Arlene Blum is a biophysical chemist and mountaineer. She currently serves as Visiting Scholar at the Green Science Policy Institute, University of California, Berkeley. Blum was the first woman to attempt to climb Mt. Everest, and she led the first American and first all-woman ascent of Annapurna I. Her scientific research has focused on flame retardant chemicals and pesticides. She is the author of Breaking Trail: A Climbing Life. More about her science and her climbing can be found at www.arleneblum.com.