Dr. Dain Kavars

Dr. Dain Kavars is the Executive Director of the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities, where he has dedicated his career to advancing educational opportunities for high-ability students. He joined the Academy in 2006 as a physics and astronomy teacher and later served as Associate Director of Academic Affairs before becoming Executive Director in July 2020.

Dr. Kavars earned a B.S. in Physics and Astronomy with honors from the University of Iowa in 2001 and a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Minnesota in 2006. His graduate research focused on radio astronomy, including observations using the Green Bank Telescope, one of the world’s largest radio telescopes.

As an educator and administrator, Dr. Kavars remains deeply committed to fostering curiosity, intellectual growth, and meaningful opportunities for gifted and talented students. In addition to his duties as Executive Director, he serves as an academic advisor and mentor for a cohort of students each year. He has also presented at professional education conferences on science education, gifted education, and educational best practices.

Outside of education, Dr. Kavars enjoys geocaching, gardening, reading science fiction and fantasy, traveling, and spending time with his family.