Dr. Ari W. Epstein is a Lecturer in the Terrascope Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Terrascope is a learning community in which first-year students take ownership of their education as they address complex, real-world sustainability issues. This year's Terrascope Program focused on "Tradition, Technology and Transition: Water Security on the Navajo Nation."

Epstein’s scientific background is in oceanography, particularly interactions between physics and biology in the coastal ocean. He also has extensive experience in education and public outreach. He is particularly interested in developing ways to integrate free-choice learning (the kind of learning promoted by museums, community-based organizations, media and other outlets) into the academic curriculum, integrating formal and informal educational strategies