Miami Science Museum Blog » GirlsRISE

@ASTC: Tinkering with Creativity

admin — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:52:28 +0000

In the world of museums and education, it’s just as important to share your projects, challenges, and accomplishments, as it is to learn about the projects, challenges, and accomplishments of others. Miami Science Museum staff recently attended the ASTC (Association of Science-Technology Centers) conference in Baltimore to do just that. Museum staff presented at multiple sessions:

Girls RISEnet: The goal of this workshop was to enhance the participants’ knowledge of equity issues involving girls, and in particular girls of minority backgrounds, with respect to pathways to careers in science and engineering. Workshop participants became more familiar with the project’s nationwide network of 11 museums and science centers which serve as regional hubs, and also learned about opportunities for mini-grants for institutions seeking to create gender-related programs. www.girlsrisenet.org

Heart Smart: Museum staff gave a presentation related to a SEPA (Science Education Partnership Awards) grant project and the Museum’s Heart Smart exhibit. It focused on the unique collaboration between a museum and a university (University of Miami) in conducting research in museum settings. UM brought content and research expertise to the table, and learned how to translate research to other audiences. The Museum brought to the table established relationships with schools and the community, and obtained more evidence-based findings on using Museum visitors as research participants in order to create more personalized experiences. www.miamisci.org/www/heartsmart.html

YouthEXPO: At a NASA meeting for all NASA grantees, Museum staff gave updates to other grantees about the achievements and special events associated with YouthEXPO. And at NASA’s Astronomy and Aerospace Showcase Session, which features innovative programs and materials, the Museum shared information and the video created for a special event in which Leland Melvin, NASA Associate Administrator for Education (and Astronaut and former NFL football player) spoke to students in the Museum’s youth development programs. www.miamisci.org/~youthexp/

It’s important to wind down and have fun at the end of the day, so conference attendees were asked to dress in costume for the annual ASTC Tinkerer’s Ball. This may conjure up images of eccentric scientists and inventors fiddling with creative new inventions, but that image isn’t far off the truth. There were lots of museum educators and scientists who were there to tinker with creative new ideas for museums and science centers. They just mixed in some hors d’oeuvres and dancing.

The ASTC Tinkerer's Ball Photo Booth: An empty gold frame waiting for attendees (like the Museum's Ted Myers) to create their own works of art. (Photo from The Tinkering Studio)

Art + Science + Engineering = Fun + Learning

admin — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:12:18 +0000

How closely related are science, art, and engineering? The Museum recently held a workshop for representatives of its GirlsRISE nationwide network of museums and science centers related to this question. It focused on program models that use art and science exhibit development skills to engage girls in electrical engineering. Participants learned about GirlsRISE website resources and opportunities for mini-grants, and also rotated through three hands-on stations during the workshop. In Shadow Play, they manipulated circuits and everyday materials like cookie cutters, flashlights, and colored plastic cups to create artistic patterns of light and shadow. The Scribbling Monsters activity allowed participants to create a motorized contraption that moves in unusual ways, leaving a mark to trace its path. And in Conduction Junction, they experimented with Snap Circuits® and different materials to find out what makes a good conductor. Through this workshop, participants were inspired to think of all the creative ways they could combine science, art, and engineering in their own programs and activities. Those three things may seem very different, but everyone walked away with the idea that any one of those three things can stir creativity and inspiration in any of the others.

Shadow Play - The scientific set-up (left) and the artistic result (right). See the princess?

Conduction Junction

GirlsRISEnet is a nationwide network of museums led by the Miami Science Museum, which works to strengthen the professional capacity of informal science educators to motivate young girls from minority backgrounds to pursue careers in science and engineering (www.girlsrisenet.org/).

A Presidential Honor: Champion of Change Dr. Angela Byars-Winston

admin — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:49:24 +0000

The GirlsRISE project (www.girlsrisenet.org/about) is all about girl power. This nationwide network of museums led by the Miami Science Museum works to strengthen the capacity of informal science educators to engage and motivate middle school and high school minority girls to explore and pursue careers in science and engineering. At the recent GirlsRISE National Institute in Baltimore, Dr. Angela Byars-Winston participated as a guest researcher and one of the event’s invited speakers, giving a talk entitled: “Promoting Culturally-Relevant STEM Career Interventions: Assessing Self and Building Skills.” Now Dr. Byars-Winston has been given another immense honor – she has just been named a “Champion of Change” by The White House (www.whitehouse.gov/champions).

Dr. Byars-Winston (fourth from left) in small group discussions with participants of the GirlsRISE National Institute

Champions of Change are individuals, businesses, or organizations honored by President Obama because they embody the theme “Innovate, Educate, and Build.” On December 9, an event was held at The White House to honor Dr. Byars-Winston and fellow Champion Barbara A. Bitters. These inspiring women were chosen because of their determined efforts to “win the future” by helping to recruit girls and retain women in fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The event included small group discussions focused on changing the stereotypes of girls in STEM, and mentoring and supporting women in the STEM workforce.

Dr. Byars-Winston is a counseling psychologist and Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin Department of Medicine. She has done extensive research on cultural influences on academic and career development, especially for women and minorities in STEM. She is a member of the STEM Equity Pipeline National Advisory Board, as part of the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (www.napequity.org/), and has played a major role in creating diverse classrooms and workspaces. She is a true champion.

Dr. Byars-Winston at The White House Champions of Change event