NISE Network Blog

Partner Highlight: Reopening the world’s largest children’s museum – examples of best practices from the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

September 1, 2020

Christina Leavell, Science Museum of Minnesota

With 472,900 square feet of space and 120,000 artifacts, re-opening the world’s largest children’s museum during a pandemic may seem next to impossible. Nonetheless, the intrepid staff of the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis did just that in July 2020. Currently, they are still going strong, and a quick look at their website can provide us all with some simple strategies to facilitate bringing audiences back through their doors.

Child using the Braille book, called "Getting a Feel for Eclipses," features graphics that teach users about the interaction and alignment of the sun with the moon and Earth

Honoring the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

August 29, 2020

Ali Jackson, Sciencenter

This summer marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To honor 30 years of progress in access and inclusion, the NISE Network takes a moment to highlight efforts we've made to engage our audiences without discrimination, and look forward toward continuing this work together as a Network.

Partner Highlight: El Seminario Pandémico - Hosted by the Museum of Life and Science and Duke IGNITE 

August 5, 2020

Libby Dotson, Center for Global Women's Health Technologies, Duke University and Max Cawley, Museum of Life and Science

This Partner Highlight is written in both Spanish and English Está claro que la pandemia de 2020 causada por el nuevo coronavirus presenta un serio desafío para una comunicación científica efectiva: las comunidades de todo el mundo necesitan información científica...

Nano and COVID-19: NISE Net Activities that Help Shed Light on Nano Products Used to Help Fight the Pandemic

August 5, 2020

Frank Kusiak, UC Berkeley, Lawrence Hall of Science

If you’ve heard of any product that uses nanotechnology to help fight the novel coronavirus in some way, you might want some help explaining how it works to your visitors. Nanotechnology has helped in many ways when fighting COVID-19 from...

Partner re-opening experiences with guest service de-escalation training for COVID-19 safety protocols

August 4, 2020

Museum of Life and Science, Museum of Science, and Sciencenter

Now that many museums and science centers are beginning to reopen with new Covid-19 protocols in place, their front line staff are learning to identify and deal with visitor situations that may require staff involvement and/or de-escalation, such as with visitors who do not physically distance themselves from others or refuse to wear a mask.

NISE Network Explore Science: Earth & Space 2020 toolkit report deadline extended to February 1, 2021

July 28, 2020

Catherine McCarthy, Arizona State University

We hope that you, your friends, family, and colleagues are all staying well. We know many of us are being affected by COVID-19 and the economic downturn. We are inspired by the outpouring of creativity and hard work as we...

Partner Highlight: Kopernik Observatory & Science Center hosts online Link Summer STEM Exploration camps, Vestal, NY

July 28, 2020

Tish Bresee, Kopernik Observatory and Kayla Berry, Museum of Science

Although New York announced that summer day camps can be conducted onsite, Kopernik Observatory & Science Center decided to instead host a series of eight different online summer STEM camps that children will be able to enjoy from the safety and comfort of their own home.

Nano Exhibitions Available!

July 2, 2020

Catherine McCarthy, Arizona State University

We have recently learned about several copies of the Nano mini-exhibition that are looking for new homes. The NISE Network distributed 93 copies of these small-footprint 400 square-foot interactive exhibitions across the United States in 2013-2014. We currently keep waiting lists for museums and similar locations interested in owning a used copy of the exhibition.

Partner Highlight: The Lawrence Hall of Science Pauses for Racial Justice

June 30, 2020

<p>Rena Dorph, Ph.D., Director; Frank Kusiak, NISE West Regional Coordinator; Kalie Sacco, MPA, Chief of Staff, Director's Office</p>

These are indeed difficult times. We have been challenged by a series of racist killings by police that once again have laid bare the systemic institutional racism that persists in the United States. The Lawrence Hall of Science is the University of California, Berkeley’s public science center and much of our work in science education is motivated by our values of equity and social justice as well as our hope for a better future. However, recent events led us to realize that we had yet to do enough and that we need to take further and immediate action.

Franklin Institute Derrick Pitts Race and Space Video screenshot

Reflecting on Race in STEM

June 11, 2020

Catherine McCarthy, Arizona State University

Many of our partner institutions are going through a process of reflecting on racial justice and how we can all move forward to eliminate racism.