Blog: Partner Highlights

Cohort B group activity picture

Partner Highlight: NISE Network Partners Continue Sustainability Efforts through Challenging Times

May 5, 2020
Nich Weller, Arizona State University
In January 2020, thirty-four museum professionals from across the NISE Network came to Arizona State University as part of the Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability in Science and Technology Museums Fellowship. Following their time in Tempe, fellows returned to their organizations with new tools, resources, and relationships cultivated from the workshop to conduct their projects, ranging from updating exhibits to planning museum renovations to providing professional development at their organization about sustainability.
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Partner Highlight: NISE Network Partners Excel During COVID-19 Shutdown

May 2, 2020
Kayla Berry, Museum of Science
These past couple of months, NISE Network partners have continued to find creative ways to remotely engage their communities in fun science learning experiences and provide outreach throughout the coronavirus COVID-19 shutdown. Here are just a few partner highlights that...
Star Night picture

Partner Highlight: Star Night's Annual Event Moves Indoors at White Mountain Nature Center in Pinetop, Arizona

May 2, 2020
Kalman Mannis, Arizona Science Center
Star Night is an annual event at the White Mountain Nature Center in the alpine town of Pinetop, AZ, the region’s crowning informal learning site. The annual early Spring Astronomy Night was planned for mid-March 2020, the amateur astronomers were geared up for a star party, NISE Net's Explore Science: Earth & Space toolkit and Arizona State University’s StarLab were on-hand, we were a go! Then a week prior to the event the Covid crisis erupted and a late Spring storm was in the forecast...we needed to pivot!
Children's Museum of Houston photo of kids jumping

Partner Highlight: Learn How Network Partners are Remaining Resilient and Adapting During Current Times – COVID-19

March 26, 2020
Kayla Berry, Museum of Science
The NISE Network continues to be amazed at the way partners are rapidly adjusting to changing times, learning how to adapt in-person programs, demonstrations and activities into virtual and at-home learning experiences. This is no small feat and we want...
Little Bear/Dipper, Big Bear/Dipper

Partner Highlight: When the Stars Don’t Align for Your Star Party at the Science Museum of Minnesota

March 3, 2020
Christina Leavell, Science Museum of Minnesota
On January 15, 2020 the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) held a Star Watch Party with special guest meteorologist and astronomy educator Mike Lynch . This was not a public event, but a staff and volunteer social hosted by The...
Temperature Mapping hands-on activity picture

Partner Highlight: Grand Re-opening Family Event Blasts Off at Challenger Learning Center of Colorado

February 11, 2020
Becca Manis, Director of Curriculum, Challenger Learning Center of Colorado
After 17 years, the dream to expand the Challenger Learning Center of Colorado to include room for public events and on-site summer camps was finally realized through a revitalized partnership. This past fall, the Center hosted its Grand Re-Opening family open-house event, the first major public event to take place in our newly expanded facility, for almost 900 guests. Staff used activities from the NISE Net's Explore Space toolkits and as well as from fellow Challenger partners.
Hands-on learning activity about daytime and nighttime

Partner Highlight: Bringing Multi-touch Science Learning into the Classroom Through Pre-school Teacher Professional Development

January 31, 2020
Rori Leath, The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art & Technology
Throughout the fall and winter, The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art & Technology worked with twenty preschool teachers and their students to explore the concepts of Day and Night. The goal with this preschool program is for students to...
Arkansas STEM Fest photo

Partner Highlight: Arkansas State University hosts STEM Fest as Part of the Arkansas Science Festival

January 29, 2020
Jill Kary, Arkansas State University Museum
In honor of Arkansas Science Festival, seven Arkansas State University (A-State) departments came together to host STEM Fest on October 25, 2019. The event was an explosive hit! More than 700 students in grades K-12 registered to attend this event, an indicator of youth interest, and more than 100 volunteers assisted with STEM hands-on activities, some from NISE Net's Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry kit.
MSU undergrad outreach event picture

Partner Highlight: NISE Net Resources Help Undergraduate Researchers at Montana State University

January 29, 2020
Suzi Taylor, Montana State University
When network partner, Suzi Taylor at Montana State University’s (MSU) Science Math Resource Center, was tasked with helping undergraduate students create hands-on activities for a community outreach event, she turned to NISE Net resources for help.
Ingram Planetarium programming photo

Partner Highlight: Ingram Planetarium Explores Integrating NISE Net Kits into Interactive Programs in the Dome

January 3, 2020
Katherine Hunt, Planetarium Manager
This partner highlight will focus on Ingram Planetarium's experience and the process used to fully integrate a NISE Network Explore Science: Earth & Space toolkit into the dome theater with the goal of diversifying content, creating more engaging and interactive experiences in the dome for the learner, and to further empower Ingram’s education team to execute interactive programs in the planetarium environment.