About a year ago, I received a FedEx envelope delivered to my house in Austin. Inside was an invitation to Penrose Far West, which billed itself as “an intimate gathering of the most intriguing people in the science world.”
The invitation was exquisite, handprinted on a letterpress, and included an RSVP card with embroidered stitching in the corner.
The request was simple:
“Science has never been more consequential. And yet, we face increasingly complex challenges to its funding, commercialization, communication, and reputation.
Join us for an intimate, carefully curated gathering of 150 of the most intriguing people in the science world: researchers, inventors, founders, funders, executives, artists, and storytellers. We’ll meet at the edge of our thinking to examine these cross-disciplinary challenges, not the least of which is the future of science itself.”
The location for the gathering was Marfa, Texas. The date for the start of the gathering was October 22, 2024. We were instructed to RSVP at www.penro.se.
The letter accompanying the invitation was signed by Josh Jones-Dilworth, co-founder and CEO of JDI, an Austin-based boutique consultancy specializing in promoting, marketing, and strategy for science-related startups. Josh is a friend of mine. We both graduated from McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland and serve on its Board of Trustees.
The opening paragraph of Josh’s cover letter explained why he was calling for this gathering.
“The why: We believe that science and scientists should enjoy a high profile, consistent funding, and broad-based participation. We have grave concerns that science literacy and science appreciation are not widespread. We think that foundational information about how to do science should be public, accessible, and equitable. We want tool-level barriers to science to fall precipitously, and we are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure science benefits everyone.”
The cover letter further explained the criteria for those who received invitations to the event.
“Our criteria are that invitees a.) have a role to play, or a job or function or level in the science world that is consequential, b.) are ready to contribute – a distinct POV, unique experience, a remarkable spirit, a big brain, special creativity or joy, and c.) are a fundamentally good human with whom any of us would be over the moon to join in community.”
There was no agenda attached to the invitation, but the cover letter included the intended experience.
“We want Penrose to be a place where you can let your guard down amongst true peers and reconnect to the reasons we do our work in the first place. We want you to learn more than you teach for the first time in perhaps a while, and we want you to have real fun doing it.”
“Our mornings will be filled with thoughtful, candid sessions in a salon-like environment as one group. Afternoons will include opportunities to find your own adventure alone or in small groups (geeky field trips, art appreciation, relaxed discussions, time outdoors). And in the evenings, we’ll have provocative dinners, fireside conversations, and some of the most incredible stars you’ll ever see.”
The cover letter encouraged the recipient to register at www.penro.se, where he/she could learn more about Marfa and West Texas, the speakers, cost, schedule, program, travel logistics, and more.
I registered for the conference. There were several options for accommodations. I selected the Hotel St. George, where the conference was being held. Then, I waited. Over the months, the website was continuously updated as speakers were confirmed and an agenda was finalized.
Traveling to West Texas
Texas is the second largest state in the U.S. It measures 773 miles (1,244 kilometers) from East to West and 801 miles (1,289 kilometers) from South to North. From my home in Austin, the GPS estimated that the trip would take six hours and 20 minutes to travel 427 miles.
I decided to drive since the airports closest to Marfa, El Paso (a 2-hour and 42-minute drive), and Midland (a 2-hour and 45-minute drive) were not options to me, given the airport wait and flight times. The conference organizers had chartered buses from each airport for arriving participants.
Fredericksburg, Texas, and the surrounding communities are an hour to an hour-and-a-half from Austin. Originally settled by German immigrants, the area boasts vineyards and breweries. Once you drive through Fredericksburg, the vistas during the remaining four-plus hour drive through West Texas are huge, with 50–75-mile views and wide-open landscapes.
On the way to Marfa, I detoured through a little town named Valentine (population 93) for one of the most iconic pieces of outdoor art in the United States, the Prada Store. Naturally, I stopped to take a picture before I completed my trip.
Marfa is well-known as an artists’ community. Several galleries are in town, one of the largest of which is operated by the Chinati Foundation. The foundation’s Marfa site features 15 concrete works by its founder, artist Donald Judd.
Just outside of Marfa, I spied another larger-than-life outdoor art installation. Again, I stopped to take a picture before reaching my destination, the Hotel St. George.
An outdoor reception (not uncommon in West Texas, which is very dry) was held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Hotel St. George pool for participants who arrived early the night before.
The Gathering
Josh Jones-Dilworth and Julie Crabill were the co-MCs for the gathering that officially began at The Hall at the Hotel St. George on Wednesday morning. They outlined the schedule for the day and noted that the conversations were not being recorded (in hindsight, I’m not sure why they weren’t). The idea was to continue those conversations through breaks, meals, and activities throughout the conference.
The first panel was titled “The Story of Science.” Investor and entrepreneur Esther Dyson, journalist John Markoff, and editor and journalist Steven Levy were the panelists. They set the tone for the conference by talking about the many technological advances during their careers as writers and investors.
The next panel was titled “Frontiers in Creative Bioscience.” Author and entrepreneur Hannu Rajaniemi, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center professor Sanjay Srivatsan, and New Yorker writer Carolyn Kormann were panelists. The panelists discussed some of the advances in bioscience such as RNA sequencing (Sanjay’s area of expertise).
Before their discussion, Hannu discussed his recently published book, Darkome, copies of which were distributed to the conference participants. The science fiction novel is about the impact of biochemistry two decades from now when devices will be available to use our DNA and build customized solutions to solving illnesses.
“Impossible Choices” was the title of the next panel. Project Canary Chief Science Officer Anna Scott, Astera Climate Fellow Dakota Greuner, and Illinois Ventures Senior Director Nancy Harvey were panelists. Project Canary’s quest to provide emissions measurements and reporting for more than 60 energy companies was a positive revelation to me.
The discussion of Astera Institute’s projects funding science entrepreneurs was also enlightening. I suddenly realized that one of the benefits of this conference to me would be the exposure to different sciences and a few initiatives incorporating science designed to make the world safer, better, and healthier.
“New Metascience” was discussed by panelists Convergent Research co-founder Anastasia Gamick, Allen Institute EVP Kathyrn Richmond, Homeworld Collective co-Director Daniel Goodwin, and Santa Fe Institute president David Krakauer. Anastasia’s initiatives to pioneer new models for large scale science projects (Focused Research Organizations – FRO’s) were fascinating. Likewise, Dr. Richmond’s initiatives to advance the Allen Institute’s Frontier Group investments in bioscience were encouraging.
“I am Brothers: Four Lessons from Wilbur and Orville Wright” was a monologue written and delivered by UT Austin professor Kirk Lynn. It didn’t take long to learn about the close relationship between the brothers and how that likely led to their successful inventions.
Project InnerSpace founder Jamie Beard, Society of Petroleum Engineers CEO Simon Seaton, Environmental Defense Fund Texas Director Colin Leyden, and Wired Executive Editor Maria Streshinsky were panelists for “The Geothermal Imperative” discussion. While the composition of this group may have seemed strange to an outsider (geothermal proponent, environmental defense fund attorney, and oil and gas engineer), their interactions were not combative and provided insights (to me) that might not be intuitive.
23andMe co-founder Linda Avey, Datasphere Initiative Senior Fellow John Willbanks, and Dell Medical School professor Mini Kahlon were panelists for the “Human Health” discussion. Among the insights gained were problems in consistently labeling and collaborating with data generated from scientists around the globe. The Datasphere Initiative’s website hosts a paper that discusses that problem at length.
“Positive AI Futures” was the title of the next panel. Cyborg anthropologist Amber Case, Allen Institute CTO Andy Hickl, IC2 Executive Director Craig Watkins, and Kirk Lynn were panelists. I was so engrossed in the experiences discussed by the panelists about a topic in an area of personal focus that I didn’t take notes. Nonetheless, the small size of the conference enabled me to ask a few questions to the panelists during lunch.
“Exponential Astronomy” was delivered by Karl Gebhardt, chair of the astronomy department at UT Austin. Professor Gebhardt discussed the HETDEX research project and its focus on dark matter.
The final panel was “Good Heresy,” with David Krakauer, Professor Adam Mastroianni, and Astera Institute CEO Cate Hall. I thought about the strength of evidence in scientific research versus the lack of quantitative evidence from many conducting education research.
All the gathering participants were invited to a “Star Party” at the McDonald Observatory near Ft. Davis, Texas. On a clear night, the observatory’s staff pointed out observable constellations and planets in an area populating one of the darkest skies in the U.S. Participants could observe these heavenly objects in several of the site’s smaller telescopes manned by observatory staff members.
Final Thoughts
If the founders of Penrose choose to hold it again, I will attend. The small number of participants was conducive to informal discussions during many phases of the gathering. I was reminded of a statement from a professor at Oxford University when I spoke at a conference there years ago: “At Oxford, conferences are planned for participants to confer. We don’t think you can do that effectively with more than 100 participants.”
Perhaps, it’s the UK culture. I wrote about my participation at Emerge, an ed tech conference in London, several years ago. Approximately 100 people attended.
When I think about the field of education and its many organizations and conferences, I can’t think of a conference like Penrose. The larger conferences are known more for the conversations in restaurants and bars than for the meals and activities sponsored at the conference.
Penrose’s purpose was to facilitate a discussion about the many positive activities in science today. It expanded my understanding of those activities, which will lead to my personal ongoing investigation of various fields and my communication of some of these activities to others.
This doesn’t happen in education. I remember participating in the first ASU/GSV conference at ASU’s SkySong campus in Phoenix. Between 100 and 200 people were present. Last year, more than 7,000 participated at ASU/GSV in San Diego. Those earlier conferences were better.
I hope Penrose continues, and I hope its founders choose to maintain its small size. After all, what’s better than a chance to confer one-on-one with leaders engaged in world-changing research and innovations?
