Mark Schlack

I live in Northampton, MA with my lovely wife Julie. I worked for 40 years in the Boston area as a journalist, covering information technology for IT professionals. My passions are writing, playing guitar (jazz, blues, rock, folk) and woodworking. Have been known to do some fishing and hiking as well. In the nice weather, love to go for a 20 mile bike ride.

I received my BA in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan in 1974. I returned to school twice to study electronic engineering and molecular biology. I’ve worked since 1983 as a journalist covering computer technology, advanced manufacturing, and biotechnology. Professionally, I became somewhat well-known in the 1990s as the editor in chief of BYTE magazine, one of the world’s most influential computer magazines. Since 1998, I’ve largely worked online and led the editorial department at TechTarget to become the largest network of enterprise computing sites in the world. I’ve been following the progress of research on empathy, behavioral economics, neurology, and quantum physics, all of which help inform my work.

In the last few years, I've turned my attention to writing about the impact of climate change on human society. I have the utmost respect for all the scientists, writers and activists who write about the science and politics of it. I feel I can contribute by looking at the way climate injustice, and social injustice in general, is the most severe obstacle to halting climate change and achieving some sort of balance that can stabilize things until we figure out what truly stable societies look like. I've started with the notion of empathy -- understanding what our fellow humans are feeling and identifying with it -- since I fear that if the heat doesn't kill us, then we will kill each other fighting over the shrinking pie of a climate ravaged world.