Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education Conference: 'Museums, Media, and the Public Understanding of Research,' Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, September, 2002

明尼苏达州科学博物馆申请279,577美元，总预算为339,074美元，用于计划和举办一次为期四天的国际会议，探讨与加深公众对当前科学技术研究的了解有关的问题、当前做法和未来方向。这次会议将汇聚顶尖的博物馆专业人士、科学研究人员、科学记者、电视制片人、网络开发人员和其他已经参与这一努力的前期工作的人，他们将相互学习经验。会议将集中讨论博物馆在向公众通报研究方面的作用，但将包括对其成功至关重要的其他媒体和机构的代表。会议的具体目标是：探索阻碍公众理解研究项目发展的挑战和障碍。确定向公众展示当前研究的“最佳实践”和有前景的模式、工具和技术。制定伙伴关系战略，以创建公众对博物馆、媒体和研究社区的研究项目合作的理解。确定选择与公众相关的重要研究故事的战略。制定资金战略和操作方法，以帮助保持公众对研究努力的一致理解。该项目将由明尼苏达州科学博物馆负责教育的副总裁大卫·奇滕登指导。该项目的顾问包括：波士顿科学博物馆Carol Lynn Alpert；明尼苏达大学杰出教学教授John Beatty；伦敦科学博物馆科学传播部主任Graham Farmelo；圣保罗双城公共电视台Richard Hudson；明尼苏达大学Hubert H.Humphrey公共事务研究所Ken Keller；探索博物馆Rob Semper；国家科学院Koshland科学中心和科学外联中心David Ucko；以及科学-技术中心协会执行主任Bonnie Vandorn。

The Science Museum of Minnesota is requesting $279,577, of a total budget of $339,074, to plan and conduct a four-day international conference exploring issues, current practices and future directions related to furthering public understanding of current research in science and technology. The conference will bring together leading museum professionals, scientific researchers, science journalists, television producers, web developers and others who are already engaged in preliminary work for such an effort and who stand to learn from each other's experiences. The conference will center on the role of museums in informing the public about research, but will include representatives from other media and institutions crucial to its success. The specific goals of the conference are to:Explore challenges and barriers that hinder the development of public understanding of research programs.Identify "best practices" and promising models, tools and technologies for presenting current research to the public.Develop partnership strategies for creating public understanding of research program collaborations across the museum, media and research communities.Identify strategies for selecting significant research stories that are relevant to the public.Develop funding strategies and operational approaches that help sustain a consistent public understanding of research effort.The project will be under the direction of David Chittenden, Vice President for Education at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Advisors to the project include: Carol Lynn Alpert, Museum of Science, Boston; John Beatty, Distinguished Teaching Professor, University of Minnesota; Graham Farmelo, Head of Science Communications, Science Museum of London; Richard Hudson, Twin Cities Public Television, St. Paul; Ken Keller, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota; Rob Semper, The Exploratorium; David Ucko, Koshland Science Center and Science Outreach, National Academy of Sciences; and Bonnie VanDorn, Executive Director, Association of Science-Technology Centers.