NISE Network Blog

NISE Network Talks Networks at International Tinkering Education Conference (ITEC) 2018 in Beijing, China

December 3, 2018

Frank Kusiak, Lawrence Hall of Science

In late October, the NISE Network was invited to speak at the International Tinkering Education Conference (ITEC) in Beijing, China where about 200+ informal and formal science educators from across China and about a dozen international guests shared ideas, strategies, and experiences about delivering making/tinkering projects to their visitors and communities.

A group of learners creating a scribblebot using a pool noodle, small electric motor and thin markers

Partner Highlight: Frankenstein200 October Events - Ideas from NISE Network Partners Across the Country

November 26, 2018

Peter Nagy and Rae Ostman, Arizona State University

The year 2018 is the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. All year long, NISE Net partners have been celebrating Frankenstein’s “birthday” by using activities from the activity kit. In October, many Network partners used Frankenstein200 activities for spooky seasonal programs. Researchers from Arizona State University took this opportunity to visit several sites to study how museum guests think about science and responsibility and to learn more about how NISE Net partners are using the activities in the kit.

Exploring Visitor Data from an Ongoing Multi-Institutional Visitor Study

November 5, 2018

Alex Lussenhop, Museum of Science

How much do museums really know about their visitors? At the Collaboration for Ongoing Visitor Experience Studies (COVES), we’re obsessed with this question. Driven by the need for quality comparable visitor experience data, our collaboration of 23 science-focused museums and...

Quiet on the set! And action! A new set of training videos has wrapped for the 2019 Explore Science: Earth and Space Toolkit

November 2, 2018

Brad Herring, Museum of Life and Science

NISE Network project staff from the Museum of Life and Science just completed filming a new set of activity and content training videos to accompany the hands-on activities in the 2019 Explore Science: Earth and Space toolkit! Read on for a behind-the-scenes look.

Sun, Earth, Universe Exhibition Fabrication Underway and Shipping Soon!

November 1, 2018

Kayla Berry, Museum of Science

Now in final stages of fabrication, the NISE Network's Sun, Earth, Universe exhibition is in the process of getting its final touches before getting shipped out to partners all across the U.S. Get a sneak peak at the exhibition before it arrives!

Partner Highlight: Arkansas State University Museum Presented Scary STEM!

November 1, 2018

Jill Kary, Arkansas State University

In this 200th year of Mary Shelley’s famous novel, Frankenstein, Arkansas State University (ASU) Museum celebrated by presenting a Scary STEM event complete with Frankenstein-themed activities on October 23, 2018. Joined by his Monster and author Mary Shelley, Dr. Victor Frankenstein stepped from the pages of Frankenstein into a makeshift laboratory at ASU Museum.

Partner Highlight: Introducing the #EPSpaceFestival, El Paso, Texas

November 1, 2018

Meghan Curry, Insights El Paso Science Center

On Saturday, September 29th El Paso, Texas celebrated its first space festival with over 500 attendees, 10 NISE Network Earth & Space activities, 10 local space organizations, and an astronaut! This was NEVER our intention. What started as a simple...

NISE Network's first participation in the Great Lakes Planetarium Association (GLPA) Conference was stellar

October 31, 2018

Kayla Berry, Museum of Science

This year the Network explored new conferences, including SEPA/WAC (a joint conference of the Southeastern Planetarium Association and the Western Alliance Conference of planetariums) and more recently the Great Lakes Planetarium Association (GLPA) Conference , which is a professional organization...

Celebrating "Out of This World" Chemistry Events Across the Country

October 31, 2018

Kayla Berry, Museum of Science

October has been a busy month for NISE Network partners hosting National Chemistry Week and spooky STEM events and festivities, and engaging their audiences in hands-on chemistry activities and other STEM activities from NISE Net's Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry and Frankenstein200 kits. We look forward to seeing partners' Let's Do Chemistry events online throughout the rest of the year!

vacuum apparatus for molecules in motion activity

Testing the Vacuum Chamber (Mini-Bell Jar) in Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry kit Molecules in Motion activity

October 10, 2018

Catherine McCarthy, Science Museum of Minnesota

We just wanted to remind NISE Network partners who received a physical Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry kit to take a look through your kit and become familiar with all the activities and materials before you hold your events. We’ve...