Douglas Vakoch, Ph.D., is a frequent commentator on television programs that explore astrobiology - the hunt for life in the cosmos, including the scientific Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). His expertise includes space exploration, the societal impact of science, and environmental threats to humanity's long-term survival. Dr. Vakoch is President of METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence), a research organization in San Francisco devoted to transmitting powerful, intentional signals to nearby stars in the hope of eliciting replies from advanced civilizations. He has published over a dozen books covering the search for life beyond Earth, the psychology of space exploration, altruism, and sustainability. Dr. Vakoch is editor-in-chief of Springer's Space and Society book series, and he serves as general editor of Lexington Books' Ecocritical Theory and Practice book series.