Dennis Bartels is a science education and policy expert. From 2006 until 2016, Dennis was Executive Director of the Exploratorium, a world-renowned public learning laboratory exploring the world through science, art, and human perception located in San Francisco, California. During his tenure, he led a historic capital project and a $330 million capital campaign to relocate the Exploratorium to Piers 15/17 on San Francisco’s famed waterfront. He has served on multiple panels and advisory committees of the National Science Foundation and multiple boards of STEM-related NGOs, including co-founder of the Coalition for Science in After School. He holds a PhD in Education Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University and BA degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His work has received more than $28 million in grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other sources.
Dennis presently serves as Managing Director of the Endless Network, a constellation of enterprises using technology that scales improvements in learning and education, livelihood and health, especially in emerging economies or regions with persistent challenging circumstances. He also advises and speaks on several projects and topics of keen interest including education, informal learning, philanthropy, science and technology, oceans and museums. He is an avid Burner, where he nourishes his passion for participatory art. In June 2018, Dennis was elected Chair of the Burning Man Project Board of Directors.