KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

The Hands-On Science Center family has grown as it welcomes the new Director of Operations and Education Dr. Keith DeMell.

Executive Director of the Hands-On Science Center (HOSC) Sean Amidon held the announcement during a Facebook livestream press conference on Friday, Feb. 16. Amidon welcomed members of the HOSC Board of Directors Jim Burns, Board Chair, Jim Jolliffe, Vice Chair, and John Carver before making his big announcement.

“It’s been a very busy couple of years,” Amidon said. “For almost three years we have been operating with two and half staff members and still got a lot of stuff done.”

Amidon added with his small team the science center has put on many events, ribbon cuttings, programs and various camps. He said a few months back HOSC posted the positon of Director of Operations and Education, and after meeting and interviewing several candidates they had found HOSC’s new Director of Operations and Education.

“This person is going to be a great addition to our team between myself, Sean, and Director of Facilities and Development Austin (Sisco) this new person really completes our leadership team and we are very excited.”

Before introducing DeMell, Amidon highlighted that some of DeMell’s experience included I.T. work experience with Jacobs, developing education and training programs for Amazon and so on. He received his Ph.D. in Engineering and has taught on the collegiate level for over 20 years, including teaching Mechatronics at Motlow State Community College.

 “(DeMell) is really going to be integral in continuing to develop our education programs and streamlining our operations here at the science center,” Amidon said.

DeMell said he was very excited, thrilled and honored to be a part of the HOSC team and to be working with the staff, board of directors and the community.

“This place is so awesome already but it is going to rocket to more and higher places,” DeMell said. “Very honored, happy and thrilled to be here.”

DeMell said for an educational aspect, he plans on encompassing everyone in the community who has an interest in science, ranging from students in public and home schools to adults.

“The idea of what I want to try to start doing is integrating all of the region and community, including Motlow, Tullahoma schools, Manchester schools and so on. It needs to be very, very inclusive,” DeMell said. “We are going to taking the Hands-On Science Center to tremendous limits.”

Though he has just started in the position, DeMell said he has been visiting the science center over the years and as he walked through the exhibits he was thinking of what he can do differently and what will bring people interested in science to HOSC.

“When looking at things, I will try to bring more learning experiences, more hands-on,” DeMells said. “Where I grew up (in Ohio) there was a huge science center and that’s where I grew to love engineering and sciences.”

As for what he most looking forward to, DeMell said he is looking forward to the opportunity to learn, play and to teach people.

“I’m a big kid,” DeMell said. “When this position first became available a couple of months ago I was talking to my wife and said ‘This is the perfect position for me.’ I can get back to my individual roots, get to play and things like that, plus they pay me for it. It’s a win-win situation.”

Amidon said there will be a whole lot of changes coming, and encouraged everyone who wants to be a part of the science center to join some of the committees at HOSC, including development and fundraising committee, events committee and facility and safety committee.

“There’s lots of opportunities for people out there to get involved, and now is the time to do it,” Amidon said. “There’s going to be amazing stuff happening very quickly.”

Anyone interested in joining one of the HOSC committees can email exec@hosctn.org for more information.