Dan Bishop taught chemistry and computer science over a 22-year period, retiring from Colorado State University in Fort Collins. The dearth of women and minorities in STEM fields was evident in his chemistry and computer classes despite these demographics showing increasing enrollments college-wide.

When he learned that his high school daughter had been told by her chemistry teacher not to bother applying for a chemistry scholarship because "chemistry isn't a field for women", Dan put renewed effort into helping women and minorities succeed in the sciences. His choosing Rae Anne Chavez for his female lead in the Saturn Accords reflects this commitment. (Incidentally, his daughter applied for and won that full-ride chemistry scholarship!)

After retiring from teaching, Dan and his wife Ann  built an off-grid solar dome home in a remote area of the Colorado Rockies where they lived for six years on a 1-KWatt system before moving back to civilization. Dan's main interests now focus on writing, programming, and painting (pastels and acrylics). He and Ann now live with their black cat Mario in a small mountain town in central Colorado.