Simon Scientific was founded by Cassie Kotter and her pet bearded dragon, Simon. They want everyone to discover their inner scientist.

Simon is a bearded dragon that resides in Denver, Colorado, USA. He loves exploring the world around him and especially loves going outside. His favorite food is butternut squash and his favorite activities are basking in his outdoor enclosure, staring down squirrels from the window, and napping on his humans.  He enjoys posing for silly photos as long as he gets a dandelion flower or hornworm afterwards. Simon loves to share fun facts about science on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok and he will soon be featured as the main character in a series of children's books! If you want to be notified when our books are released, click below!

Hi! My name is Cassie and I am a biologist that  works for the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Colorado. I have been studying biology for over 20 years and never cease to be fascinated by how incredible our world is.

My true passion is sharing science with others. This world we live in is so extraordinary, and the more you understand it, the more amazing it becomes. In 2002, I helped found a program at the University of Colorado called  RISE (Resources for Interactive Science Education) which brought hands-on education to under-served schools in the Denver area. After graduating from the university, I continued teaching others about science and love to help people discover their inner scientist!

When I am not in the lab studying microbes or hanging out with Simon, I provide hands-on scientific demonstrations for schools, clubs, and parties. Please look at the science program page for more details. I am also working on a series of educational children's books featuring Simon as the main character!

I have used biology to perform work in government, industry, academic research, and education. My particular focus has been on the powerful genetics of microbes. In the past, I studied how bacteria in sewage sludge can be used to decontaminate chemical weapons and prevent them from leaking into waterways. I've also used bacteria to generate natural gas that we use for energy. Currently, I study how bacteria living in our bodies (the human microbiome) contribute to various diseases like diabetes, obesity, Crohn's disease, and more.

More about my research can be viewed on my linked-in page. Or, you can see a list of publications I contributed to on the publication page.