A lifelong voice against racism and bias, Dr. Eric J. Jolly, current president of the Science Museum of Minnesota, was initially exposed to racial injustice through his volunteer work as a teenager. Inspired by his experience, Jolly "developed a deep compassion for others and witnessed a depth of compassion in others that both touched and inspired me."

Today, as a national leader in addressing achievement gaps in science and math education, Dr. Jolly frequently works with groups such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, National Council for Teachers of Mathematics and the National Science Teachers Association.

Dr. Jolly was a founding partner of the national "Collaboration for Equity" project, a co-director of the National Science Foundation project "Access by Design," and in 1994 he founded the National Institute of Affirmative Action. He also serves on numerous national advisory boards.

Dr. Jolly has also written widely adopted antiracism educational curricula, including "Beyond Blame: Reacting to the Terrorist Attack," a post-9/11 curriculum dealing with misplaced blame and racism that arises from fear, and "Bridging Homes and Schools," a comprehensive resource for teachers of Limited English Proficiency students.

As a traditional Cherokee storyteller and basket weaver with works displayed in the Smithsonian, Jolly weaves stories into his lectures to promote cross-cultural discussion and understanding. "Stories are metaphors," said Jolly. "They allow us to rethink a problem, to show a different resolution. They allow us to examine things more playfully but they can be very serious to the quality of our conversation."