Today we’d like to introduce you to Dustin Growick.
Hi Dustin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When two people love each other very much, sometimes they take off their clothes and wrestle. This was the case for my parents, and then nine months later, I was born. Fast forward a few decades and I’ve spent my life working in museum education with a focus on audience engagement and—more specifically—dinosaurs.
My multi-platform work aims to make science more accessible, relevant, and engaging via a mix of humor, deep knowledge, and world-class storytelling. My goal is simple: ignite curiosity and renew people’s appreciation for science and the natural world.
After working in education & outreach at science centers and natural history museums, I helped conceive, launch, and build Museum Hack. What started as a side gig quickly morphed into a million-dollar tour business featuring one-of-a-kind adult museum experiences that key on audience engagement and exceptional storytelling. Sustained demand for both training and facilitation of these interactive adventures continues to bring me to aquariums, natural history museums, botanic gardens, zoos, and science centers across the globe.
I’m a trained anthropologist with a Master’s degree in human biological and cultural evolution, with my on-camera and in-person work focusing primarily on dinosaurs, a proven gateway drug to science.
I’ve written three dinosaur encyclopedias and led prehistoric adventure tours across the state of Colorado. Always looking for new ways to engage new audiences, I designed and hosted interactive and ticketed Dino 101 virtual experiences every week for over a year during the height of the pandemic.
I continue to expertly and energetically communicate science via virtual and in-person tours of the American Museum of Natural History, on the ‘grams, and at my monthly live science comedy game show, SCIENCE 101.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No two people’s paths are the same. I have tried to surround myself with people who share a similar passion for museums, science, and education. I simply wouldn’t be where I am today without the incredible network of friends and colleagues I’ve had the pleasure of working and learning alongside of. Working in a big creative team can be both incredibly rewarding and very frustrating. With these collaborators and with big professional decisions, I simply try to move in a direction that furthers both my personal and professional goals. Mistakes have certainly been made, but I think it is incredibly important to remember there is no failure, only feedback.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My goal is to communicate science in a way that is refreshing, informative, silly, and even a little sexy. There is literally no one in the world who gives a better tour of a natural history museum or emcees a science event with the same level of engagement, fun, and meaning-making.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
“Lovett or Leave It” is my favorite podcast and biggest influence. It is a progressive political podcast that uses humor, games, and expert guests to approach heavy subjects in a way that authentically engages new, primarily millennial audiences.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.DustinGrowick.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/dinosaurwhisperer
- Facebook: facebook.com/DustinGrowick
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dustingrowick
- Twitter: twitter.com/DustinGrowick
- Youtube: youtube.com/TheDinosaurShow
