Fairfax Resident Heads Chabot Center

Chabot Space & Science Center is an institution of the Bay Area – drawing children and amateur astronomists from all the counties.

And, as part of a series of stories meeting some of the influential and interesting people that comment, blog, and post on San Anselmo-Fairfax Patch, we’re starting off meeting the CEO of this scientific staple: Fairfax resident .

Zwissler grew up in Oakland and, “just like all the kids in Oakland,” he said, he went to the 127-year-old observatory. So, when the opportunity opened up to come work at Chabot after seven years as the Director of the Fort Mason Center, Zwissler jumped on it.

Not that that meant he knew a ton about space before starting. How many days there does he learn something new?

“All of them. Everyday,” he said.

In his five years there, Zwissler has spearheaded Chabot’s move into the realm of climate change.

“It’s the most important thing,” he said.

Chabot has started a number of programs, including a teachers climate change institute, a Green Team and Galaxy Explorers – teen volunteers who help researchers with science projects like measuring the number of ferns in the redwood forests around Chabot, which serve as a canary in a coal mine type indicator of climate change.

Locally, Chabot also partnered with Cool the Earth to bring climate change assemblies and action programs to Bacich and other Marin schools.

One of the things Zwissler’s most proud of is the work Chabot did with Bill Nye the Science Guy to create Bill Nye’s Climate Lab – an interactive exhibit that guides kids through different activities at Chabot. But, the coolest part, he said, is when they get home they can use the id number and tag they got at Chabot to log in online and continue to get points for actions and activities that address climate change.

The exhibit recently won The Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Award for Visitor Experience from the Association of Science-Technology Centers.

“In our industry, it’s like the Oscar,” said Zwissler.

The topic of climate change is fascinating to the Fairfax resident because it gets to the core of why people believe what they believe – a topic he comes back to again and again in his and comments.

Everyone wants to think they’re rational and only believe things because of data and facts, but people bring in emotions and values and experience and relationships into all their decisions and beliefs. “It’s not just about the data,” he said. “And, that’s ok.”

Zwissler was actually just awarded a grant to dive into this very question, convening a conference of cognitive psychologists, behavioral experts, museum directors, and public health professors to map out the question of beliefs.

It’s a long way from where he started working in the cable TV industry. For 17 years, Zwissler ran cable companies, including in England. With his experience running complex organizations, moving to the position of Director for the Fort Mason Center – where he worked for seven years – seemed perfect.

It was around then, in 1998, that he and his wife, Jimmie Lee, a home health care nurse, moved to Marin. Back then, there was a housing crunch in the city and they went “school shopping” to find a good place – where better than the Ross Valley?

Now, they can't leave Fairfax.

“This is just the coolest place,” said Zwissler, who enjoys going for runs on the trails on the weekends and taking a scooter out to Nicasio or Drake’s Bay.

In fact, when Zwissler was getting ready to leave Fort Mason, he looked all over the country for new opportunities and they talked about moving. But, one day, he came home and said to his wife, “We can’t leave. I love Mike the Barber too much.”

Get to know each other – fellow bloggers and commentors. Who else on Patch would you like to know more about?