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Spencer Wells

Spencer Wells

Keynote Speaker: Geneticist, Anthropologist, Author, Entrepreneur, Adjunct professor at the University of Texas at Austin

Spencer Wells Biography

Spencer Wells is a geneticist, anthropologist, author and entrepreneur. For over a decade he was an Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society and Director of the Genographic Project, which collected and analyzed DNA samples from hundreds of thousands of people around the world in order to decipher how our ancestors populated the planet, in the process launching the consumer genomics industry. Wells graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas at Austin, received his Ph.D. from Harvard University and conducted postdoctoral work at Stanford and Oxford. He has appeared in numerous documentary films and is the author of three books, The Journey of Man, Deep Ancestry, Pandora's Seed. His work has taken him to more than 100 countries, where he has collaborated with everyone from heads of government and Fortune 500 corporations, to tribal chieftains eking out a precarious living in places as remote as Chad, Tajikistan and Papua New Guinea. He lives in Austin, Texas, where he is Founder and CEO of personal genomics company Insitome, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas, and co-owner of the iconic Austin blues club Antone’s.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Spencer Wells and other top speakers and celebrities.

Spencer Wells Speaking Topics

Consumer Genomics: The 30,000-foot view

The consumer genomics industry is a product of the past decade. The Genographic Project, which launched in 2005, is widely credited with its creation, and companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA now collectively sell more than 1 million DNA testing kits a year. In this talk, Wells presents a broad view of the industry from its “cottage” roots to its broader acceptance by the general public in North America. Topics covered include ancestry testing, the viability of testing for health-related traits, and the regulatory environment in which consumers for the first time in history have a means to read their own genetic blueprints. A rare first-person account of the dawn of a new industry, presented by one of its founders and leading advocates.

Innovation: An Evolutionary Imperative

It has been said that the only certainty is change. Today this seems to be truer than ever, as we deal with economic and ecological upheaval our ancestors never could have imagined. Or could they? Creator and director of National Geographic and IBM's Genographic Project and author of three popular books on humanity's ancient past, Wells takes a much broader view. From the evolutionary origins of human innovation to our modern preference for technologies that appeal to hunter-gatherer minds, Wells provides lessons that resonate in today's rapidly changing world.

Pandora's Seed: The Unforeseen Cost of Civilization - Terrorism, pandemic disease, and global warming -- what do these have in common?

To find the answer we need to go back ten millennia, to the wheat fields of the Fertile Crescent and the rice paddies of southern China. It was then that our species made a radical shift in its way of life, progressing from a largely hunter-gatherer society to controlling our food supply by domesticating animals and plants. Journey with Dr. Wells on a 10,000-year tour of human history as he charts the rise to power of Homo agriculturis and the effects this radical shift in lifestyle has had on our species, and speculates on where we might be headed in the future.

The Human Journey: A Genetic Odyssey

Join Wells on an epic journey that spans the globe, using DNA to trace the migration routes of our ancient ancestors and revealing the incredible tapestry of human diversity created along the way.

Spencer Wells Videos

Spencer Wells - The past, present and future of personal genomics ...

How to book Spencer Wells?

Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Spencer Wells for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers. Fill out a booking request form for Spencer Wells, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Spencer Wells or any other celebrity of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Spencer Wells?

Booking fees for Spencer Wells, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies according to the circumstances, including the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. Speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Spencer Wells, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.

Who is the agent for Spencer Wells?

All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Spencer Wells for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Spencer Wells for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service talent booking agency?

All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Spencer Wells or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Spencer Wells or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.


Spencer Wells is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Technology, Authors and Genetics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Spencer Wells for live events is $10,000 - $20,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Spencer Wells generally travels from Austin, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Calvin Trillin, Sir Richard Branson and Ray Kurzweil. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Spencer Wells for an upcoming event.

Spencer Wells Speaking Topics

  • Consumer Genomics: The 30,000-foot view

    The consumer genomics industry is a product of the past decade. The Genographic Project, which launched in 2005, is widely credited with its creation, and companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA now collectively sell more than 1 million DNA testing kits a year. In this talk, Wells presents a broad view of the industry from its “cottage” roots to its broader acceptance by the general public in North America. Topics covered include ancestry testing, the viability of testing for health-related traits, and the regulatory environment in which consumers for the first time in history have a means to read their own genetic blueprints. A rare first-person account of the dawn of a new industry, presented by one of its founders and leading advocates.

  • Innovation: An Evolutionary Imperative

    It has been said that the only certainty is change. Today this seems to be truer than ever, as we deal with economic and ecological upheaval our ancestors never could have imagined. Or could they? Creator and director of National Geographic and IBM's Genographic Project and author of three popular books on humanity's ancient past, Wells takes a much broader view. From the evolutionary origins of human innovation to our modern preference for technologies that appeal to hunter-gatherer minds, Wells provides lessons that resonate in today's rapidly changing world.

  • Pandora's Seed: The Unforeseen Cost of Civilization - Terrorism, pandemic disease, and global warming -- what do these have in common?

    To find the answer we need to go back ten millennia, to the wheat fields of the Fertile Crescent and the rice paddies of southern China. It was then that our species made a radical shift in its way of life, progressing from a largely hunter-gatherer society to controlling our food supply by domesticating animals and plants. Journey with Dr. Wells on a 10,000-year tour of human history as he charts the rise to power of Homo agriculturis and the effects this radical shift in lifestyle has had on our species, and speculates on where we might be headed in the future.

  • The Human Journey: A Genetic Odyssey

    Join Wells on an epic journey that spans the globe, using DNA to trace the migration routes of our ancient ancestors and revealing the incredible tapestry of human diversity created along the way.

Spencer Wells Videos

Spencer Wells - The past, present and future of personal genomics ...

Spencer Wells News

  • A Q&A about Our DNA with Geneticist Spencer Wells

    We recently spoke with one of the panelists, Dr. Spencer Wells, a population geneticist who as a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence is leading the Genographic Project, a not-for-profit, multi-year, global research initiative that works to uncover our collective past by advanced analyses of DNA.

  • Spencer Wells on George’s Deep Ancestry

    On the show tonight: As Director of the Genographic Project, population geneticist Spencer Wells is in the process of charting new knowledge about the migratory history of the human species. His team has collected DNA samples from half a million people around the world - including George's! In this clip, Spencer shares some rather surprising test results with our unknowing (and admittedly nervous) host....

  • Geneticist Spencer Wells tells Springfield Forum audience interest in ...

    Wells answered questions from students in the scholars program organized by Wilbraham & Monson Academy.

How to book Spencer Wells?

Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Spencer Wells for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers. Fill out a booking request form for Spencer Wells, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Spencer Wells or any other celebrity of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Spencer Wells?

Booking fees for Spencer Wells, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies according to the circumstances, including the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. Speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Spencer Wells, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.

Who is the agent for Spencer Wells?

All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Spencer Wells for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Spencer Wells for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service talent booking agency?

All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Spencer Wells or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Spencer Wells or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.


Spencer Wells is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Technology, Authors and Genetics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Spencer Wells for live events is $10,000 - $20,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Spencer Wells generally travels from Austin, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Calvin Trillin, Sir Richard Branson and Ray Kurzweil. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Spencer Wells for an upcoming event.

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All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.