Berton Earnshaw
The University of Utah College of Science has announced that Berton Earnshaw has accepted the role of Senior Fellow. As a Founding Fellow at Recursion, a leading clinical-stage “techbio” company (defined as one focused on leveraging data and technology to improve, enhance, and accelerate life science processes), and as Scientific Director of Recursion’s AI research lab Valence Labs, Earnshaw has led the development and deployment of many of the machine learning capabilities employed in the company’s drug discovery workflows. He also directs multiple research programs across Recursion and Valence Labs.
“I first met Berton in the math department during his PhD studies,” said Dean Peter Trapa. “It’s great to see him come full circle with the U as a Senior Fellow in the College of Science. Currently, he’s at the top of his game in machine learning as it relates to drug development and will add appreciably as an executive advisor to the College and its research priorities.”
Earnshaw earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from Brigham Young University and, in 2007, earned a PhD in mathematics from the U while working with its mathematical biology group. There he designed biophysical models of protein trafficking at synapses during episodes of learning and memory formation. He was a postdoctoral researcher at both the U and Michigan State University and has taught as an adjunct professor in the U’s Department of Mathematics since 2018.
Earnshaw has worked in many scientific and leadership roles in industry before arriving at Recursion as Director of Data Science Research in 2017, including as CTO of Perfect Pitch (now Boomsourcing), Director of Data Science and Operations at Red Brain Labs (acquired by Savvysherpa) and Principal and Senior Scientist at Savvysherpa (acquired by UnitedHealth Group). Earnshaw has also served as a member of the Utah State Auditor’s Commission on Protecting Privacy and Preventing Discrimination.
Outside of work, Earnshaw enjoys traveling together with his wife and five children and loves being outdoors, eating well, investing, and reading everything from fiction to philosophy to theoretical physics.
“The opportunities offered by today’s innovations in AI and the life sciences to radically impact our lives for good are extraordinary,” said Earnshaw. “I am honored and thrilled to be working with Dean Trapa to ensure that the College of Science is a leader in preparing its students to take advantage of these opportunities.”
Earnshaw joins Tim Hawkes, attorney and former Utah legislator, who was announced as the inaugural senior fellow in 2023. The College of Science senior fellows represent a variety of industries and provide key insights and guidance to leadership and faculty.