Experience
2020 – Present
Senior Scientific Director
- Drove 20% growth in client retention over three years by translating complex scientific data, technical risk, and decision-relevant evidence into client-facing strategy and presentation.
- Lead strategic development of 10+ interdisciplinary scientific projects at the interface of life sciences, technology, and communication, partnering with creative, account, and client-side stakeholders.
- Build scientific platforms, executive briefing materials, and audience-appropriate narratives that meet rigorous scientific standards while remaining commercially compelling for executive, investor, and stakeholder audiences.
International
Consulting
Practice
2012 – Present
Senior Scientific & Bioethics Advisor
- Scaled client business performance 8 to 15% across engagements by advising executive teams on responsible AI, decision sciences, applied behavioral economics, and scientific risk management.
- Designed and delivered executive trainings and authored client-facing white papers on AI ethics, behavioral economics, and the translation of scientific findings into actionable strategy.
- Built scientific advisory relationships with KOLs, academic collaborators, and clinical investigators at the European Institute of Oncology, San Raffaele Hospital, and the European School of Molecular Medicine.
2020 – 2025
Department Chair
- Led a 12-person faculty and staff team through severe institutional financial constraint, with full responsibility for strategic planning, hiring, performance management, budget stewardship, and cross-college stakeholder communication.
- Increased combined major and minor enrollment 86% (35 to a record 65) during severe budget cuts, university-wide enrollment decline, and a broader national contraction in humanities programs, through curriculum redesign and competitive student recruitment.
- Grew operating endowment more than 30% over four years and cultivated $70,000 in new donor commitments, renegotiating terms on a $200,000-plus restricted endowment through direct donor engagement and creating a fundraising model adopted across the college.
- Built a vetted external network of 6 to 10 contract instructors and adjunct collaborators from a 50+ candidate pool; recruited an AI specialist from the University of Pennsylvania two years before the broader AI hiring boom.
2012 – Present
Professor of Philosophy of Science
Tenured faculty leading scientific research, teaching, and graduate mentorship at the intersection of biology, medicine, neuroscience, AI, and ethics. Authored two Oxford UP books with a third under contract at Chicago UP; published 40+ peer-reviewed articles in scientific, biomedical, and information-systems venues; delivered 100+ invited lectures and visiting appointments across Europe, Asia, and North America. Mentored 300+ junior researchers. Selected by the European Research Council (ERC) as remote referee for the 2026 Consolidator Grant call, evaluating proposals up to €3.0M. Promoted to Full Professor before age 40, an unusually accelerated trajectory in the field. (Full Professor 2023; Associate Professor 2018-2023; Assistant Professor 2012-2018.)
Results
Commercial outcome
20% growth in client retention at MadMinds (Milan) over three years as Senior Scientific Director, translating complex scientific data and technical risk into client-facing strategy.
Scientific authority
40+ peer-reviewed publications addressing theoretical issues in oncology, nephrology, neuroscience, AI in medicine, and bioethics, alongside two Oxford University Press books and a third under contract at the University of Chicago Press.
Stakeholder reach
100+ international scientific presentations and active KOL relationships at the European Institute of Oncology, San Raffaele Hospital, and the European School of Molecular Medicine.
Expertise
Scientific Communications
Medical Communications
Publications Strategy
KOL Engagement
Scientific Platform Development
Cross-Functional Leadership
Therapeutic Area Surveillance
Responsible AI
Bioethics
Multilingual Stakeholder Engagement
Education
(PhD) Philosophy
Columbia University
(MA) Philosophical Sciences
(BA) Philosophical Sciences
University of Milan
Meet Marco
Testimonials
“I have collaborated with Marco for over a decade on large and small projects. He is both creative in his thinking and consistent in his execution. I am especially impressed by Marco’s ability to convey technical scientific concepts and original philosophical ideas in a clear and cogent fashion, both to colleagues and non-specialist audiences.”
Alan C. Love, Winton Chair in the Liberal Arts, McKnight University Professor, Dept of Philosophy & Minnesota Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Minnesota
“Nathan’s extraordinary book peers inside the ‘black box’ of black boxing, central to the natural and social sciences. Comparing paradigmatic cases across the discipline, Nathan teaches us how to black box in ways that promote rather than impede scientific advance.”
Endorsement of Nathan’s 2021 Book by George F. de Martino, Josef Korbel School of International Studies. Past Preside, Association for Social Economics
“In this terrific and beautifully written book, Marco Nathan investigates why human nature keeps escaping the nets of scientific investigation despite its fundamental importance for many sciences. He skillfully guides the reader throughout contentious, yet fascinating issues such as genetic determinism, human enhancement, the existence and nature of races, and sex differences.”
Endorsement of Nathan’s 2024 Book by Edouard Machery, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for the Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh
“This course (…) really challenges you to think differently about everyday things. It enables you to have a deeper and better understanding of how we view things in not only science but everyday life. The strength of this instructor is that Professor Nathan is extremely knowledgeable about the material and knows how to explain it to his lecture.”
Anonymized student evaluation from Philosophy of Science, Fall 2025
“Professor Nathan is an exceptional instructor who knows how to make philosophy both challenging and engaging. He pushes students to think critically without making the material feel overwhelming. The discussions were always thought-provoking, and he encouraged real back-and-forth rather than just repeating arguments from the readings. His ability to connect abstract ideas to real-world issues made the course feel relevant, and his enthusiasm for the subject was clear. The structure of the seminar also allowed for plenty of deep discussion without feeling rushed.”
Anonymized student evaluation from Logic, Language and Metaphysics, Winter 2025
Q & A
Why did you choose your profession?
I became interested in philosophy for two main reasons. First, in a world where overspecialization is the norm, I value the big picture: how different disciplines or aspects of our lives hang together. Second, I enjoy exploring complex issues from various perspectives and identifying the blindspots that mainstream approaches invariably fail to notice.
Who are your main influences?
I have always looked up to resilient thinkers, entrepreneurs, and artists who refuse to get boxed in a specific niche but are daring enough to break new ground in a way that transcends the traditional borders of their discipline. The list is quite long, but a few names that stand out are the philosopher Martha Nussbaum, the biologist Ernst Mayr, the artist Andy Warhol, and the jazz pianist Herbie Hancock.
What is your greatest accomplishment?
Allow me to cheat and mention two of them. On the research side, I am extremely proud of developing an agenda that blends the rigor of academic scholarship with a modern outlook, posing questions that matter to the public, from the role of ignorance in modern society, to exploring the depth of our human nature. As a leader, one of my greatest accomplishments has been the building a team of faculty, staff, and students that showed the true value of critical thinking in a world that has apparently lost any historical perspective or interest in self-reflection.
What tools do you use?
What characterizes my expertise and informs my perspective is a unique blend of tools from many different areas, from the creativity of conceptual analysis to the precision of mathematical logic, from an appreciation of historical background to the most recent advancements in the natural and social sciences. This is compounded by my experience as teacher and public thinker, with a proven track record of breaking down complex topics and problems for non-experts, in a rigorous and engaging fashion.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in your profession?
I would encourage anyone starting out to explore new routes. The world is replete with people who keep treading the same roads and, as a result, they are not ready for a society in constant motion. Rather than chasing what others have done, trust in what you bring to the table and show us your path for a brighter tomorrow.