Association of Science and Technologies Centers

Q&A with Annick Desjardins: Using Polio to Kill Cancer

May 28, 2020 / Dimensions / By

Interviewed by Joelle Seligson This interview appeared in the September/October 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine. When neurologist Annick Desjardins first heard about an experimental therapy that uses the polio virus to attack cancer cells, she admittedly thought it was an off-the-wall idea. In the 12 years since then, however, Desjardins—now associate professor of neurology at …

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If you could go back, what advice would you give yourself when you first started your museum or informal education career?

May 28, 2020 / Dimensions / By

This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the September/October 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine.   Before my first nonprofit management position (in England), I wish I could have coached my newbie self: learn about spreadsheets, practice daily meditation and stretching, and schedule physical exercise and play time …

If you could go back, what advice would you give yourself when you first started your museum or informal education career? Read More »

How do you envision 3D printing finding a place in science centers and museums? Do you already use or have plans for 3D printing?

May 28, 2020 / Dimensions / By

This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the May/June 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine.   “. . . 3D printing and design can electrify various literacies and creative capacities of children in accordance with the spirit of the interconnected, information-based world.” —V. Kostakis, V. Niaros, and C. …

How do you envision 3D printing finding a place in science centers and museums? Do you already use or have plans for 3D printing? Read More »

Lessons from the Noyce Leadership Institute

May 28, 2020 / Dimensions / By

This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the March/April 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine.     The Noyce Leadership Institute (NLI) began in 2008 to help prepare the next generation of leaders for science-intensive museums, with a particular emphasis on gaining the skills and perspectives needed to increase the engagement of …

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Our Boards in Action: Ann S. Bowers on the Noyce Leadership Institute

May 28, 2020 / Dimensions / By

Interviewed by Joelle Seligson This interview appeared in the March/April 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine. From Apple and Intel to San Francisco’s Exploratorium and San Jose’s Tech Museum of Innovation, Ann S. Bowers has witnessed the importance of leadership in all facets of Silicon Valley. She pioneered human resources management in high-growth startups before turning …

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Leadership During Times of Crisis

May 28, 2020 / Dimensions / By

This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the March/April 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine. In times of crisis, leaders and their institutions often emerge stronger and with new insights about their values, priorities, community relationships, and human and other resources. We asked our science center and museum colleagues from around the …

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Do you think science centers and museums should use crowdfunding resources (like Kickstarter or IndieGoGo) to raise funds for exhibits and events?

May 7, 2020 / Dimensions / By

This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the March/April 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine.   Denver Zoo recently completed its first crowdfunding initiative for a veterinary device for our giraffes. We feel crowdfunding was a useful tool to market this project and get more than 40 first-time …

Do you think science centers and museums should use crowdfunding resources (like Kickstarter or IndieGoGo) to raise funds for exhibits and events? Read More »

Brain Teasers

May 28, 2020 / Dimensions / By

This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the January/February 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine.   We asked exhibit developers: What was the biggest challenge you faced in developing your brain exhibit or exhibition, and how did you address it? Here’s what they told us.   Our biggest challenge: realizing that it …

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Science Festivals: Celebrations of Science Around the World

May 29, 2020 / Dimensions / By

This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the September/October 2014 issue of Dimensions magazine. A growing number of science festivals are now taking place across the world every year. In the United States alone, around four dozen new science festival initiatives have emerged in just the past five years. Each science …

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Do you think the current surge of making and tinkering spaces in science centers and museums is a temporary fad, or are they here to stay?

May 29, 2020 / Dimensions / By

This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the May/June 2014 issue of Dimensions magazine. Making and tinkering are not fads. Their presence in science centers and museums may be a fad for many, but “making” is a human biological imperative. We are the species that makes over …

Do you think the current surge of making and tinkering spaces in science centers and museums is a temporary fad, or are they here to stay? Read More »

Dimensions, January/February 2014—A Closer Look at Exhibits

May 29, 2020 / Dimensions / By

IN THIS ISSUE January/February 2014 Exhibits are central to the work of science centers and museums, and to the experience of our visitors. This issue of Dimensions draws upon the wisdom of our field, compiling practical tips and guidelines from exhibit professionals working in a variety of museums and companies around the world. These professionals …

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Exhibit Case Studies

May 29, 2020 / Dimensions / By

These case studies complement the article Inside the Process: Three Exhibit Development Case Studies, which appeared in the January/February 2014 issue of Dimensions magazine. Innovation Labs in Indian Science Centers To promote national competitiveness in the 21st century, the president of India declared the present decade (2010–20) as the “decade of innovation.” Taking the agenda …

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How much is too much technology in a science center or museum, or is the sky the limit? Does it engage or distract?

May 29, 2020 / Dimensions / By

This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the January/February 2014 issue of Dimensions magazine. Good examples of technology gone bad can often be traced to poor design. Does the design of an interactive cause visitors to isolate from others, or does it support social engagement? Does the …

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Field Trips: What Teachers Told Us

May 29, 2020 / Dimensions / By

By Mary Ann Wojton From Dimensions September/October 2013 Student field trips to COSI in Columbus, Ohio, attract approximately 75,000 visitors annually. We wanted to understand how teachers perceive our science center and field trip offerings in order to better serve them and to represent ourselves to them in the most positive and relevant way. Therefore, …

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When are evaluation and other visitor feedback strategies the most useful for helping advance a science center’s mission? When are such strategies less successful?

May 29, 2020 / Dimensions / By

This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the September/October 2013 issue of Dimensions magazine. Evaluation is a powerful tool for providing visitors with a voice, which then enables us to stay relevant to their needs and motivations. The goal of any exhibit or program is to engage …

When are evaluation and other visitor feedback strategies the most useful for helping advance a science center’s mission? When are such strategies less successful? Read More »

Best Practices in Public Relations

May 29, 2020 / Dimensions / By

We asked public relations (PR) professionals from science centers and museums around the world to send us their best practices, guidelines, practical tips, and pieces of advice. Here’s what they told us. (This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the September/October 2013 issue of Dimensions magazine.) Thanksgiving Point is currently in …

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