R. Scott Hawley is a Senior Scientist at the Stowers Institute of Medical Research. Before joining the Stowers Institute in 2001, he was a Professor of Genetics at the University of California at Davis for 10 years. An accomplished textbook author, he has also published over 50 papers and articles in scientific journals. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Genetics Society of America and is currently on the Editorial Board of Genetics.

Michelle Walker is an Intellectual Property Specialist for Galileo Laboratories in Santa Clara, California. She earned an MS in Genetics from the University of California at Davis, has written several scientific articles, served as an Editor for the entomological journal Sociobiology, and spent numerous hours volunteering her time in the field of bioethics and as a scientific mentor for inner-city children.