Joy Andrews Hayter is a professor emerita, with a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley. In collaboration with scientists across the globe she has 70+ academic publications, and has given numerous scientific talks on several continents. Her science training is balanced with liberal arts from her undergraduate degree at Barnard College. Joy is also a long-time spiritual practitioner, first in Taoism and Buddhism, as well as re-embracing the Christian tradition on a deeper contemplative level. She teaches contemplative practices, leads retreats, and offers spiritual direction, and lives in northern California.