Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and More | Meet Our Science Teachers
As a part of our regular faculty introductions, we invite you to get to know our Upper School Science Department!
Mr. Smiley earned his master's degree in Chemistry from Western Washington University with a focus on inorganic chemistry. When he's not in the lab, he enjoys gravel biking, creating music, and playing pinball.
Mr. Millhollan earned his bachelor's degree in physics from the University of California at Berkeley. As a student, he worked at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in the AMOS (Atomic and Molecular Optical Sciences) where he used powerful lasers to blow things up. He is a proud uncle and enjoys spending time with his nieces and nephews or hiking with his dog, Jack.
Dr. Basler earned her bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of North Florida and her doctorate in Integrated Pest management from the University of Florida. She enjoys running and mountain biking and has recently started to train for triathlons. Her greatest weakness is chocolate in various forms – not dark chocolate though.
Ms. Srikanthan is interested in applying chemistry to biological systems and enjoys sharing her enthusiasm with students for science and learning. She earned her master’s at Stanford in Organic Chemistry and continued her passion at UCSF where she and her team were determining the connection between a street-drug contaminant and Parkinson’s disease. She enjoys long walks, Classical South Indian Music and Dance, spending time with family, and dark chocolate in any form.
Dr. Niese is a lifelong nature nut. He has been collecting and identifying plants, animals, fungi, rocks, and fossils ever since he was a child, exploring California’s diverse habitats. Today, as a biology teacher at Bentley, a children’s book author, and a professional ornithologist, he is thrilled to share his passion for wildlife and wild places with learners of all ages.
Mr. Luu earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from Sacramento State University, with a focus in high school physics education. While in school, Mr. Luu studied different areas of physics and worked to find ways to make any of these topics approachable for students of all ages. When he’s not teaching, he enjoys playing and coaching tennis.
