Marcussen & Associates Major Grants for Informal Science Education

Wild Minds: What Animals Really Think

NSF DRL-0940160: $2.1 million

The New York Hall of Science, Institute for Learning Innovation, Hunter College of the University of New York, and a consortium of five regional science center/zoo partnerships will develop a research-based traveling exhibition for science centers that explores animal cognition and cross-institutional programming for zoos.

Hotspot California: Bringing Dioramas to Life Through Community Voices

NSF DRL-0915778: $2.5 million

The Oakland Museum of California in collaboration with Independent Exhibitions will implement a natural science gallery transformation that will explore the educational potential of wildlife dioramas to engage the public in urgent environmental issues. The Garibay Group will conduct applied research into how museum visitors make meaning with dioramas. Beverly Serrell is the project evaluator.

Communicating Climate Change

NSF DRL-0813135: $2.9 million

The Association of Science-Technology Centers in collaboration with the Yale Project on Climate Change, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, ScienCentral, Inc., and twelve U.S. science centers will engage the public in climate change through simultaneous exhibitions, citizen science programs, and television newscasts. David Heil & Associates will conduct summative evaluation. See: http://astc.org/iglo/c3/

Cosmic Serpent : Bridging Native & Western Science Learning in Informal Settings

NSF DRL-0714629 & 0724631: $2.3 million

This collaborative research project of the Indigenous Education Institute and the U.C. Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory will increase the capacity of museum practitioners to bridge native and western science learning in informal settings. The Institute for Learning Innovation will conduct project evaluation. See: http://cosmicserpent.org/

Lupé's Story

NSF DRL-0741583: $2.2 million

The Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose in collaboration with the U.C. Santa Cruz Department of Developmental Psychology and the U.C. Berkeley Museum of Paleontology will produce a public exhibition as a research setting to study how children use evidence to construct scientific explanations in informal environments. The project uses the serendipitous discovery of a fossilized Columbian mammoth — later named Lupé for the Guadalupé River near where she was found — to address cutting edge issues in both developmental psychology and informal science education. Randi Korn & Associates is the project evaluator. The exhibition is scheduled to open in 2011.

Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE)

NSF DRL-0638981: $5 million

The Association of Science-Technology Centers in partnership with the Oregon State University Program on Free-Choice Learning, University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out-of-School Environments, and the Visitor Studies Association will develop a national infrastructure for informal science education. Inverness Research Associates will conduct project evaluation. See: http://inSci.org

Sharing the Universe

NSF DRL-0638873: $1.4 million

This professional development project of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific in partnership with the Institute for Learning Innovation seeks to improve the quality and effectiveness of informal science education activities provided by amateur astronomers.�The review panel gave this proposal a rating of ten highs for funding priority:

• "Overall, this project has great merit and provides deliverables that are well thought out and organized."
• "This proposal addresses all elements required by NSF's ISE Program very thoroughly."

See: http://www.astrosociety.org/stu/index.html

Maya Skies: Research & Capacity-Building in Full-dome Planetariums

NSF DRL-0610253: $2.6 million

Chabot Space & Science Center in partnership with Lodestar Astronomy Center and the Institute for Learning Innovation won funding for this three-year research project to produce a full-dome digital planetarium theater show. Scheduled to open in 2009.

InformalScience.org: Building a Web Community for Informal Science

NSF DRL-0610348

The University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out-of-School Environments will use its NSF award to redevelop InformalScience.org - the primary online resource for informal science education researchers and practitioners. See: http://www.informalscience.org

Life Changes

NSF DRL-0541252: $2.5 million

The New York Hall of Science in partnership with the University of Michigan Center for Human Growth & Development, North Museum of Natural History & Science, Miami Science Museum & Planetarium, and Association of Science-Technology Centers won funding for this four-year research project which will yield insight into how children ages 5-12 learn complex science. The primary deliverable is a traveling exhibition on evolution geared to children and their parents. The Institute for Learning Innovation will conduct evaluation. Panel reviewers commented:

• "This is a strong project with top notch personnel, excellent science content, a strong collaborative network, and comprehensive research and evaluation plans."
• "The project is an unusually comprehensive and inclusive one with the potential for a high level of impact."
• "The team is exceptionally strong, the theoretical foundations clearly articulated, and the methodology well thought out and thorough."

The exhibition “Charlie and Kiwi’s Evolutionary Adventure” opened at the New York Hall of Science in Spring of 2009. See: http://www.nyscience.org/pressroom/article/charlie09

Exhibit Files

NSF DRL-0540261: $2 million

The Association of Science-Technology Centers in partnership with Independent Exhibitions and Ideum, Inc. will create the infrastructure for an active online community of museum exhibit practitioners. See: http://exhibitfiles.org