Director
Billy Teets, PhD
Billy is the director of Dyer Observatory and is the resident astronomer. A great deal of his time is spent engaging the community in astronomy through Dyer’s monthly public events such as Telescope Nights, Open Houses, lectures, and concerts; leading our summer science camps and field trip groups; going out into the community and delivering science content to outside groups, businesses and area schools; and developing materials for distribution in-house and online. Around the observatory, Billy develops and maintains many of the one-of-a-kind exhibits and oversees maintenance and preservation of the observatory’s astronomical equipment. He also actively collaborates with Vanderbilt’s physics and astronomy department and teaches intro astronomy classes.
Billy grew up in Clarksville, Tennessee, and graduated with a B.S. in Physics from Austin Peay State University (2004) and a Ph.D. in (astro)physics from Vanderbilt University (2012).
Read his profile in the Nashville Scene's People Issue 2023.
I Am Vanderbilt: Billy Teets
Facility Manager
Nathan P. Griffin
Nathan first came to Dyer in 2009 as a remodeling subcontractor and fell in love with the place at first sight. He soon found a role at the observatory that utilized his multitudinous building and problem-solving skills as well as guest relations experience honed during his decade at Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado. Nathan is charged with maintaining Dyer’s magnificent grounds and buildings in addition to facilitating our public and private events.
With a lifelong passion for music, Nathan spends his free time composing, playing, and singing for enthusiastic crowds around the region. The success of Dyer’s Bluebird on the Mountain concert series is due in large part to his musical and technical expertise.