Racial justice in our communities
The death of George Floyd is another tragic reminder of the racial discrimination and inequities in our society. As we have witnessed in the days since his death, people across the country are angry, frustrated, and sad. We stand with those seeking systemic change in our society. Nationally and locally, we know we must address the persistent, undeniable racism in our communities. NISE Network and our partners are committed to playing our role in building a just future. #BlackLivesMatter
Here are some resources for equity and inclusion you may find helpful: https://www.nisenet.org/racialjustice
NETWORK NEWS
Re-imagining a sustainability fellowship during COVID
In May, the NISE Network's Sustainability Fellowship Program led by Arizona State University hosted a virtual workshop for its final cohort where fellows delved into defining what sustainability means to them, for their institutions, and how to apply this knowledge to a sustainability project. Read more about fellows' experiences and a glimpse into some project ideas
ONLINE WORKSHOPS
The NISE Network hosts free online workshops as professional development opportunities for our partners to share with and learn from each other. Online workshops take place on Tuesdays at 2-3pm Eastern / 11am-12pm Pacific. View upcoming online workshops at nisenet.org/events.
NISE Network Partner Reopening Strategies — Part 2
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
2-3pm Eastern / 11am-12pm Pacific
As shutdowns and restrictions across the country are gradually being lifted and museums begin to reopen their doors and engage their communities, hear from NISE Net partners on their lessons learned from reopening. Learn more and sign up to join
PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS
COSI Science Festival: A digital transformation - Leveraging the power of partnerships to deliver science when it's needed the most
With its sights focused on another record setting experience in 2020, COSI and its partners prepared for an assortment of exciting programs and new local collaborations for this year's COSI Science Festival. However, with a stay at home order announced in March, COSI quickly pivoted from its yearlong plan to deliver a physical festival to creating a digital science festival. With more than 39 virtual events that impacted 50,000 people, the 2020 COSI Science Festival formed unprecedented partnerships and was among the largest science events in Ohio history. Read more about COSI's Digital Science Festival
Hawaii Children's Discovery Center uses NISE Network kits to create online educational videos for families
Like many children's museums, the Hawaii Children's Discovery Center closed its doors temporarily due to COVID-19, and were faced with the challenge of keeping families and their community engaged with hands-on interactive learning. Quickly, staff shifted their work to online content development, learning new skills in video production, editing, and social media. Read more about the Children's Discovery Center At Home Learning series
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens connects local students to gardening through school lunch program
During the quarantine, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens has supplied gardening kits and provided flowers that were made available to students and their families at lunch pickup spots, as well as delivered to individuals. Read more about Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens' local community outreach efforts
FEATURED ON THE WEBSITE
NISE Network online workshops
View the recordings and resources from recent NISE Net online workshops:
- NISE Network Partner Reopening Strategies - Part 1
This discussion began with a big picture view from Laura Huerta Migus, Executive Director of the Association of Children's Museums (ACM), and was followed by Network partners' specific examples of initial reopening strategies (Recorded 5-26-2020)
NISE Network COVID-19 resources
The NISE Net's COVID-19 page provides a collection of museum resources that is being continuously updated.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Attention NASA Visitor Centers, museums and science centers, libraries and summer programs: Schedule a virtual chat with NASA's Artemis Team
Request a virtual chat with NASA's Artemis Team, including project engineers, managers and communicators during the months of June-August. Virtual events are limited and requests must be received by COB June 11th. Learn more here (Museum Alliance log in required)
New virtual learning opportunity helps communicators tackle climate change
From July 12 – August 16, the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI) will offer a 6-week virtual “Crash Course” designed to introduce participants to an evidence-based communication style for climate communicators interested in improving their practice. Learn more about NNOCCI's Crash Course
The Dome Dialogues, an online planetarium community
The Dome Dialogues is a place for members of the planetarium industry to support one another and share resources and best practices. To join these discussions, check out The Dome Dialogues on Facebook or view the YouTube channel for archived online discussions.
National Girls Collaborative Project online resources to support girls in STEM
The National Girls Collaborative Project has vast resources to assist you in your programming in informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in STEM. Visit their website to explore STEM Resources for Online Learning and the webinar archive.
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/.
June
- NASA's Night Sky Network - Monthly astronomical events
- SciStarter Citizen Science Calendar of events
- 2020 Summer Reading Theme: Imagine Your Story — view NISE Net's Alice in NanoLand free downloadable PDF
- 6/23: International Women in Engineering Day
- 6/21-6/27: National Mosquito Control Awareness Week — view NISE Net's Should We Engineer the Mosquito? forum
- 6/30: Asteroid Day
- Sun and Sand: Exploring Sunblock hands-on activity
July
- Plastic Free July
- 7/20: Moon landing anniversary (July 20, 1969) — view Moon resources
- 7/22: World Brain Day
SCIENCE IN THE NEWS
International Space Station (ISS) welcomes first SpaceX Crew Dragon with NASA astronauts
Two NASA astronauts arrived at the ISS on May 31st aboard the first commercially built and operated American spacecraft to carry humans to orbit, opening a new era in human spaceflight. Learn more about the ISS
NASA unveils new rules to guide behavior in space and on the lunar surface
As the U.S. prepares to return people to the lunar surface by 2024, NASA recently unveiled a legal framework that would require allied countries to sign in order to participate in its lunar exploration program. NASA states that this accord “in no way changes the 1967 Outer Space Treaty," which prohibits nations from laying claim to the Moon and other celestial bodies.
Why CO2 isn't falling more during a global lockdown
Even though traffic and air travel has decreased significantly during the pandemic and forecasters predict the greatest annual reduction of emissions on record, it's still short of the 7.6% decline scientists say is needed every year over the next decade to stop global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The end of plastic? New plant-based bottles will degrade in a year
A biochemical company in the Netherlands is pioneering a project that hopes to make plastics from plant sugars rather than fossil fuels, and has already won support from Coca-Cola and beer-maker, Carlsberg.
Stabilizing brain-computer interfaces
Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) are devices that allow individuals with motor disabilities to control things, such as prosthetic limbs or computer cursors, with their mind. One of the biggest challenges researchers are working to address is an individual's ability to control their BCI without the need for frequent recalibration.
NATIONAL MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES
Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) 2020 Annual Conference
October 17-20, 2020; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Learn more — Themed: New Frontiers
National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Conferences
Learn more about upcoming conferences