Bob Beard

Senior Program Manager, Center for Science and the Imagination

bob.beard@asu.edu

Mail code: 6511

Campus: Tempe
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Long Bio

Bob Beard is a Marine Corps veteran and double alumnus of Arizona State University.

As the Public Engagement Strategist for the Center for Science and the Imagination, he produces multimedia content, public programming, exhibitions, and experiences at the intersection of science, engineering, and the humanities. With two decades of hands-on media experience, paired with his research in fandoms and other communities of practice, Bob’s work focuses on creating spaces for intellectual curiosity, accessibility, and collaboration. His projects include Frankenstein200, a transmedia experience for STEM education supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation; Reanimated!, a video series examining ethical issues raised by emerging technologies; Drawn Futures: Arizona 2045, a sustainability-themed comic book designed for 5th to 8th grade students; and PBS Nerd, a national brand and outreach campaign developed for public television stations across the United States.

Education

Master of Arts, Communication Studies; Arizona State University - 2014

Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies; Arizona State University - 2008

Courses

2022 Spring

Course Number	Course Title
VTS 394	Special Topics

Consulting

As a brand consultant, Bob created and launched the PBS Nerd brand, working with teams across PBS to develop brand guidelines, content, and outreach strategies for national roll-out and member station implementation.

Board

Bob is a founding member of The Plurality University. The Plurality University (U+) is on a mission to detect, connect, and federate people and organizations that mobilize the resources of the imaginary to explore alternative futures. It has two main objectives: (1) To make these practices and outputs more accessible and useable for decision-makers, professionals, the media and students; (2) To build upon the richness and diversity of imaginaries of the future in order to shift public debate, expectations and aspirations – thereby widening the scope of alternatives available to business, public actors and society at large.