MIAMI, FL – The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is pleased to announce that Andy Dehart has been appointed as the museum’s vice president of animal husbandry. Dehart has over 20 years of experience and in his new role, he will supervise the successful opening and operation of the Living Core Aquarium at the new Frost Science in downtown Miami as well as the Batchelor Environmental Center at the Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University. Both facilities are slated to open in 2016.
“Andy Dehart is a wonderful addition to our dedicated wildlife team,” said Chief Operating Officer Frank Steslow. “With his unparalleled knowledge of aquatic life and wildlife, he will be a great asset to Frost Science as we build our living collection and transition into our new state-of-the-art museum.”
Andy Dehart
As vice president of animal husbandry, Dehart will be responsible for the management of the animal care staff and oversee animal health, aquatic life support operation and maintenance, horticulture, environmental enrichment, collection planning, regulatory compliance, permitting, accreditation, environmental research and conservation. Dehart will continue the museum’s successful record with bird of prey rehabilitation, which has helped more than 10,000 injured birds of prey.
“I am truly honored and thrilled to serve as vice president of animal husbandry for the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science,” said Dehart. “I look forward to helping put the Frost Science on the international map as a center for aquatic life and husbandry.”
Dehart’s interest in marine life began at age 5 when he first starting snorkeling. His love for the sea continued and accepted his first job at the National Aquarium in Baltimore while in high school. Dehart’s extensive knowledge of sharks has been recognized nationally, securing him high-profile media appearances as an expert on national television broadcasts. These include the “Today” show, “The Early Show,” “NBC Nightly News,” “Larry King Live,” Fox News, “The O’Reilly Factor” and “The Situation Room” with Wolf Blitzer. In addition, Dehart has served as shark advisor for the Discovery Channel, on which he has been featured multiple times on Shark Week productions.
Most recently, Dehart helped build and open the new Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada as the director of husbandry. The facility opened in Toronto at the CN Tower in 2013. In addition, Dehart has served as the director of fishes and aquatic invertebrates at the National Aquarium’s Baltimore and Washington, D.C. locations. He was also director of biological programs at the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C. and assistant curator of fishes, Animal Care Center at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Before that time, he was a member of the opening team as an aquarist at the Kingdom of the Seas Aquarium at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska.
Dehart holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He is a proud member of the Board of Trustees for REEF (Reef Environmental Education Foundation), a Key Largo-based non-profit organization committed to getting recreational divers involved in citizen science, through active surveying of fish abundance and diversity.
About the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science
Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science aims to make a difference in people’s lives by inspiring them to appreciate the impact that science and technology can have on every facet of our world. For nearly 65 years, the Museum’s award-winning educational programs, family-focused exhibits, historic planetarium, and Batchelor Wildlife Center have enriched locals and tourists alike. In 2016, the Museum will continue to inspire visitors in a new state-of-the-art facility designed by Grimshaw Architects currently under construction at Museum Park, in the heart of downtown Miami. The Museum will be structured around a lushly landscaped indoor and outdoor Living Core Aquarium of terrestrial and aquatic environments, featuring a Gulf Stream aquarium experience totaling over 500,000 gallons of salt water. The facility will also feature a state-of-the-art full dome Planetarium, the Knight Learning Center, Innovation Center and Cafe, and an Exploration Center featuring permanent interactive exhibits: Feathers to the Stars and The River of Grass. The Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers. The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is funded with the support of Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners. Learn more at www.miamisci.org or call (305) 646-4200.
The existing Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is located at 3280 South Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33129. The Museum is open every day from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Admission is free for members and children under 3; students (with valid ID), seniors (62+) and children 3-12, $10.95; adults are $14.95. Parking is free.
