CLEVELAND (November 15, 2024) – As Northeast Ohio’s STEM HQ, the leadership role of the vice president of education is a crucial position in serving Great Lakes Science Center’s mission to make science, technology, engineering and math come alive.

Today, the Science Center is announcing that Brett Nicholas will be the next leader in this key role in the museum’s senior management team.

In his new position at the Science Center, Nicholas will lead the museum’s passionate and dedicated Education team and direct all STEM learning initiatives, including Camp Curiosity, school workshops and outreach, curriculum development, live science shows and interactive activities, the museum’s volunteer program, and numerous regional and national partnerships.

Nicholas is an experienced education and museum leader. He is passionate about helping students, kids and families of all ages and backgrounds develop scientific skills they can use to empower themselves. He comes to the Science Center after four years as the chief of play and learning at the DuPage Children’s Museum in Naperville, IL where he created high quality learning experiences, expanded opportunities through strategic partnerships and managed a staff of more than 50 team members. Prior to his role at the DuPage Museum, he served 16 years at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago in a variety of roles, most recently as the manager of community initiatives.

“The Science Center is looking forward to the expertise and energy that Brett will bring to our team,” said President & CEO Kirsten Ellenbogen. “His experience in creating compelling STEM programs and his track record with collaborative community partnerships make him a great fit for our exciting strategic plan initiatives here at the Science Center.”

Nicholas is returning to Ohio after a long career in Illinois, he received his degree in biology from Wright State University and studied on Lake Erie with The Ohio State University’s Stone Laboratory. He and his family enjoy spending time outdoors and they look forward to joining the Cleveland community.

About Great Lakes Science Center

Great Lakes Science Center is one of the top ten museums in the nation as celebrated by the 2024 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award for Best Science Museum. The Science Center hosted Total Eclipse Fest in 2024, one of the largest free eclipse events in the country, and is home to the NASA Glenn Visitor Center and makes science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) come alive for more than 300,000 visitors a year through hundreds of hands-on exhibits, temporary exhibitions, the Cleveland Clinic DOME Theater, historic Steamship William G. Mather, daily science demonstrations, seasonal camps, and more. The Science Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution, earned a 2023 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, a leading provider of insight and data about the non-profit world. The Science Center is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Visit GreatScience.com for more information.