Adrienne Barnett

Adrienne grew up in Austin, Texas, where she began her love of Texas BBQ and Austin’s many swimming holes. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BS in geology. After college she worked for the USGS in Colorado, doing seismic studies that involved mapping sand and gravel deposits (sounds glamorous!). From 2002-2010 she worked at the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, California, as a science instructor, working with the teen program, and teaching science to school groups, summer camps, and in teacher professional development programs. In 2010, she made the move to the Exploratorium and loves it!. In 2011 she completed a Masters of Business Administration and a Masters of Arts in Museum Studies at John F. Kennedy University in Berkeley, CA.

Tory Brady

Tory Brady was born in California, went to school at UC Berkeley, and finds herself still here in the blue state with the long coastline. She was a registered nurse before she became a teacher, a career change she has never regretted! At the Exploratorium Teacher Institute she works with teachers, helping to bring Exploratorium activities into the classroom, and facilitating the mentoring of new teachers by experienced ones. Tory spends lots of time up in the Sacramento River delta, exploring hidden waterways in a rubber boat. She and her husband have two grown children and two moody cats.

Charles Carlson

Charles is a senior scientist at the Exploratorium. He has been in the field of informal learning for 39 years, built over 150 exhibits and led the development of many large exhibitions. He founded and directed the life sciences at the Exploratorium. His formal training is in biology and a group major called Communications and Public Policy, which was composed of psychology, sociology, journalism, rhetoric, and political science at the University of California at Berkeley. This group major in the social sciences focused on organizational claims and individual actions across many venues of sociopolitical behavior. In Zoology, he came to enjoy the cellular aspects science, as well as Marine Biology. He worked closely with the founding director Frank Oppenheimer as the field of informal education and hands-on-exhibits blossomed. Charles created some of the most technically sophisticated exhibits ever to emerge the museum field. These included micro-electrode recording from individual neurons to sophisticated presentations with microscopes, as well as some of the first ever displays using sterile technique and cell culturing.

Paul Doherty

I am a physicist, teacher, author, and rock climber with a Ph.D. in solid-state physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1974). As a tenured professor at Oakland University, I taught a wide range of science courses, including physics, astronomy, geology, electronics, computer programming, and meteorology. In 1986, I came to the Exploratorium Teacher Institute and began my exhibit-based explorations in science. As an author, I have written over two dozen articles for Exploring magazine, and have co-authored the Exploratorium Science Snackbook, the Klutz Book of Magnetic Magic, and the book, Traces of Time: The Beauty of Change in Nature. For musical entertainment, I play the whirly—a corrugated plastic tube. In pursuit of whirly excellence, I have won several competitions, including an award as “Best Science Demonstrator” at the World Congress of Museums in Helsinki in 1996. I recently had fun performing physics activities on Late Night with David Letterman. I am about to finish my second decade as a rock climber, and my second vertical marathon, 26 miles of rock climbing. In 1994, I led a successful ascent of my personal best climb: the East Buttress of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley.

Lori Lambertson

I studied biology at the University of California at Santa Cruz, which led me to a career as a professional bicycle racer. I spent two years on the racing circuit, then returned to school to study painting, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of San Francisco.

After completing the credential program at San Francisco State University, I continued my work in education, completing a Master of Arts in Education. I taught both math and science at the middle school level. My math mentor, Mary Laycock, taught me to be a better math teacher, and even more important, helped me become a “math enthusiast.”

My first experience in the Teacher Institute was attending the “classic” four week long Summer Institute in 1991. I loved it, and felt like I was in an environment where anything was possible. As a TI alumnus, I signed up for everything the Exploratorium offered. I had the incredibly good fortune of become a Teacher-in-Residence at the Exploratorium Teacher Institute. I am now starting my nth year as a staff teacher here, where I continue to have the world’s best job.

As a life long learner, I also enjoy studying hula, learning Spanish, painting, gardening, cooking, and surfing.

Eric Muller

I began my career as a geologist, wandering remote dirt roads of the American Southwest. After a few years, my career metamorphosed into being a science educator, receiving clear credentials in science and math. I began my deviation into technology back in the early 90’s when I broke my wrist snowboarding... I bought my first computer because I couldn't write by hand.

Over the past two decades I have taught science and math throughout the Bay Area, and authored several articles for The Science Teacher, The Physics Teacher, several museum publications and a number of websites. For the past fourteen years, I have been a science and technology educator at the Exploratorium Teacher Institute where I provide professional development for teachers from around the world. I have conducted workshops from China to Costa Rica and from Alaska to Tobago.

Besides earning a B.S. in Earth Science from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a M.A. in Education from Columbia University, I have served as a Wright Fellow at Tufts University's Wright Center for Innovation in Science Education. I worked as a professional white water guide and have rafted several dozen rivers with my boat, Ivan Boat-ski. Between meals, I wrote a book entitled, “While You're Waiting for the Food to Come,” a book of activities that can be done at restaurants. I made regular appearances on NPR’s Sounds Like Science radio show as their "restaurant science commentator." I live on accreted oceanic crust north of San Francisco.

Don Rathjen

I’ve taught physics for over forty years—“since the crust cooled,” as I’ve been known to say—in settings including a small college in Liberia, West Africa, a Turkish high school, and public high schools in Pleasanton, California, where I retired from classroom teaching in 1994. I’ve been working with science teachers at the Exploratorium since 1985, and was deeply involved in the development of the Exploratorium Science Snackbook, published in 1991. The Snackbook shows teachers how to use simple materials to build classroom versions of over 100 Exploratorium exhibits. More recently, I co-authored (with Paul Doherty) Square Wheels, with 31 additional science snacks -- about half of which are based on Exploratorium exhibits and half on activities developed by staff and teachers at the Exploratorium Teacher Institute. The designation of Square Wheels as “An Exploratorium Science Snackbook” makes it essentially the second volume in what is hoped will be an ongoing series in the “science snack” spirit.

My interest in using simple materials to teach physics and physical science was evident even when our own kids were young, and used to find their missing toys in dad’s physics lab! In 1983, I began “Physics Day” at Great America, an amusement park in Santa Clara, California. This event has grown from 90 students to over 20,000. Although I’m intrigued by the physics of roller coasters, when it comes to actually riding, I admit to being a merry-go-round kind of guy, and beg off the wild rides— pleading “Certainly it's not fear; it’s my inner ear!” Continuing my lifelong interest in toys, I was the author of Lego Crazy Action Contraptions, published by Klutz Press, and am thoroughly enjoying the experience of having our grandchildren build science snacks and toys with grandpa!

I received a B.S. in Engineering from Stanford University and an M.A. in Science Education from Columbia University. My wife, Ann, and I have lived in Pleasanton, California since 1964. We are proud to note that the next generation in our family is batting 6-for-6 in the teaching league, since our three children and their three spouses are all middle school teachers by profession.

Sandra Robins

Sandra Robins has worked as a New Teacher Coach and in the Leadership Institute since transitioning from being a math and science teacher for middle school students. Her teaching experience includes instruction in both in English and in Spanish. Sandra was a 3rd grade bilingual teacher, taught 6th - 8th grades at a center for new immigrants, and taught 6th - 8th grades for Sheltered English speakers. She spent several years doing professional development in math for a K-8 district. She also taught Sociology at the college level.

Her interests include singing in a chorus, writing music, and graphic design. Sandra’s sons were instrumental in dragging her into 20th century computer science; now others are working on the 21st.

Linda Shore

Linda Shore is the Director of the Exploratorium’s Teacher Institute, a staff physicist, the Mistress of Ceremonies for the Iron Science Teacher webcast series, and co-author of The Science Explorer, The Science Explorer Out and About, and The Brain Explorer, Exploratorium activity books for children and their parents. Before joining the Exploratorium in 1993, Linda taught pre-med physics at San Francisco State University, conducted educational research at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and taught science education courses at Boston University. She has a master’s degree in physics and astronomy from San Francisco State University and a doctorate in science education from Boston University. When she’s not at the museum, Linda teaches graduate courses in educational technology at the University of San Francisco and writes science fiction short stories.

Modesto Tamez

Modesto Tamez has spent the last twenty five years in education; the first 18 years working in the classroom with levels K-12 in Spanish and English with an emphasis in teaching science . The last eight years he has been working with the Exloratorium in San Francisco and San Francisco State University, helping teachers integrate hands on science into their curriculum. Modesto was also director for an NSF supported program to help establish after school science programs through out the state of California.

He is currently coordinating a mentor program, placing experienced teachers in middle school and high school classrooms to help first and second year science teachers. For the last four years, he has been teaching an elementary science methods course in a non traditional intern program at John Muir Elementary School run by San Francisco State University.

Lexie Waite

Lexie Waite was born and raised in Montpelier, Vermont. Looking for something other than maple, cheddar, and ice cream Lexie landed in Carlise, Pennsylvania for her undergraduate studies. With a focus in archaeology and creative writing, a semester abroad in Athens, Greece brought her face-to-face with the Archaeological Museum of Athens – and a career path was set in motion: the quest for education about informal education was on. After a two-year stint in Boulder, Colorado, Lexie moved out to the Bay Area for graduate school. She recently graduated with a double Master's in Museum Studies and Business Administration from John F. Kennedy University, and is thrilled to be the newest member of the Teacher Institute team. Lexie also enjoys climbing, yoga-ing, cooking, and baseball.

Julie Yu

After receiving my bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Brown University, I moved to California to enjoy the perfect weather and the fine food. To support this, I taught middle school math and science in East Palo Alto and then K-12 science at the Tech Museum in San Jose. Along the way, I met the great folks at the Exploratorium Teacher Institute, who helped me teach science the way I’d really learned it—by doing things and experimenting with my own hands. Teaching science reminded me of how much I liked learning science, so I decided to go back to school and learn biology to complement my training in the physical sciences. I enrolled in graduate school at UC, Berkeley and, after gaining intimate knowledge of viruses, stem cells, and how to win at foosball, I received a PhD in chemical engineering with a minor in molecular and cell biology. I joined the TI staff as a postdoc after being awarded a NSF Discovery Corps Fellowship and have managed to stay on as a staff scientist. In my spare time I still think about science, but usually in the kitchen, where I’m focused on my favorite synthesis of chemistry and biology - cooking and eating.

Former Postdocs

Jamylle Carter

Stephanie Chasteen

Jill Johnsen

Stephen Ribisi Jr.

Alan Rorie