NISE Net Groups

The NISE Network is a nationwide collaboration of museums, universities, research institutions, artists and others working to engage the public in this emerging field.

Please join our growing community of professionals dedicated to sharing knowledge and expertise in a variety of venues.

Exhibits

Some of the premier science exhibition developers in the United States are part of the NISE Network. They bring with them a deep understanding of what makes engaging informal learning experiences. Through a process of prototyping, audience research, and in-depth partnerships with scientists, NISE Net partners have developed a catalog of exhibit components about nanoscale science.

Programs

NISE Net defines public programs as interactions with the public that are facilitated by museum professionals. NISE Net partners have been working on a variety of programs types, including large lectures, small floor demonstrations, comedy and theater pieces, and quiz and game shows.

Forums

In the first two years of NISE Net operation five science museums have worked together to research, develop, and test a variety of program models aimed at engaging adults and older youth with in-depth informal educational experiences that incorporate dialog and deliberation around societal implications of nanoscale science, engineering, and technology. This team is developing materials and expertise to share with the broader science museum community to build capacity in the field to engage the public in this kind of programming.

Visualization Laboratory

The nanoscale world is so small that we can't directly see or experience it. At one hundred thousand times smaller than the width of a human hair, nanoscale particles are governed by unfamiliar physical forces. How do we visualize this world and the forces that dominate it? The Exploratorium's Visualization Laboratory is exploring this question through research and development of different types of visualizations. Our goal is to create and study effective and innovative visualization techniques for understanding and experiencing the nanoscale.

Research Center - Information Science Education Partnerships (RISE)

One of the goals of the NISE Network is to foster effective education outreach partnerships between science museums and research centers, focusing on nanoscale and materials science research. Such partnerships leverage the content expertise of the research center partners with the engagement expertise of the ISE partners, to create a broad menu of programs, products, and experiences that can be further shared throughout the network. RISE provides professional development, consulting, and resources for partnerships, and also develops trainings in communication and public engagement for early career researchers.

Nanoscale Informal Science Education Outreach Program (NEO)

The Nanoscale Informal Science Education Outreach (NEO) Program is offered to graduate students, education outreach directors, and post-docs from nano-science and technology research organizations who are working in education and outreach efforts. By joining the NEO program, participants become part of the growing NISE network and help create ongoing capacity and sustainability for collaborations between research agencies and informal science education institutions.

Research and Evaluation

NISE evaluation is designed to elicit and provide critical constructive feedback to NISE project teams so they can refine and improve implementation as program components develop. The NISE evaluation team includes both internal and external evaluators. With oversight at the Museum of Science, lead evaluators are located at each lead museum -- the Museum of Science, Science Museum of Minnesota, and the Exploratorium -- to help coordinate and facilitate evaluation efforts both locally and across the NISE Network. External evaluation is being conducted by Inverness Research Associates and Multimedia Research.

Diversity, Equity, and Access

The Diversity, Equity, and Access team fosters and encourages the NISE Network’s efforts to reach a diverse audience with regard to geography, dis/ability, gender, race/ethnicity, language, and income. Members of this group offer a national approach to the work currently being done in Informal Science Education. Through workshops and partnerships with organizations dedicated to underserved populations, DEA imparts its mission to the NISE Net community as well as the broader field.

NISE Network Community

The NISE Network community within the United States is organized around eight "regional hubs" based on geographic proximity; we have also set up an international hub for those located outside of the United States. Regional hubs facilitate partner interaction in the Network, help museum educators connect with researchers and each other, host regional workshops and meetings, and providing support to institutions in their region. To get more involved with the Network, find your region on the map, and contact your regional hub.