• Visit
    • Calendar
    • After Dark Thursdays
    • Buy Tickets
    • Exhibits
    • Museum Galleries
    • Artworks on View
    • Hours
    • Getting Here
    • Visitor FAQ
    • Event Rentals
    • Field Trips
  • Education
    • Professional Development Programs
    • Free Educator Workshops
    • Tools for Teaching and Learning
    • Learning About Learning
    • Community Programs
    • Educator Newsletter
  • Explore
    • Browse by Subject
    • Activities
    • Video
    • Exhibits
    • Apps
    • Blogs
    • Websites
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Partnerships
    • Global Collaborations
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Arts at the Exploratorium
    • Contact Us
  • Join + Support
    • Donate Today!
    • Membership
    • Join Our Donor Community
    • Engage Your Business
    • Attend a Fundraiser
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Thank You to Our Supporters
    • Donor & Corporate Member FAQ
    • Host Your Event
    • Volunteer
  • Store
  • Visit
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Calendar
      • Today
      • This Week
      • Online
      • After Dark Thursday Nights
      • Arts
      • Conferences
      • Cinema Arts
      • Free + Community Events
      • Fundraising Events
      • Kids + Families
      • Members
      • Special Hours
      • Private Event Closures
    • Prices
    • Hours
    • Getting Here
    • Museum Map
    • Free Admission and Reduced Admission
    • Accessibility
    • Tips for Visiting with Kids
    • How to Exploratorium
    • Exhibits
    • Tactile Dome
    • Artworks on View
    • Cinema Arts
    • Kanbar Forum
    • Black Box
    • Museum Galleries
      • Bernard and Barbro Osher Gallery 1: Human Phenomena
        • Tactile Dome
          • 1971 Press Release
        • Black Box
        • Curator Statement
      • Gallery 2: Tinkering
        • Curator Statement
      • Bechtel Gallery 3: Seeing & Reflections
        • Curator Statement
      • Gordon and Betty Moore Gallery 4: Living Systems
        • Curator Statement
      • Gallery 5: Outdoor Exhibits
        • Curator Statement
      • Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery 6: Observing Landscapes
        • Wired Pier Environmental Field Station
        • Curator Statement
    • Restaurant & Café
    • School Field Trips
      • Getting Here
        • Bus Routes for Field Trips and Other Groups
      • Admission and Tickets
      • Planning Guide
      • Reservations
        • Field Trip Request Form
      • Resources
    • Event Rentals
      • Full Facility & Gallery Bundles
      • Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery & Terrace
      • Moore East Gallery
      • Bechtel Central Gallery & Outdoor Gallery
      • Osher West Gallery
      • Kanbar Forum

      • Weddings
      • Proms and School Events
      • Daytime Meetings, Events, & Filmings
      • Happy Hour on the Water

      • Rentals FAQ
      • Event Planning Resources
      • Rental Request Form
      • Download Brochure (pdf)
    • Groups / Tour Operators
      • Group Visit Request Form
    • Exploratorium Store
    • Contact Us
  • Education
    • Black Teachers and Students Matter
    • Professional Development Programs
      • Free Educator Workshops
      • Professional Learning Partnerships
      • Teacher Institute
        • About the Teacher Institute
        • Summer Institute for Teachers
        • Teacher Induction Program
        • Leadership Program
        • Teacher Institute Research
        • CA NGSS STEM Conferences
          • NGSS STEM Conference 2020
        • Science Snacks
          • Browse by Subject
          • Special Collections
          • Science Snacks A-Z
          • NGSS Planning Tools
          • Frequently Asked Questions
        • Digital Teaching Boxes
        • Meet the Teacher Institute Staff
        • Resources for Supporting Science Teachers
      • Institute for Inquiry
        • What Is Inquiry?
        • Watch and Do Science
        • Inquiry-based Science and English Language Development
          • Educators Guide
            • Conceptual Overview
              • Science Talk
              • Science Writing
            • Classroom Video Gallery
              • Magnet Investigation
              • Snail Investigation
            • Teacher Professional Development
            • Project Studies
            • Acknowledgments
          • Conference: Exploring Science and English Language Development
            • Interviews with Participants
            • Plenary Sessions
            • Synthesis, Documentation, and Resources
        • Workshops
          • Participant Portal
          • Fundamentals of Inquiry
            • Summary Schedule
          • BaySci Science Champions Academy
          • Facilitators Guides
          • Commissioned Workshops
        • Resource Library
        • Meet the IFI Staff
      • Resources for California Educators
      • K-12 Science Leader Network
      • Resources for Supporting Science Teachers
      • Field Trip Explainer Program
      • Cambio
    • Tools for Teaching and Learning
      • Learning Toolbox
      • Science Snacks
      • Digital Teaching Boxes
      • Science Activities
      • Tinkering Projects
      • Recursos gratuitos para aprender ciencias
      • Videos
      • Exhibits
      • Publications
      • Apps
      • Educator Newsletter
      • Exploratorium Websites
    • Educator Newsletter
    • Advancing Ideas about Learning
      • Visitor Research and Evaluation
        • What we do
        • Reports & Publications
        • Projects
        • Who we are
      • Center for Informal Learning in Schools
    • Community Programs
      • High School Explainer Program
      • Xtech
      • Community Educational Engagement
      • California Tinkering Afterschool Network
        • About
        • Partners
        • Resources
        • News & Updates
        • Further Reading
  • Explore
    • Browse by Subject
      • Arts
      • Astronomy & Space Sciences
        • Planetary Science
        • Space Exploration
      • Biology
        • Anatomy & Physiology
        • Ecology
        • Evolution
        • Genetics
        • Molecular & Cellular Biology
        • Neuroscience
      • Chemistry
        • Combining Matter
        • Food & Cooking
        • Materials & Matter
        • States of Matter
      • Data
        • Data Collection & Analysis
        • Modeling & Simulations
        • Visualization
      • Earth Science
        • Atmosphere
        • Geology
        • Oceans & Water
      • Engineering & Technology
        • Design & Tinkering
        • Real-World Problems & Solutions
      • Environmental Science
        • Global Systems & Cycles
        • Human Impacts
      • History
      • Mathematics
      • Nature of Science
        • Measurement
        • Science as a Process
        • Size & Scale
        • Time
      • Perception
        • Light, Color & Seeing
        • Listening & Hearing
        • Optical Illusions
        • Scent, Smell & Taste
        • Tactile & Touch
      • Physics
        • Electricity & Magnetism
        • Energy
        • Heat & Temperature
        • Light
        • Mechanics
        • Quantum
        • Sound
        • Waves
      • Social Science
        • Culture
        • Language
        • Psychology
        • Sociology
    • Browse by Content Type
      • Activities
      • Blogs
        • Spectrum
          • Arts
          • Behind the Scenes
          • News
          • Education
          • Community & Collaborations
          • Science
        • Eclipse
        • Studio for Public Spaces
        • Tangents
        • Resonance See & Hear Blog
        • Fabricated Realities
        • Tinkering Studio: Sketchpad
        • Exploratorium on Tumblr
      • Exhibits
      • Video
      • Websites
      • Apps
        • Total Solar Eclipse
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Land Acknowledgment
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Impact Report
    • Awards
    • Our History
      • 50 Years 1969–2019

    • Leadership Cabinet
    • Board of Trustees
    • Board of Trustees Alumni
    • Staff Scientists
    • Staff Artists

    • Arts at the Exploratorium
      • Artworks on View
      • Artist-in-Residence Program
      • Cinema Arts
        • History and Collection
        • Cinema Artists-in-Residence
        • Resources and Collaborating Organizations
        • Kanbar Forum
      • Center for Art & Inquiry
        • Begin Here
          • Lessons
            • Bob Miller/Light Walk
            • Ruth Asawa/Milk Carton Sculpture
          • Workshops
      • Resonance
        • About the Series
        • See & Hear
        • Past Seasons
      • Over the Water
      • Black Box
      • Upcoming Events
      • Temporary Exhibitions
      • Arts Program Staff
    • Teacher Institute
    • Institute for Inquiry
    • Explainer Programs
    • Studio for Public Spaces
    • Exhibit Making
    • Partnerships
      • Building Global Connections
        • Global Collaborations
          • Projects
          • Approach
          • People
          • Impact
      • Partnering with Science Agencies
        • NASA
        • NOAA
      • Partnering with Educational Institutions
      • Osher Fellows

    • Job Opportunities
    • Become a Volunteer

    • Contact Info
    • Newsletter
    • Educator Newsletter
    • Blogs
    • Follow & Share
    • Press Office

    • FY21 Audit Report
    • 990 FY20 Tax Return
    • Use Policy
      • Privacy Policy
      • Intellectual Property Policy
  • Join + Support
    • Donate Today!
    • Membership
      • Membership FAQ
      • Member Benefits
      • After Dark Membership
      • Member Events
      • May Is for Members
    • Join Our Donor Community
    • Engage Your Business
      • Corporate Membership
      • Luminary Partnerships
    • Attend a Fundraiser
      • Wonder Funday
      • Science of Cocktails
      • Party at the Piers
        • Event Leadership and Host Committee
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Thank You to Our Supporters
    • Donor & Corporate Member FAQ
    • Volunteer
      • How to Apply
      • Application for Internships
      • Our Contract
      • Application for Individuals
  • Press Office
    • Press Releases
    • News Coverage
    • Events Calendar
    • Photographs
    • Press Video
    • Press Kits
    • Press Visits
    • Exploratorium Logos
    • Recent Awards
    • Praise for the Exploratorium
    • Join Our Press List
  • Store

Masks and vaccinations are recommended. Plan your visit  

Visitor FAQ Buy Tickets Donate Today
Exploratorium
Exploratorium
  • Visit
    • Calendar
    • After Dark Thursdays
    • Buy Tickets
    • Exhibits
    • Museum Galleries
    • Artworks on View
    • Hours
    • Getting Here
    • Visitor FAQ
    • Event Rentals
    • Field Trips
  • Education
    • Professional Development Programs
    • Free Educator Workshops
    • Tools for Teaching and Learning
    • Learning About Learning
    • Community Programs
    • Educator Newsletter
  • Explore
    • Browse by Subject
    • Activities
    • Video
    • Exhibits
    • Apps
    • Blogs
    • Websites
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Partnerships
    • Global Collaborations
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Arts at the Exploratorium
    • Contact Us
  • Join + Support
    • Donate Today!
    • Membership
    • Join Our Donor Community
    • Engage Your Business
    • Attend a Fundraiser
    • Explore Our Reach
    • Thank You to Our Supporters
    • Donor & Corporate Member FAQ
    • Host Your Event
    • Volunteer
  • Store
  • Reggie Watts

    Reggie Watts

  • Juan Felipe Herrera

    Juan Felipe Herrera

  • Evelyn Fox Keller

    Dr. Evelyn Fox Keller

  • Oliver Sacks

    Oliver Sacks

Osher Fellows

We bring outstanding artists, scholars, authors, and scientists to the museum as Osher Fellows through the generosity of the Bernard Osher Foundation. Osher Fellows work with Exploratorium staff on programs, exhibit projects, and new endeavors, and share their own research and work with staff and the public. These thinker-in-residence fellowships are generally one to four weeks in duration.

The perspectives and backgrounds of our Osher Fellows are wide-ranging and reflect the Exploratorium’s multidisciplinary interests. Previous Fellows include Oliver Sacks, who helped in the planning of exhibits about memory; Richard Gregory, who worked with us on visual perception exhibits; photographer Rosamond Wolff Purcell, who provided guidance for the temporary exhibition Revealing Bodies; and Edith Ackermann, visiting scientist at MIT’s School of Architecture, who shared design principles of interactive learning.

 

Recent Osher Fellows

Julien Berthier

Osher Fellow • January 2019

Sculptor, artist, maker Julien Berthier “always did a lot of drawing as a kid," and he's turned that interest in drawing into a full-time career. His re-imagined drawings of urban surroundings, simple tools, and daily routines are a core influence on his work.

Some of these improbable scenarios, re-engineered devices, and explanatory diagrams may appear to be only ironic commentaries, fantasies, or impossible jokes. However unlikely the drawings, they served as initial sketches for intricate construction and engineering projects that have later come to fruition—among others, a boat that always seems to be sinking, a time-tracking meter that adds up working hours over a person’s lifetime, and an electric car powered by a long extension cord. In addition to these fully operational kinetic pieces, Berthier has also composed oil paintings, works in video, and site-specific installations.

 

Dr. Henry Jenkins

Osher Fellow • August 2018

Henry Jenkins is the Provost Professor of Communication, Journalism, Cinematic Arts and Education at the University of Southern California.  He was previously on the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was the Peter de Florez Professor in the Humanities. He directed MIT’s Comparative Media Studies graduate degree program from 1993 to 2009, setting an innovative research agenda during a time of fundamental change in communications, journalism, and entertainment.

His recent books, By Any Media Necessary: The New Youth Activism and Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide, examine the role social and digital media play in communicating and creating community. His other published works reflect a wide range of research interests: democracy and new media, the “wow factor” of popular culture, science-fiction fan communities, and the early history of film comedy.

 

Dr. Nalini Nadkarni

Osher Fellow • May 2018

Dr. Nalini Nadkarni is a forest ecologist and science communicator. She was on faculty at The Evergreen State College for 20 years and, in 2011, joined the University of Utah as a Professor of Biology and Director of the Center for Science and Mathematics Education. She has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, an Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellowship, the 2011 NSF Public Service Award, the 2012 AAAS Award for Public Engagement, and the 2013 Carr Medal for Conservation. Her research concerns the ecological roles of canopy-dwelling biota in forest ecosystems. She has published over 100 scientific articles and four scholarly books.

She is deeply interested in public engagement with science,; she has given two TED Talks and been highlighted in magazines such as National Geographic, Glamour, and ASTC Dimensions. She created the Research Ambassador Program to train scientists to engage the public in non-traditional venues, such as churches, preschools, tattoo parlors, and sports stadiums. In 2005, she co-founded the Sustainability in Prisons Project, which brings science, scientists, and nature to incarcerated men and women, and is now being expanded to a national level.

 

Dr. Moshe Rishpon

Osher Fellow • March 2018

In 1961, physicist Moshe Rishpon was carrying out research in nuclear physics at the Weizmann Institute with every expectation that he would continue as a research scientist—but then he became involved in the Weizmann science summer camp for high-school students. Though his participation in the science camp delayed the attainment of his PhD, it gradually became the central focus of his work. The summer program grew to become an international program, the canvas tents that housed students were replaced by huts, and in 1993, a permanent bungalow village.  

The ad hoc, temporary, outdoor science demonstrations of the science summer camp gradually evolved into the Clore Garden of Science, the simple demonstrations became permanent exhibits, and the landscaping was designed to integrate the exhibits. Rishpon also worked with biologists to add biology exhibits in an EcoSphere before transferring the Garden of Science management to his colleagues.  Since his "retirement" in 1999, he has traveled the world, performing with his characteristic humor and playful approach at science festivals in Poland, Slovenia, Finland, Scotland, Australia, and the United States. Rishpon received the Roy Shafer Leading Edge Award (2010) and the ASTC Award for Innovation (1999) for his exemplary accomplishments in the Clore Garden of Science.

Golan Levin

Osher Fellow • December 2017

Golan Levin develops artifacts and experiences that explore the expressive use of computation. Through performances, digital artifacts, and virtual environments, Levin applies creative twists to digital technologies that highlight our relationship with machines, make visible our ways of interacting with each other, and explore the intersection of abstract communication and interactivity. Levin has exhibited widely in Europe, America and Asia.

Levin's work has been presented in the Whitney Biennial; the New Museum of Contemporary Art (NYC); the Ars Electronica Center in Linz, Austria; The Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei, Taiwan; the NTT InterCommunication Center (ICC) in Tokyo, Japan; and the Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie (ZKM).  He has received grants from Creative Capital, The New York State Council on the Arts, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Rockefeller MAP Fund, The Greenwall Foundation, the Langlois Foundation, and the Arts Council of England.

His undergraduate and graduate degrees are from the MIT Media Laboratory, in the Aesthetics and Computation Group. Currently, Levin is Director of the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry and an Associate Professor of Electronic Time-Based Art at Carnegie Mellon University.

 

Dr. Lynda Kelly

Osher Fellow • November 2017

Dr. Lynda Kelly works in audience research, digital production, and learning across the cultural sector. She was recently Head of Learning at the Australian National Maritime Museum, responsible for all visitor programs, formal education programs, and audience research. Before moving to the Maritime Museum, she was Manager of Online, Editing, and Audience Research at the Australian Museum, responsible for developing and evaluating the museum’s extensive digital content and programs. Kelly has been working in the digital realm since 2007, the evaluation and visitor research field since 1994, and the museum industry since 1987.

Kelly has published widely on audience research and learning and digital trends, and has been a keynote speaker at national and international conferences; she also writes the popular professional development blog Museums | Digital | Research | Learning.  She has taught Museums and the Digital in the Master of Museum Studies program (University of Sydney), sits on the Advisory Board of the New Media Consortium Horizons Project on museum education, and is an elected member of the Museums Australia National Council.

See All Osher Fellows

All Osher Fellows
All Osher Fellows

Fellows collaborate with staff

About Us

  • Our Story
  • Land Acknowledgment
  • Explore Our Reach
  • Impact Report
  • Awards
  • Our History

  • Leadership Cabinet
  • Board of Trustees
  • Board of Trustees Alumni
  • Staff Scientists
  • Staff Artists

  • Arts at the Exploratorium
  • Teacher Institute
  • Institute for Inquiry
  • Explainer Programs
  • Studio for Public Spaces
  • Exhibit Making
  • Partnerships
    • Building Global Connections
      • Global Collaborations
    • Partnering with Science Agencies
      • NASA
      • NOAA
    • Partnering with Educational Institutions
    • Osher Fellows

  • Job Opportunities
  • Become a Volunteer

  • Contact Info
  • Newsletter
  • Educator Newsletter
  • Blogs
  • Follow & Share
  • Press Office

  • FY21 Audit Report
  • 990 FY20 Tax Return
  • Use Policy
Exploratorium
Visit
Join
Give

Pier 15
(Embarcadero at Green Street)
San Francisco, CA 94111
415.528.4444

Contact Us

  • Plan Your Visit
  • Calendar
  • Buy Tickets
  • Getting Here
  • Store
  • Event Rentals
  • About Us
  • Become a Member
  • Donate
  • Jobs
  • Volunteer
  • Press Office
  • Land Acknowledgment

Get at-home activities and learning tools delivered straight to your inbox

The Exploratorium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our tax ID #: 94-1696494
© 2023 Exploratorium | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Your California Privacy Rights |