About the Conference:
Theme: Bringing the World to Children and Families
Hosted by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, in Indianapolis, Indiana
More information:
Special Event:
- Thursday, May 14 • 6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.
Evening Event: The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
NISE Network activities and information featured in the Biotechnology Learning Center, on level 4 of the museum
Pre-registration is required; tickets are $50.
More information: evening events
Marketplace - Exhibit Hall
The NISE Network will have a booth in the exhibit hall featuring the information and activities.
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Thursday, May 14
7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Marriott Ballroom of the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
Booth #505
Link to floor plan of exhibit hall
Concurrent Professional Development Sessions
The NISE Network activities and information about engaging the public in nanoscience, engineering, technology will be featured in the following sessions:
- Great Ideas for Planning and Hosting Special Events
Wednesday, May 13, 10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
Museums use special events to foster community partnerships, drive attendance, and offer unique programming. In five minutes or less, speakers will share strategies that make their events a roaring success. Join us for rapid-fire presentations to help you make the most of special event days at your museum! We'll cover a range of event themes that bridge science, history, culture, art, and national holidays. Events will include Halloween, National Chemistry Week, Earth Day, festivals, cultural events, and more.
Session Leader:
Catherine McCarthy, Science Museum of Minnesota
Session Presenters:
Michelle Kortenaar, Sciencenter
Liz Leahey, The Discovery Museums
Becky Wolfe, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
Juliet Gray Moliere, Brooklyn Children's Museum
Aaron Guerrero, Children's Museum of Houston
Ali Jackson, Sciencenter
Brad Herring, Museum of Life and Science - Download Slides (PDF)
- Download Presentation Slides (PPTX)
- Successful Strategies for Engaging All Ages with Talk, Tech, and Beyond
Wednesday, May 13, 10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
Children's museum staff excel at making learning fun for families. This session takes our work further, focusing on approaches to training that create opportunities for deeper engagement with visitors about the world we live in. This includes a variety of methods: from using devices to enhance family learning, to connecting new content to exhibits, to conversational approaches, and more. We'll even get moving with some improv exercises that have proven to empower museum educators to better engage with visitors. Join us as we share adaptable resources to help you and your staff create a safe environment for all-ages to discuss and become more familiar with our world.
Session Leader:
Christina Akers, Science Museum of Minnesota
Session Presenters:
Brad Herring, Museum of Life and Science
Keith Ostfeld, Children's Museum of Houston
Stephanie Long, Science Museum of MinnesotaPresenters:
Margaret Hennessey-Spring, Kansas Children's Discovery
Pam Hartley, Marbles Kids Museum
- Team-Based Inquiry: A Practical Evaluation Approach for Non-Evaluator
Wednesday, May 13, 3:00-5:45 p.m.
Do you sometimes have questions about the products you are developing and providing your audiences? Have you ever worked on a project team that didn't seem to gel around a set of goals? If yes, this workshop can help you use evaluation to improve your practice. This hands-on workshop will introduce a practical, tested approach, Team-Based Inquiry (TBI), to build your evaluation capacity without adding much to your daily work. TBI is designed to help professionals use data to improve their work, foster effective teams, and make informed decisions. Presenters will introduce TBI and facilitate activities to familiarize participants with TBI’s four steps: question, investigate, reflect, and improve. Participants will leave with a copy of the TBI Guide and easy-to-use tools for each step.
Presenters:
Sarah Cohn, Science Museum of Minnesota
Ali Jackson, Sciencenter
Brad Herring, Museum of Life and Science
Kevin Dilley, Sciencenter
