University of North Texas 
The Dean is pleased to recognize Brian Wheeler as the recipient of this month’s Excellence
in Mastering Challenges Continuously (E=mc²) Award! This award was established by
Dean Quintanilla to recognize outstanding efforts among full-time staff members within
the College of Science and its departments.
“It is nice to be acknowledged for my contributions to Elm Fork and more broadly to
UNT,” said Brian, who is the Director of Elm Fork Education Center. “I have been unbelievably fortunate to have three outstanding mentors in my thirty-five
years on campus, and collectively their impact is what will stay with me for a lifetime.
Diana Block, Ken Dickson and Jim Kennedy all had a huge impact on my life, and I want
to express my gratitude for the opportunities they offered me here.”
Brian is a UNT alum, receiving his BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in ceramics
from what was once called UNT's School of Visual Art. His first student job was as
a technician for the UNT Art Gallery System in 1990.
“That [job] lead to opportunities as an exhibit designer and curator for other art
museums and galleries that eventually lead to opportunities with science museums,”
said Brian. “When Ken Dickson was putting together a team to start the Elm Fork Education
Center, they asked me to help with the development of the first exhibit. What was
supposed to be a three-month gig has now lasted twenty-six years!”
Brian’s job involves administrative tasks like payroll and purchasing, but he also gets to collaborate with student employees, staff, and faculty on the many programs Elm Fork offers, as well as events hosted in the EESAT Building where Elm Fork is housed, such as the Totality Awesome pre-eclipse parties earlier this year, which hosted around 2,000 guests over two weekends.
"The 2024 eclipse events wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support and assistance of Brian and Marti at Elm Fork,” said Courtney Marie McCreedy, Assistant Director of Marketing for the College of Science and co-organizer of the Totality Awesome events. “Brian was so helpful during the months leading up to the events but especially as hands-on support in the most critical hours during setup and day-of orchestration. He is always ready to lend a hand, and always I appreciate his positive presence and excellent problem-solving skills!”
Brian says the best part of his job is working with the K-8 students that visit UNT for field trips and summer camp programs to learn about science and nature. “It’s also very rewarding to have former staff and students come back to share how their experience with Elm Fork impacted their lives,” he said.
When he’s not directing operations at the Elm Fork Education Center, Brian enjoys building furniture (midcentury modern is his favorite) and taking trips to the ocean with his wife.