NETWORK NEWS
Planning a National Chemistry Week event?
Celebrate National Chemistry Week in October - this is a great opportunity to engage audiences with hands-on activities, provide exciting demonstrations, and partner with local chemists and chemistry students. This year’s theme is “Fast or Slow...Chemistry Makes It Go!” We have compiled a set of resources for finding chemist partners and activity suggestions at https://www.nisenet.org/ncw. You can also join us for an online workshop on September 14 to hear how other NISE Network partners are preparing for their events.,
Learn more and register for this free workshop.
Diving deep into the “Let’s Do Chemistry!” framework through train-the-trainer workshops
The Museum of Science in Boston and the American Chemical Society hosted online train-the-trainer workshops for chemistry outreach professionals in fall 2020 - winter 2021 to dive deep into the Explore Science: Let’s Do Chemistry framework to learn how to increase the impact of their hands-on chemistry activities. Learn more about the train-the-trainer workshop materials.
Planning a Webb Space Telescope event?
The Webb Space Telescope is being prepared for a fall launch, if you are thinking of planning a public event, you can find event planning and activity suggestions at https://www.nisenet.org/webb
We will also be hosting an online workshop with more resources, ideas, and info on August 31st.
Learn more and register for this free workshop.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Celebrate the Perseids meteor shower July 17- August 24
The Perseids are the most popular meteor shower as they peak on the warm August nights as seen from the northern hemisphere. The Perseids are active from July 17 to August 24, peaking on August 11-12, 2021. Learn more about meteors, comets, and asteroids at: nisenet.org/asteroids
Online Workshop: Engaging audiences in the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope - Part 2
Join us for the August 31st online workshop where several NISE Network partners will be sharing details about their plans to engage audiences in the science and celebration of the Webb telescope that may spark ideas for your own efforts. Presenters will also share new resources that will be available for events and public engagement programming. Learn more and register.
Everyone’s favorite chemistry-related holiday, National Chemistry Week (NCW), is October 17-23, 2021! Join the NISE Network, on September 14th, as we welcome members of the American Chemical Society (ACS) for a brief overview of the annual celebration and this year's theme, Fast or Slow…Chemistry Makes It Go! ACS will share resources for engaging your audiences and we’ll also hear from NISE Network partners about their plans for events in 2021. Learn more and register
PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS
Moon Murder Mystery - South Dakota Discovery Center’s Creative Extension to the Moon Adventure Game
In Pierre, SD, an imposter is among us! South Dakota Discovery Center’s take on the NISE Network’s Moon Adventure Game has some creative extensions that have proven very successful with their audiences. In a recent NISE Network online workshop, museum educator Kristine Heinen shared the museum’s experience creating an adaptation inspired by the popular multiplayer video game Among Us. The museum is sharing its guide and supporting resources for this adaptation with other NISE Network partners to use with their copies of the Moon Adventure Game! Read more and get the links to download the museum's resources.
Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, NY - Adventures in Nanoscience
Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Science Learning Center pivoted from in-person to virtual summer programs for students entering 4th to 6th grade. Each participant received program kits which were loaded with supplies to conduct the program activities at home. This year’s theme was “Adventures in Nanoscience '' which featured many activities from the NISE Network’s Explore Science: Zoom into Nano kit. Read more on how BNL structured and conducted the virtual Adventures in Nanoscience camp!
FEATURED ON THE WEBSITE
NISE Network online workshops
View the recordings and resources from recent NISE Net online workshops:
- From small steps to giant leaps -experiences adapting the Moon Adventure Game for use in camps, with young audiences, and for all humankind! (recorded 6/29/2021)
- Reconnect and re-engage with the NISE Network (recorded 6/8/2021)
- Engaging audiences in the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope - Part 1 (recorded 5/04/2021)
COVID-19 Coronavirus and Vaccines
As the situation with COVID-19 Coronavirus and Vaccines continues to evolve, we continue to compile resources: COVID-19 Coronavirus museum resources and Vaccine museum resources. Other resources to explore include:
- Wilkening Consulting COVID data stories include a May survey on masking suggesting that 2/3 of respondents were not comfortable being in indoor spaces with unmasked, unvaccinated people
- The Smithsonian Vaccines&US initiative about the role of cultural organizations in promoting community health
COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
International Day of Scientific Culture
(September 28)
This day aims to highlight the importance of scientific culture in today's world and celebrate activities and institutions that provide spaces for people to make science a relevant part of their lives.
Learn more about how you can celebrate.
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.
August 31, 2021
2-3pm ET | 11am-12pm PT
Engaging audiences in the launch of the Webb Space Telescope - Part 2
Learn more and register.
September 14, 2021
2-3pm ET | 11am-12pm PT
Bust out that Chemistry kit for National Chemistry Week 2021 - Fast or Slow...Chemistry Makes It Go!
Learn more and register
SCIENCE IN THE NEWS
Earth and Space News
The iconic Hubble Space Telescope appears to have been resurrected again after a shutdown of more than a month following a computer glitch.
- Related NISE Network resources
Chemistry News
The science of the new car smell. You know it when you smell it, but what is it about the new car smell that makes us love it so much?
- Related NISE Network resources
Synthetic Biology News
A man inherited a devastating disease that had killed his father, but a CRISPR gene-editing breakthrough stopped its progression. This is the first study in which doctors simply injected the gene-editor directly into the patient’s blood and let it find its own way to the right gene in the right cells.
- Related NISE Network resources
Sustainability News
A study predicts record flooding in the 2030s and it's partly because of the Moon. Due to a combination of sea-level rise and the moon's natural 18.6-year cycle that creates changes in the tides, NASA scientists predict the upcoming moon cycle could have a much more dramatic effect.
- Related NISE Network resources
Nanotechnology News
Liquid-like motion in crystals could explain their promising behavior in solar cells. The unique crystal structure of Perovskite calcium titanium oxide mineral crystals allows them to very efficiently convert sunlight into electricity, and are cheaper than materials used in current photovoltaic solar cells.
- Related NISE Network resources
Science and Society News
Flying car completes test flight between airports. With flying car test flights making headlines it is good to consider the societal implications of this new technology.
- Related NISE Network resources
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/.
August
- What’s Up Skywatching Tips from NASA
- August 11-12: Perseid Meteor Shower Peak
- NISE Network resource: Asteroids, Comets, Meteors, and Meteorites
- August 19: National Aviation Day
- NISE Network resource: Exploring the Solar System: Stomp Rockets
- August 20: World Mosquito Day
- Globe Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper toolkit
- NISE Network resource: "Should We Engineer the Mosquito?" Forum
September
- 9/15-10/15: National Hispanic Heritage Month
- 9/18: World Cleanup Day
- NISE Network resource: Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry program
- NISE Network resource: What’s in the Water program
- 9/19-24: National Pollution Prevention Week (P2 Week)
- 9/28: International Day of Scientific Culture
NATIONAL MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES
Virtual Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) 2021 Annual Conference
October 5-7, 2021
Stay current on ASTC 2021 updates
CAISE InformalScience.org conference calendar
Learn more
National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Conferences
Learn more