Association of Science and Technologies Centers

Dimensions, November/December 2018—Beyond STEM: 21st-century Skills

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IN THIS ISSUE November/December 2018 General skills, soft skills, 21st-century skills: simple names for critical proficiencies. They include communication, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, curiosity, cultural competency, caring, empathy, the ability to listen, and the capacity to support and be supportive of colleagues and mentors. Whether we excel at them or are only just starting to […]

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Praise for Soft Skills

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By Cristin Dorgelo In this issue, we explore 21st-century skills,often called general skills or soft skills. To thrive in today’s workforce, and to play a part in solving the tough challenges facing society, each of us must develop and demonstrate curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, persistence, and teamwork. As science center and related industry professionals, most

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Access Isn’t Enough

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By the Center for the Advancement of Informal Science Education’s Broadening Participation Task Force From Dimensions September/October 2018 There is widespread agreement about the urgent need to broaden the diversity of people who participate in, contribute to, and benefit from science, technology, engineering, and math—the disciplines collectively known as STEM. Nondominant populations in the United

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Dimensions, September/October 2018—Broadening Participation

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IN THIS ISSUE September/October 2018 The articles in this issue feature organizations and individuals who have worked to broaden participation in some way. Broadening participation is widely regarded as a worthy goal in our industry, but to what end? Why does broader participation matter? It matters because we need the best innovators, nurses, and engineers.

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A Place at the Table

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By Cristin Dorgelo The theme of this issue is “Broadening Participation.” What we at ASTC mean when we talk about broadening participation is our commitment to increasing diversity, accessibility, inclusion, and equity in all aspects of our work—paramount values in our increasingly connected global society. Our field has made strides in offering inclusive opportunities in

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A Daring Vision

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By Cristin Dorgelo Our global community is three years into an ambitious agenda. On September 25, 2015, the 193 countries of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Development Agenda titled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” The agenda includes 17 goals with 169 specific actions, or targets. These goals, known

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Q&A with Chris Hadfield: The Future of Space Exploration

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Interviewed by Susan Straight This interview appeared in the July/August 2018 issue of Dimensions magazine. Commander Chris Hadfield, astronaut and former commander of the International Space Station became an internet sensation for his YouTube videos of life in microgravity as well as for his album, Space Sessions: Songs from a Tin Can, recorded onboard the

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Q&A with Ellen Stofan: New Director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

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  Interviewed by Susan Straight This interview appeared in the May/June 2018 issue of Dimensions magazine. Ellen Stofan, the former chief scientist of NASA, recently accepted the position of John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Stofan spoke with Dimensions about her new role and why the

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Risky Business

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By Charlie Trautmann and Dean Briere From Dimensions May/June 2018 Ask a dozen people what “risk” means, and you’re likely to get two dozen answers, or maybe three. That’s because risk, a concept brought into the English language from the French some 400 years ago, is so multifaceted. Why is risk important? It’s because how

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Risk and Reward

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By Cristin Dorgelo In this May/June issue of Dimensions, we take a close look at the challenging topic of “risk,” a concept that manifests in all aspects of our lives. As individuals, we regularly face financial, personal, professional, and social risks. As leaders, we seek to manage, share, and distribute risk, while at the same

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Q&A with Caitlin O’Connell Rodwell: Communicating Elephant Science to a General Audience

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Interviewed by Susan Straight This interview appeared in the March/April 2018 issue of Dimensions magazine. Caitlin O’Connell Rodwell is a behavioral ecologist at Stanford University and chief executive officer of Utopia Scientific. She is a world-renowned expert on elephants and vibrotactile sensitivity and is using her findings to develop hearing aid technologies for humans. She has given TED

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Dimensions, March/April 2018—Not Just for Kids: Engaging Adults in Science

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IN THIS ISSUE March/April 2018 Attracting adults to science museums and programs presents opportunities and challenges. Considerations include differences in: backgrounds, professions, experience with science, financial situations, availability, and comfort with museum settings—just to name a few. While many science institutions are engaging adults in meaningful ways, some are going the extra mile in providing accessible, relevant science and technology programming. Following are some of the many noteworthy

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The Path Forward

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By Cristin Dorgelo I am thrilled to have taken the helm in January as ASTC’s president and CEO, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from, and serve, our members around the world. In my path to this point, I’ve focused on the role of science and technology in solving the grand challenges

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The Subjectivity Paradox: A Cultural Look at Adult Public Engagement with Science

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By Peter Linett From Dimensions March/April 2018 These are scary times for those of us who care about reason, objective facts, and the status of science in society. On some days it feels like we are indeed living in a “post truth” era, especially in the political sphere. And political ideology and identity increasingly seem

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Our Boards in Action: Linda Conlon and Guy Labine

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Interviewed by Todd Happer This interview appeared in the September/October 2017 issue of Dimensions magazine. At the 2017 ASTC Annual Conference, Guy Labine, CEO of Science North in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, will take the reins as ASTC’s Board chair from Linda Conlon, CEO of the International Centre for Life in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United

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Sustainable Development Goals and Achieving Gender Equality

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During International Science Center and Science Museum Day (ISCSMD) on November 10, a new Girls: STEM-SDG Marathon will highlight how women and girls are using science to help achieve the world’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over the course of the day—across 30 global time zones—the marathon will showcase interviews with these amazing people who are working

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Q&A with Diana Pardue: Museums, Immigration, and Controversy

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Interviewed by Andrea Appleton This interview appeared in the September/October 2017 issue of Dimensions magazine. Since 1985, Diana Pardue has worked with two of the United States’ most treasured symbols. She is chief of the museum services division at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island in New York City. She is also

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