Dean is a Professor at the University of Sydney, specializing in the History and Philosophy of Modern Physics. He also serves as the Co-Director of the university’s Centre of Time exploring the nature and psychology of time. His primary research focus is the history and philosophy of modern physics, particularly quantum gravity and spacetime physics. However, he also has strong interests in econophysics, population health, and musicology.
He holds a PhD from the University of Leeds, focusing on conceptual issues of quantum gravity. Between 2005 and 2007 he took up a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary. From 2008 he received a 5-year ARC Australian Research Fellowship and a 4-year ARC Future Fellowship in 2014 researching quantum gravity.
He has many other academic interests outside of physics, philosophy, and history, including the study of consciousness; AI and machine learning; musicology; art; architecture; economics; public health; theology and religion; and psychology. He trained as a concert pianist earlier in life, and still gives sporadic recitals.

At THE NEW INSTITUTE, Dean was involved in the program "Conceptions of Human Flourishing".