“The brain processes uncertainty the same way it processes a physical threat.”
From NASA to fear
Mary was the first in her family to go to college. She began her career in the astrobiology unit at NASA Ames, Moffett Field, supporting payload experiments for the Space Shuttle mission STS-107.
She went on to earn a doctorate in psychology at Fielding Graduate University, where her research looked at using media to ease everyday fear in students learning online. Alongside it she holds three master’s degrees, among them one in science communication from Imperial College London, gained with merit.
Her research interests now sit where fear science meets innovation.
Brave New You
Her book Brave New You, published by Workman, an imprint of Hachette, in October 2024, sets out strategies and tools for living more courageously every day. It blends the latest biology and psychology with her own stories, and gives readers neurohacks for the ordinary fears that keep people small.
TIME called it “life-changing revelations”. It took first place for Psychology at the 2025 Pacific Book Awards, and won the How To category at the 2025 London Book Festival.
“This is not a book about overcoming fear while climbing Mount Everest.”Dr Mary Poffenroth, on Brave New You
She also wrote Write Present Create, a guide to science communication for undergraduates, and she has written for Science.
The teacher
Mary has taught biology at San José State University since 2007, from courses of a hundred students to mega lectures of four hundred. She designed five new general education courses for the online classroom, with her own digital content.
In 2009 she started an outdoor volunteer programme. Some 5,000 students have since given nearly 20,000 hours to local environmental charities.
She is a Salzburg Global Fellow and has spoken at TEDx London and SXSW, at Harvard and at Inbound. Her work has featured in TIME and Forbes, Science and National Geographic.
Under pressure
Her work for organisations starts from one idea. When people shut down under pressure, she argues, the cause is in the nervous system, and that is where the fix has to begin.
She built the PressureProof System to give people tools they can use the same day. It moves from meeting pressure in the moment to mapping how each person responds to it, with Rapid Reset Cards and her RAIN Method for practice in the room. Teams at Zoom and Walmart have used her neurohacks.
She is part of the Group Partners Expert Network. She explains in plain terms how threat narrows judgement, and gives leaders simple practices to stay clear and aligned when the work surfaces hard truths and decisions move into delivery.
The path
From a NASA lab to the science of performing under pressure.
- NASA Ames
Supports payload experiments for Space Shuttle mission STS-107 in the astrobiology unit.
- 2007
Begins teaching biology at San José State University.
- 2009
Starts an outdoor volunteer programme for students.
- Imperial
MSc in Science Communication, with merit.
- 2015
Writes “My liberation through science” for Science.
- PhD
Doctorate in psychology, Fielding Graduate University.
- 2024
Brave New You is published by Hachette.
- 2025
Pacific Book Awards, first place for Psychology.
- Now
Leads the PressureProof System.
In her own words
“The brain processes uncertainty the same way it processes a physical threat.”
“It’s a nervous system problem.”
“Your people don’t need another motivational speaker.”
“It’s about embracing the journey towards a more courageous everyday life from the classroom to the boardroom.”
“I’m not delicate about mispronunciation.”