June 2024
NETWORK NEWS
Association of Children's Museums InterActivity Conference 2024
It was wonderful to see so many of you at the Association of Children's Museums InterActivity Conference in May in Madison, Wisconsin. We appreciated all those who took the time to stop by the booth, joined us for a session, or found other ways to engage with us throughout the conference. We now have hand-outs and slides available for several NISE Network related sessions, as well as links to flyers, new activities and more that were shared at the booth. Whether or not you were able to join us in person, check out these resources to learn more about our latest opportunities.
nisenet.org/acm2024
UPCOMING EVENTS
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 select Tuesdays at 2pm-3pm Eastern. View upcoming online workshops at nisenet.org/events
• Supersized STEM - All About Planning for Science Festivals and Big STEM Events
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
2-3pm Eastern
Learn more and register
• Making Waves with Radio: Resource Roundup
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
2-3pm Eastern
Learn more and register
• Engaging Hispanic/Latinx Communities - Forming Community Partnerships & the Co-creation Process (Part 1)
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
2-3pm Eastern
Learn more and register
• Engaging Hispanic/Latinx Communities - Resources for Public Engagement (Part 2)
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
2-3pm Eastern
Learn more and register
PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS
North Dakota's Gateway to Science uses Explore Science Activities with with Local Retirement Community to Engage the Apollo Generation in the NASA Artemis Mission
North Dakota's Gateway to Science has a partnership with Touchmark on West Century Retirement Community in Bismarck, ND to provide meaningful learning experiences for residents. This partnership started thanks to the Franklin Institute and a Mission2Mars grant. For the retirement community residents this has been an incredible opportunity to not only learn about the Artemis Missions, but to also explore everything that North Dakota's Gateway to Science has to offer.
Learn more
FEATURED ON THE WEBSITE
Online Workshop Recordings:
- Futures Thinking - Exploring Ideas and Developing Skills to Shape Our World
(recorded on 6-11-24)
Learn more - Find Your Place in Space - Engaging the Artemis Generation with Activities, Apps and More
(recorded on 5-7-24)
Learn more - Wildfires & Air Quality - Providing a Relevant Portal to Get Audiences Invested in the Conversation
(recorded on 4-30-24)
Learn more
Publications on nisenet.org
We have re-organized our publications on our website to make it easier to find what you are looking for. Publications categories include: 1) Externally published journal articles, books, and other professional publications 2) Guides for professional learning, and 3) Evaluation reports and research studies.
Learn more
Looking for an easy way to discover resources on the nisenet.org website?
Check out our “Browse by Themes and Topics,” featuring curated collections of hands-on activities and resources by themes and STEM topics:
nisenet.org/browse-topic
COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
NASA's Universe of Learning Funding Opportunity
Competitive funding from the Universe of Learning's Informal Learning Network, a partnership with the Association of Science & Technology Centers and Smithsonian Affiliates, aims to reduce barriers to participation and expand access to scientific knowledge about the universe. Due August 1st.
Learn more
NASA TEAM II Funding Opportunity
Next Gen STEM’s Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) program is pleased to announce an upcoming FY2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that will expand the current program from a two-tier to a three-tier system by adding a mid-level funding tier. The NOFO is expected to be released in the third quarter of FY2024. The new mid-level funding tier was created in response to feedback from the informal education community.
Learn more
New Resources to Support Equitably Scaling Informal STEM Programs
The NGCP, Education Development Center, and a wide range of collaborators from across informal STEM education have developed a set of resources for those interested in equitably scaling informal STEM learning programs and curricula. These products are a result of the Advancing the Conversation on Scaling National Informal STEM Programs conference, funded by the National Science Foundation.
Learn more
On-the-Spot Feedback Guide - Communication Strategies for Scientists
A group of science communication practitioners, trainers and researchers that recently completed an NSF-funded project titled On-the-Spot Feedback that provides strategies and resources for science communicators to develop and improve their skills during their public engagements. A webinar is being offered August 15, 2024, 3pm-4:15pm Eastern via Zoom.
Learn more
Interested in one of our exhibitions?
There’s a waiting list for that!
If you are interested in hosting the Nano exhibition, or the Sun, Earth, Universe exhibition, please reach out to Christina Leavell, NISE Network Community Manager, to be added to a waiting list.
Contact us
SCIENCE IN THE NEWS
SCIENCE COMMUNICATION NEWS
In a stroke of science communication genius with dramatic STEM storytelling, Illinois Park employees dressed up and acted out the life cycle of the 17-year cicada in this fun-filled viral video.
NISE Network resources:
• Theater and stage program resources
NEUROSCIENCE NEWS
Scientists studying aging and memory have been looking at a subset of people they call “super-agers.” These individuals are over 80 years old, but they have the memory ability of a person 20 to 30 years younger
NISE Network resources:
• Brain and neuroscience resources
GENETICS NEWS
Southern California gets ready to fight mosquito season — by releasing sterile male mosquitoes resulting in eggs that won’t hatch.
NISE Network resources:
• Should We Engineer the Mosquito? forum
CHEMISTRY NEWS
A team of scientists have learned more about how Promethium bonds with other atoms in a solution with water. Discovered in 1945, the element Promethium is a radioactive rare earth element named after the Titan who stole fire from the gods in Greek mythology.
NISE Network resources:
SPACE NEWS
NASA is measuring moonquakes to better understand the Moon's internal activity and structure. What they learn will offer insights into how the moon—as well as rocky planets like Mars and Earth have formed and evolved.
NISE Network resources:
RADIO NEWS
There has been a recent rise in GPS jamming and spoofing around the world raising fears of an increased risk of accidents if planes veer off-course. Global Positioning System (GPS), is a network of satellites and receiving devices used for positioning, navigation and timing on Earth in everything from ships and planes to cars
NISE Network resources:
CLIMATE CHANGE NEWS
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication has released new maps and factsheets that include measures of public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy support, and behavior for each county in the US. The online tool allows you to tailor-make your own factsheet in English or Spanish by selecting the geographic location and the specific measures you’re interested in.
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: nisenet.org/seasons
Summer
- Summer camp resources
- Outside Activities
- Summer Reading
- Sun and Sand
June
- What’s Up Skywatching Tips from NASA
- Pride Month (June) - celebrate people in STEM
- Lightning Safety Awareness Week (June)
- National Dairy Month (June)
- Juneteenth (June 19) - celebrate people in STEM
- Summer Solstice (June 20 in the Northern Hemisphere)
- Solstices and equinoxes provide opportunities for planning quarterly programs related to the Earth, Sun, and Moon (astronomical seasons) or your local environment (meteorological seasons)
- NASA Space Place seasons resources
- Moon resources
- National Selfie Day (June 21)
- National Week of Making (June 17-23)
- International Women in Engineering Day (June 23)
- National Mosquito Control Awareness Week - Fight the Bite (last full week in June)
- Asteroid Day (June 30)
July
- Plastic Free July (July)
- Moon Landing - anniversary of Apollo 11 first step on the Moon July 20, 1969 (July 20)
- National Ice Cream Day (July 18)
- World Brain Day (July 22)
August
- Perseid Meteor Shower (August)
- The Perseids are the most popular meteor shower as they peak on warm August nights as seen from the northern hemisphere
- NISE Network Asteroids, Comets, Meteors, and Meteorites resources
- National Immunization Awareness Month (August)
- National Sand Castle Day (first Saturday of August)
- National Aviation Day (August 19)
- World Mosquito Day (August 20)
- Frankenstein Day (August 30)
- Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was born on August 30, 1797; she wrote the novel Frankenstein in 1816, and published it in 1818
- Frankenstein200 kit of activities
NATIONAL MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES
- Visitor Studies Association (VSA) Conference 2024, July 16-18, 2024, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Learn more - ASTC Conference, September 27 - October 1, 2024, Chicago, Illinois
Learn more - Association of Children's Museums (ACM) InterActivity, May 14-16, 2025, Albuquerque. New Mexico
Learn more - REVISE InformalScience.org conference calendar
Learn more - National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Conferences
Learn more