NETWORK NEWS
Remembering the Apollo 11 Moon landing - 50th Anniversary event celebrations
Do you remember where you were during the historic Moon landing 50 years ago, or maybe you weren't born yet but this historical feat has captured your imagination? July 20, 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the first humans landing on the Moon as part of NASA’s Apollo 11 lunar mission. NISE Network partner museums and science centers all across the country hosted events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the July 20, 1969 Moon landing. Watch a short video highlighting a few of these anniversary events, capturing some of the memories and future aspirations from event participants.
All 52 Sun, Earth, Universe exhibitions now delivered to partners all across the country!
All 52 copies of the NISE Network's Sun, Earth, Universe exhibition have now been delivered and are currently on display. Collectively, the exhibition is estimated to reach millions of people a year in Earth and space science. Thank you to all our partners across the country for the amazing work you do engaging your audiences in this content! See how some partners are using the exhibition with their audiences and make sure to tag the NISE Network in social media so we can see and share your work with others too!
ONLINE WORKSHOPS
The NISE Network hosts free online workshops as professional development opportunities for our partners. View upcoming online workshops at nisenet.org/events.
Using Your Explore Science: Earth & Space Toolkit Outdoors: Practical Advice for Collaborations and Logistical Aspects
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
11am-12pm Pacific / 2-3pm Eastern
Are you interested in using your Explore Science Earth & Space toolkit in an outdoor setting? Presenters will share some best practices, strategies, and logistical tips for outdoor programming, including resources for establishing local partnerships to help develop your own outdoor programming. Learn more and RSVP here
Winter 2020 Schedule
Upcoming February and March 2020 online workshops will cover the Science behind the 2020 Explore Science: Earth & Space toolkit and address sustainability in museums in a 3-part series. Winter 2020 online workshops schedule coming soon.
PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS
Science Education Helping a Community Recover From Disaster on the Island of Hawaii
May 3, 2018 started like any other typical Hawaiian day in paradise on the island of Hawaii when without warning first responders began receiving calls of cracks in the road and unusual noises in a subdivision. This was day one of the 2018 Lower Puna Eruption, an event that over the next three months would cause of $800 million in damage, repave almost 14 square miles of residential land, and destroy over 700 homes. As part of the recovery efforts, the State and County of Hawaii continue to deliver assistance to the communities most affected by the eruption and have tapped the Hawaii Science and Technology Museum (HSTM) to help rebuild the local workforce and industries through STEM education.Read the full partner highlight to learn more about this eruption event, including videos, and the STEM programming that HSTM is providing to its community.
A New Virtual Learning Program: Mote SEA Show Makes a Big Splash!
Looking for the intersection of education and entertainment? Marine science and museums? Look no futher than the Mote Marine Laboratory's new virtual learning program, the "Mote SEA Show," where Mote's team of marine science educators is taking learning beyond the classroom with a new interactive, livestream marine science morning show that integrates science education, United Nation's Sustainability Goals, and Next Generation Science Standards with contemporary research to inspire students around the world to make a difference in ocean conservation. As a fellow in the NISE Network's Sustainability in Science and Technology Museums project, Mote developed a specialized mobile "studio" to take the show on the road! Read more about how the Mote's virtual learning programming is connecting over 17,000 students a year to marine science and researchers and how you can get involved.
FEATURED ON THE WEBSITE
Programming for Audiences with Special Needs (Recorded)
This online workshop looked at how to design and adapt experiences for audiences with diverse and special needs. Presenters discussed practices, partnerships, and experiences on programming for audiences encouraging participants to begin to think about how to best reach, serve, and design for audiences that may not otherwise be best served by current programming. View the recording and resources from this 11-19-2019 online workshop
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RESOURCES
Full Spectrum - A project to interview U.S. space scientists who are from underrepresented and marginalized groups
Watch Full Spectrum, a 20-minute film created by Bryan Mendez at UC Berkeley featuring interviews with space science professionals that explores some of the challenges that women and people of color face in space science, and science more broadly. Meet some space scientists who are changing the social image of who does science.
STEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
Discover activity ideas for incorporating current science, engineering, and technology content into events, special programming, holidays, and seasonal activities by visiting http://www.nisenet.org/seasons/.
December
- NASA's Night Sky Network - Astronomical events for December
- SciStarter Citizen Science Calendar of events
- 12/9-12/15: Computer Science Education Week and Hour of Code
- International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements, 150th Anniversary
January 2020
- 1/1: Predictions for the New Year
- 1/5: National Bird Day
- 1/9: National Static Electricity Day
2020 Upcoming events
- 4/22: Earth Day - 50th Anniversary
SCIENCE IN THE NEWS
Earth and Space News
The first global geologic map of Titan completed
Titan, Saturn's largest moon, is the only planetary body in our solar system other than Earth known to have stable liquid on its surface. NASA's Cassini mission, which orbited Saturn from 2004-2017, has revealed that Titan is one of the most geologically diverse landscapes including dunes, lakes of hydrocabons, craters and other terrains.
First detection of sugars in meteorites gives clues to origin of life
An international team of scientists has found sugars essential to life in meteorites. Adding to the growing list of biological compounds that have been found in meteorites, and supporting the hypothesis that these planetary bodies can support some of life's ingredients, if correct, meteorite bombardment on ancient Earth may have assisted the origin of life with a supply of life's building blocks.
Synthetic Biology News
CRISPR takes its first steps in editing genes to fight cancer
In a first in the U.S., doctors and researchers have used the gene-editing tool, CRISPR, to edit genes to help a patient's own immune system attack cancer. This research is intended to access the safety of this procedure, but more time and research will determine whether it is fighting the cancer.
Nano News
Ultra-black is the new black
Scientists are continuously improving ultra-black technology by using elaborately engineered arrays of nanotubes, or tiny carbon cylinders, designed to capture any light it encounters - a light trap of sorts. Interestingly, researchers have also identified this superblack coloration in birds, spiders and vipers vying with lab-grown carbon nanotubes in their structural complexity and power to conquer light.
NATIONAL CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Conferences
Seattle conference – December 12-14, 2019
Boston (National) conference – April 2-5, 2020
STEM Forum & Expo in Louisville – July 22-24, 2020
Learn more
American Chemical Society (ACS) 2020 Spring National Meeting & Expo
March 22-26, 2020
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Call for abstracts now open
Association of Children's Museums (ACM) InterActivity 2020
May 5-8, 2020
St. Louis, Missouri
Register now; early bird registration ends January 15th
2020 American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo
May 17-20, 2020
San Francisco, California
Register now; early bird registration ends January 24th
Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) 2020 Annual Conference
October 17-20, 2020
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Themed, New Frontiers - session proposals due January 13th