James Urton

James brings to Argonne more than 10 years of experience in institutional communications, media relations and related fields — including covering breaking news, crafting press releases and feature stories, internal communication projects and initiatives, and strategic initiatives. He particularly loves overseeing long-term communication strategies that promote subject-matter experts and elevate institutional reputation. 

James grounds his communication strategy in his lifelong love for — and training in — the natural sciences. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Augustana College and a doctoral degree in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Washington. Before training in science communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz, he worked as a research scientist at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

James is a happy member of the team and loves supporting his colleagues. He overuses em dashes and has been accused of being Wikipedia.