Update 16, October 2006

What contributions are science centres and museums making in your community? What best-practice approaches by science centres and museums make a difference to important government agendas such as increasing young people's interest in science careers or communicating challenging science topics to the public? This is a monthly update on a project focusing on such questions in the APEC region.

What makes a science centre or museum a ‘leader’?

If you were to identify any “must visit” science centres or museums in your country, what strengths or features could you identify that make them stand out? Is it their exhibits, their programmes or the research that they do? These questions are important to answer to help science centres and museums benchmark themselves. In the November 1993 issue of Discover magazine, ten different authors wrote about ten different science centres and museums, outlining their experiences and what they felt made them great.

Thirteen years later, have expectations or standards changed? Email us your thoughts to share what strengths and features you think constitute ‘best practice’ and why. The results will be collated and shared in a later edition, and could be a useful planning tool to help align the science centres and museums in the region with world best-practice

ASTC Annual Conference – Appropriate Growth

Several sessions at the ASTC Annual Conference October 28 - 31 2006 in Louisville, Kentucky USA, are relevant to the APEC Science Centre Impact Project. Of particular interest are:

Compelling relevancy: Making Science Centres Really Matter

Science centres have untapped potential to be relevant and useful through connecting science and technology with issues that are crucial to our time. What are the barriers and opportunities to achieving relevancy? How can we match discussions of relevance and responsibility with advocacy and impact? What does relevancy really entail?

Dialogue and deliberation: Tools for Assessing the Social Impact of Science

Two European efforts to stimulate public deliberation, Democs and Project DeCiDe, help explore the social implications of science.

Girls in Science and Technology

Update 3 included a study being conducted by the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia USA to encourage families of girls to be involved in their science education. Results from the first year of the study are being presented at the ASTC Annual Conference outlining the impacts of informal science experiences on girls: what role does participation in informal science education seemingly play in their career and study choices, how is this being measured, and what do the results suggest to the field?

It is planned to share the outcomes of these sessions in future updates.

Towards a Scientific and Technological Culture – National Seminar in India

To be held on the 22 - 25 November, 2006 in Khajuraho, India. The program includes technical sessions/sub themes that will be of interest to those who deliver informal and formal education and also information for policy makers about how they can utilise science and technology culture to assist in sustainable development.

Download information and registration form (56 kB, pdf).

Date for your diary – ASPAC 2007: Bridging Gaps in Innovative Ways

The 2007 ASPAC conference will be held in Tokyo, Japan from 19 - 22 June, hosted by Miraikan. Part of the program will be held at the National Science Museum.

Using science as a foundation, our challenge is to discover fresh methods to bridge the gaps and build relationships between scientists, visitors, students, the public, and science museums. The theme of this conference goes beyond communities or borders as we are dedicated to finding and sharing innovative ways to foster scientific interest.

There will be an APEC focus day to share ideas, issues and discuss future directions. More information will be given as it becomes available.

New on our website

For a summary of what’s new on the website each month, check on the main news page of the site.

Contact

APEC Science Centre Impact Project Secretariat
Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre
King Edward Terrace, Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
E apecproject@questacon.edu.au