Michael Lewis, Our First Science Champion

Categories: General Science & Technology
Tags: news

SciFlies believes that every person can do their part further scientific discovery and understanding of our world. While scientists are the heart of our site, it takes non-scientists from all parts of society to recognize and support the important role research plays in improving our lives and the world every day and support the scientists doing that research. And so we like to honor individuals from all areas of human endeavor who champion science in their own lives or field. We call them Science Champions, and there is no more obvious choice for our first honoree than Michael C. Lewis.

Michael C. Lewis, through his Foundation for Radical Transparency, donated the start-up capital for the launch of SciFlies.org, and so for that alone we are incredibly grateful to him and his foundation. You literally would not be reading these words without his generosity and love of science.

Since his youth, Michael has always had a curious mind and a fascination with science and technology, especially computers. From visiting pre-internet Bulletin Board Systems and writing programs for his Apple II to studying Software Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Michael threw himself deep into the inner workings of one of the modern era's most influential inventions. Always as frustrated by the technology's failings as he is intrigued by its possibilities, Michael has the mind of an inventor, searching for new and better ways of working with technology.

He co-founded and subsequently sold two successful companies, each in a different field. First came Stellar Semiconductor where he was the lead engineer developing new graphics processing hardware. After selling that company in 2000, he funded and co-founded the video-game company Cryptic Studios, which went on to produce the best-selling City of Heroes as well as Champions and Star Trek: Online. Since selling Cryptic to Atari in 2009, Michael has put his resources and efforts into his new non-profit, The Michael Lewis Foundation for Radical Transparency.

Lewis writes that, “transparency refers to making information on the operation of an individual or organization easily available, especially information relating to decision-making, relationships, and beneficiaries of actions. This is sometimes referred to radical transparency.” He believes that increased openness and transparency in business and politics will improve the basic institutions that make up our society. But like any good scientist, Michael realizes that just because he believes it, that doesn't mean it's true. Thus the foundation's goal is to fund a wide variety of test projects, research programs, and model businesses, with the goal of gathering real data on how and if transparency can work for the betterment of us all.