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Brian Regal
Assistant Professor for the History of Science at Kean University
Professional Background
Brian Regal is a distinguished author and academic specializing in the fascinating realms of evolution sciences, the history of creationism, and the intriguing world of pseudoscience and monster hunting. With a successful career as an educator and researcher, he serves as an Associate Professor for the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine at Kean University. His extensive background in this field has enabled him to deliver professional papers and public lectures not only across the United States but also in the UK and Germany, making him a notable figure in the academic community.
Throughout his career, Regal has held various positions at Kean University, including Assistant Professor for the History of Science. His commitment to educating students and sharing knowledge about the nuances of science, history, and society is reflected in his teaching methodology and course design, which often incorporates discussions about societal impacts on the development of scientific thought.
Education and Achievements
Brian Regal obtained his PhD in American History and the History of Science from Drew University. His academic background has laid a solid foundation for his work, particularly in areas that bridge historical context and scientific developments. Regal's scholarly pursuits have led him to write extensively on various topics, including the often-misunderstood narratives surrounding cryptozoology and creationism.
His research has been well documented in numerous publications, showcasing his ability to critically engage with complex subjects. Among his notable works are several books, such as "Searching for Sasquatch: Crackpots, Eggheads, and Cryptozoology," which dives into enigmatic creatures and their implications in popular culture and pseudoscientific debates. Regal’s book "Pseudoscience: A Critical Encyclopedia" provides an encompassing look into the phenomenon of pseudoscientific claims and beliefs, aiming to inform readers about how these concepts infiltrate public perception and discussion.
In addition to his books, Regal has authored numerous articles for academic journals and popular media, discussing topics ranging from evolutionary theory to the intersection of science and myth, such as his intriguing analysis in articles like “Richard Owen and the Sea-Serpent,” published in Endeavour, and “Where Have All the Werewolves Gone?” for Fortean Times.
Notable Publications
Some of Brian Regal's most significant publications include:
- Books:
- Searching for Sasquatch: Crackpots, Eggheads, and Cryptozoology (Palgrave/MacMillan, 2013) - A critical exploration of cryptozoology and the societal implications of searching for mythical creatures.
- Pseudoscience: A Critical Encyclopedia (Greenwood, 2009) - This book serves as a comprehensive reference on pseudoscientific claims throughout history.
- Human Evolution: A Guide to the Debates (ABC-CLIO, December, 2004) - An insightful examination of the debates surrounding human evolution.
- Henry Fairfield Osborn, Race and the Search for the Origins of Man (London: Ashgate Press, 2002) - A detailed look at the intersection of race and scientific inquiry in the early 20th century.
- Articles:
- “Emerging Dubious Realms: Grover Krantz, Science and Sasquatch” (Annals of Science 66:1, January 09) - An analysis of Krantz’s contribution to cryptozoology.
- “Amateur Versus Professional: The Search for Bigfoot” (Endeavour, June 2008) - This piece evaluates the dynamic between amateur and professional efforts in the search for Bigfoot.
- “New York and the Origins of the Evolution/Creation Controversy” (Social Science Docket, Winter-Spring 2007) - Regal sheds light on the historical backdrop of the evolution and creationism debates in a significant U.S. city.
In his media engagements, Brian Regal has contributed insightful opinions to publications such as the Wall Street Journal and The Guardian, addressing topics like the search for the Yeti and the cultural impacts of cryptids. These engagements further showcase his expertise and passion for bridging the gap between scholarly research and mainstream discourse.
Contributions to Academia and Beyond
Regal's commitment to education transcends his role as an Associate Professor. He continuously encourages robust dialogue among students and peers about historical and contemporary scientific debates, thereby cultivating critical thinking skills and fostering a healthy curiosity for the scientific exploration of past and present societal beliefs.
His dedication to public engagement through lectures and articles demonstrates his belief in the importance of making science accessible to a wider audience. Regal's ability to articulate complex ideas in relatable terms not only benefits his students but also broadens his reach in advocating for critical thinking and skepticism in the face of pseudoscience.
In conclusion, Brian Regal stands out as a prominent figure in the field of the history of science, technology, and medicine with significant contributions through his writing and teaching. His portfolio reflects deep knowledge and an unwavering passion for both educating and engaging with the broader community on topics that challenge traditional perceptions of science and history.
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Mesh offers several powerful features including:
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Mesh is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
Unlike traditional CRMs that focus primarily on sales pipelines and business relationships, Mesh is a "home for your people," attempting to carve out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. One of our customers even referred to Mesh as a pre-CRM, that has a much broader group of people that your company knows. Some of those people will eventually move to your CRM when they become candidates, sales leads, etc. Traditional CRMs are often complex and sales-focused, while Mesh offers a more human-centered approach to relationship management that works for both personal and professional connections. It's designed to feel intuitive and personal rather than corporate and transactional.
Mesh takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Mesh encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Mesh work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Mesh is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Mesh is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Mesh is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Mesh offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Mesh offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Mesh for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Mesh accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Mesh offers extensive integration capabilities. Mesh introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Mesh supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Mesh also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
Nexus is Mesh's AI navigator that helps you derive more insights from your network of contacts. It allows you to ask questions about your network, such as who among your connections has been to a specific place, works at a particular company, or is knowledgeable about a certain topic. Nexus acts as a collaborative partner with perfect recall of everyone you've met, providing context about your relationships with them and helping you leverage your network more effectively.
Mesh makes it much easier to stay in touch with the people you care about. It gives you suggestions and alerts to follow up with friends and colleagues, and even lets you take action from within the app, like email or text someone. Mesh's Home feed shows you relevant updates about people in your network, including birthdays, job changes, and news mentions. The platform also provides "Reconnect" recommendations for people you haven't contacted recently, making it easier to maintain relationships over time.
Mesh is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Mesh stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Mesh excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Mesh offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
Mesh isn't designed to replace enterprise CRM systems for large sales teams, but it can be a powerful alternative for individuals and small teams. Many people use Mesh instead of Salesforce, Hubspot, and Pipedrive. Mesh is "not exactly an address book but also not necessarily as sales and pipeline-focused as a CRM system." The founders refer to their app as a "home for your people," carving out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. For solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small teams focused on relationship quality rather than sales pipelines, Mesh can absolutely serve as your primary relationship management tool.
Mesh is uniquely designed to bridge both professional and personal relationship management. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh helps you organize your contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. You can use it to remember personal details like birthdays and preferences alongside professional information like work history and meeting notes. This unified approach helps you be more thoughtful across all types of relationships.
Mesh's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Mesh has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Mesh a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Mesh's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Mesh's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Mesh has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Mesh's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Mesh as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Mesh eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.