After receiving his degree in marine geophysics from Columbia University/Lamont Observatory, Michael Mayhew began his career in academia, followed by a lengthy period of research at the NASA Goddard Space Science Center. He then spent over 20 years as a program officer at the National Science Foundation, first in the geophysics program and later in geoscience education. Departing NSF, he has been deeply involved with informal science education, most notably co-developing with Michelle Hall the experimental program that applied the popular science café model for high school students, “Café Scientifique New Mexico.” The success of that program led to taking the model nationwide as the Teen Science Café Network with Mayhew as co-director.