plaintiff’s expert’s assertion that there was a causal connection between the plaintiff’s ingestion of a ubiquitous over-the-counter medication and her subsequent development of a disease.
Gavi Begtrup, Founder and Principal, Polymath Strategies LLC
2009-10 Optica & MRS Congressional Science & Engineering Fellow, Office of Representative Gabrielle Giffords
Dr. Gavi Begtrup is a nonprofit and startup executive currently serving as the Executive in Residence for Innovation at the United Way of Greater Cincinnati. His career spans science, public policy, and entrepreneurship, as he has served as founder, CTO, or CEO of venture-backed startups and was the policy advisor for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. As the founder and principal of Polymath Strategies, Dr. Begtrup has worked with startups, research institutions, and nonprofits across the globe with focuses on strategic development, stakeholder engagement, and fostering technology innovation. Dr. Begtrup's leadership extends beyond the boardroom into the community where he has served on numerous boards and is a substitute teacher at Cincinnati Public Schools. Dr. Begtrup holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley.
Honorable John Leventhal, Retired Associate Justice of the State Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division; NCSI Board of Directors
John M. Leventhal is a partner at the law firm Aidala, Bertuna and Kamins, P.C., concentrating on appellate practice and civil and criminal litigation. Justice Leventhal serves as President of the National Courts and Sciences Institute (NCSI) and previously served as a Director and Co-Chair of the Genetic Engineering Concentration for Judicial Training. He is a fellow of ASTAR (Advanced Science Technological Adjudication Resource Center).
Leventhal served as a trial judge in the Supreme Court of the State of New York for thirteen years and as an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division for thirteen years. As a trial judge, Leventhal presided over the nation’s first felony Domestic Violence Court, as well as a guardianship Part for alleged incapacitated persons. Justice Leventhal authored a book entitled “My Partner, My Enemy: An Unflinching View of Domestic Violence and New Ways to Protect Victims” and thirty-one articles on legal issues. As an appellate judge, he presided over a multitude of cases involving science and scientific principles including Ratner v McNeil-PPC, Inc., a case involving the admissibility, pursuant to Frye v United States, of a plaintiff’s expert’s assertion that there was a causal connection between the plaintiff’s ingestion of a ubiquitous over-the-counter medication and her subsequent development of a disease.
