Since May 15, science centers all over the world have been participating in the Albedo Experiment, a project created by ASTC’s global warming initiative, IGLO, and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Working with students of all ages, science centers have been creating giant white spots, or mock “ice caps,” out of used and donated materials. NASA satellites are photographing these spots, which will then be measured for their reflectivity and compared to photos taken before their creation as a lesson in how Polar ice helps regulate Earth’s temperature. Already the Albedo Experiment has received much international media attention from Yahoo! News, ABC Radio, BBC RadioWales, MSN.com, Time magazine, and local news outlets. For a complete list of participating institutions as well as links to relevant activities and information, please visit the IGLO web site.

About the image: More than 400 children create a 300 square meter “ice cap” at MadaTech, Haifa, Israel, for the Albedo Experiment.

On April 2, NISE Net brought interactive exhibits and activities to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., inviting House and Senate members of the STEM Education and Nanotechnology Caucuses, legislative staffers, and the general public to learn more about nanotechnology’s potential transformative impact on such fields as healthcare, information processing, and energy production. In addition to small indoor exhibits, NanoExpress, a mobile nanoscale science lab from Washington’s Howard University, was set up near the Capitol, giving passersby the opportunity to explore real research equipment. ASTC participants included the Museum of Science, Boston; the Museum of Life and Science, Durham, North Carolina; and the Exploratorium, San Francisco, California.

In the evening,  the events continued downtown at the Woodrow Wilson Center with a reception and screening of the new PBS three-part series, The Power of Small, hosted by the National Science Foundation and the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. Special guests included Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, NSF Director Arden Bement, and Project Science Advisor Andrew Maynard.

About the image: Howard University’s NanoExpress lets visitors explore real nanoscale science research equipment. Photo by Lynn Lim

From March 29 through April 6, the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net) presents NanoDays, the first nationwide festival of educational programs about nanoscale science.  Through activities like NanoDays, the NISE Net is working to build partnerships between science museums and research centers to increase the capacity of both kinds of institutions to engage the public in learning about nanoscale science and engineering. Kits with hands-on activities, reference materials, short films, and a public forums manual were distributed to over 100 U.S. participating science museums, research centers, and universities in early January.

ASTC members have a variety of activities planned, from community forums and presentations by researchers to nano-themed exhibitions and demonstrations. Additionally, ASTC and the NISE Net will be hosting NanoDays activities in and around Washington, D.C. On April 2, the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education and Nanotechnology Caucuses will host an event featuring hands-on exhibits and demonstrations for legislators, staffers, and the public on Capitol Hill. The following day, the NISE Net will bring those same activities to the National Science Foundation’s headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

For more information, including a list of participating institutions, please visit the NISE Net website.

 About the image: Staff members build a giant balloon model of carbon nanotube at the Museum of Science, Boston. Photo by Margaret Glass

In recognition of the crucial role science centers play in educating the public, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has named ASTC as a partner in its Earth Hour initiative. On March 29, 24 cities around the world will turn off their non-emergency lights from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m (local time). ASTC is mobilizing the science center community and encouraging members to get involved. Participation may take a number of forms, from a stargazing party at the Ontario Science Centre, Toronto, to “Kill-a-Watt” conservation activities at the Philippine Science Centrum, Manila. The goal is to raise awareness of energy consumption and climate issues by demonstrating the impact of collective individual actions. In doing so, Earth Hour proponents hope to inspire citizens and organizations to reflect upon how they can address climate change.

Earth Hour provides a great opportunity for ASTC to take a closer look at the energy consumption of both individual institutions and the science center field as a whole. What is our carbon footprint? What policies have our members implemented to address this global crisis? To address these questions, ASTC is launching a new initiative to gather information about members’ current green practices and then collectively set goals for our field. To join a special task force dedicated to this initiative, please contact Walter Staveloz, director of international relations, wstaveloz@astc.org.

Human rights advocate Stephen Lewis will speak at the 5th Science Centre World Congress, Toronto, June 17, on the theme of social responsibility and citizen engagement. A former United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Lewis has received the Pearson Peace Medal for his work in the field of international service and understanding. Previously confirmed keynote presenters are Jennifer Corriero, Sheila Watt-Cloutier, and Dr. Mohammed Hassan (see earlier blog post).

Register for the congress by the March 30 early bird deadline to save $100!