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Mary Roach

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  • Seven-Time New York Times Bestselling Author
  • Award-Winning Journalist
  • One of TED's 10 Most-Watched Talks
  • STEM Advocate

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Award-winning science journalist, STEM advocate, and seven-time New York Times bestselling author Mary Roach is known for her books Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife, Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex, Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War, and Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. An insatiably curious researcher, Roach is an award-winning journalist whose new book Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law was an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and received countless accolades. Her TED Talk, 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Orgasm, made TED’s list of “The 10 Most-Watched Talks.” Roach is an expert on cultivating a risk-taking mindset, following your instincts, and transforming the way we think about the world around us.

Roach is a prolific popular science writer, and her work has been featured in National Geographic, Wired, Vogue, GQ, The New York Times Magazine, and more, and she has served as Guest Editor for Best American Science and Nature Writing. She has appeared on The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, NPR’s Fresh Air, among others. Roach was a finalist for the Royal Society’s Winton Prize, and the winner of the American Engineering Societies’ journalism award. Called “America’s funniest science writer” by the Washington Post, Roach offers fascinating (and hilarious) keynotes and conversations that engage audiences of all kinds.

 

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Past Hosts Include:
  • Association of Medical Illustrators
  • New Castle County Library
  • Association of Medical Illustrators
  • Westerville Public Library
Rave Reviews About Mary Roach
“
Thank you so much for all your work with us to make the event a success! We cannot thank you enough. All the feedback from the attendees at the events has been overwhelmingly positive. Mary was one of the funniest and most gracious guests we have had. The conversation was exceptional and that is due to Mary’s witty and intelligent responses and insights and being willing to be candid and open in the dialogue.

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More rave reviews

"Everything with Mary’s appearance went absolutely splendidly. She was very easy to work with, very professional, very funny, and VERY engaging for our audiences. Our event was a success by all of our metrics. We really appreciate how easy everyone at HWA made everything on our end. "

-The Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington

"Mary was wonderful, and we have already gotten a ton of feedback from participants that they loved the event! Thank you so much! "

-YPO Empire State

"The event was FABULOUS. The audience and staff seemed to have a great time, and Mary did a great job of rolling with the audience’s energy and answering their questions. We did ask patrons to complete a survey that I’ll take a look at after today’s signing event. I’m happy to forward relevant results your way if you’d like. "

-Anchorage Public Library

"Mary was absolutely wonderful! I truly have no words to express how grateful we are to have had her here with us. Our attendees so enjoyed her session and the opportunity to meet her at the book signing. She was also gracious enough to continue to meet our attendees even after we had sold out of books."

-Association of Medical Illustrators

"Lovely, gracious, funny, ribald, brilliant. We loved our time with Mary Roach!"

-California State University, Chico
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Virt. Book Chat - Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law | Talks at Google [1:00:46] - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Mary Roach
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Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law

Seven-time New York Times bestselling author and popular science expert MARY ROACH invites audiences into the hilarious anecdotes, mind-blowing facts, and unknown realities of the relationship between humans and the natural world around us in this fascinating talk based on her new book Fuzz: When Na ...

Seven-time New York Times bestselling author and popular science expert MARY ROACH invites audiences into the hilarious anecdotes, mind-blowing facts, and unknown realities of the relationship between humans and the natural world around us in this fascinating talk based on her new book Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law.

Getting Curious about STEM

Seven-time New York Times bestselling author and popular science expert MARY ROACH didn’t set out to be an award-winning science journalist, but she is now an expert on cultivating a risk-taking mindset, following your instincts, and transforming the way we think about the world around us. Roach off ...

Seven-time New York Times bestselling author and popular science expert MARY ROACH didn’t set out to be an award-winning science journalist, but she is now an expert on cultivating a risk-taking mindset, following your instincts, and transforming the way we think about the world around us. Roach offers fascinating (and hilarious) keynotes and conversations that engage audiences of all kinds.

Packing For Mars

Space is the most hostile environment there is, which is perhaps why we are so fascinated with it. Why would anyone aspire to be an astronaut? How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? Or smell flowers? What happens if you vo ...

Space is the most hostile environment there is, which is perhaps why we are so fascinated with it. Why would anyone aspire to be an astronaut? How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? Or smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible for the human body to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles per hour? To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of startlingly bizarre space simulations. As MARY ROACH discovered, it’s possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA’s new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), Roach takes us on a surreally entertaining trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth. With her trademark witty candor, Roach says that she set out to humanize aeronautics, a topic that tends to maintain a sense of steely nobility. She tells us the things you won’t hear from NASA…from liquor cabinets in space to zero gravity bathroom procedures. A conversation with Mary Roach is sure to be an unforgettable experience.

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Books by Mary Roach
Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law

Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law

Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War

Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal Illustrated Edition, Kindle Edition

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal Illustrated Edition, Kindle Edition

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex

Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife

Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

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Press & Media
Science/humor author Mary Roach talks about writing, R.E.M. and lamb spleens (Q&A) - Syracuse.com
Q&A: Mary Roach, Author of Gulp - Mental Floss
Science writer Mary Roach asks the questions we all really want answered - Chesnut Hill Local
Exploring our miraculous icky parts - Stanford Medecine
Bombs, Bugs, and Bodies: A Curious Interview with Mary Roach - Penn Medecine
Author Mary Roach On Writing: Everything Is Science - KLCC NPR
The Best Science Books Of 2021 - Science Friday
The Word Writer: Mary Roach’s mastery of the mother tongue in full display in latest book - East Bay Express
When Nature Breaks The Law With Mary Roach [podcast] - Radio West
Mary Roach pens new book about animals breaking the law - KALW
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Ideas for the Meeting Planner
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Biography

Mary Roach is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including STIFF: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers; GULP: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, and PACKING FOR MARS: The Curious Science of Life in the Void, and her new book FUZZ: When Nature Breaks the Law. Mary's books have been published in 21 languages, and her second book, SPOOK, was a New York Times Notable Book. Mary has written for National Geographic, Wired, The New York Times Magazine, and the Journal of Clinical Anatomy, among others. She was a guest editor of the Best American Science and Nature Writing series and an Osher Fellow with the San Francisco Exploratorium and serves as an advisor for Orion and Undark magazines. She has been a finalist for the Royal Society's Winton Prize and a winner of the American Engineering Societies' Engineering Journalism Award, in a category for which, let's be honest, she was the sole entrant. More at www.maryroach.net

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