With substantive input from members, ASTC launched Seeding Action in October 2023 to catalyze and support science centers, museums, and other public engagement organizations in their efforts to cultivate a culture of active hope and widespread participation in planetary health solutions. Seeding Action creates opportunities for its network members to build relationships within and beyond our network to share and deepen insights, leverage communal resources and trainings, and contribute to and benefit from research, all of which enable our field—and the individual institutions and organizations within—to make a greater impact in supporting meaningful, sustained action in our communities.
Since Seeding Action launched in October, more than 50 organizations have joined the network.
Here’s what field leaders are sharing about why their organizations have joined Seeding Action:
In advancing our strategic priorities, the Natural History Museum of Utah launched a bold initiative called “A Climate of Hope”, which includes a new exhibition on climate change, scientific research projects, and educational programs focused on biodiversity and climate change—and an ambitious project to fully decarbonize our museum’s operations. Upon learning of ASTC’s Seeding Action initiative and its goal to cultivate a culture of hope and action around critical issues related to planetary health, we immediately recognized the alignment of ASTC’s initiative with our own Climate of Hope work. And, importantly, we see that joining Seeding Action will amplify the impact of both initiatives and hopefully encourage other museums and science centers to prioritize these vital issues in their own work. ASTC’s Seeding Action is poised to magnify the good work being done in many museums and science centers across the nation, setting the stage for our organizations to be models of sustainability in our communities.
-Dr. Jason Cryan, Sarah B. George Executive Director, Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City
Discovery Center at Murfree Spring is a children’s museum delivering high-quality informal science education. We are located adjacent to 20-acres of restored wetlands, a key habitat for a healthy planet. Our inclusion in Seeding Action allows us to further leverage our unique advantages in creating future environmental stewards.
-Tara MacDougall, President and Chief Executive Officer, Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Science centers are a global force for science and uniquely positioned to engage millions of people in learning and action to care for Earth and its future. Our organization joined the Seeding Action Network to gain knowledge and tools to address our local needs as well as to share and help contribute to global solutions. -Nene Spivey, Executive Director, Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation, Fairfax, Virginia
-Nene Spivey, Executive Director, Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation, Fairfax, Virginia
Join Seeding Action
ASTC welcomes all organizations who share a commitment to prioritizing planetary health in their work to join Seeding Action. There is no financial cost to do so, and we welcome both ASTC-member organizations (science centers and allied members) as well as others who share our commitment to public engagement with science.
Participating organizations are asked to complete an annual institutional self-assessment, which provides an opportunity for organizations to reflect and prioritize and ensures that Seeding Action remains responsive to member priorities—and to share those data with ASTC for us to compile field-wide statistics and assess our progress toward meeting the goals of Seeding Action.
We’re living in a powerful moment—one in which planetary health challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution are bringing ever broader and intense impacts, especially for marginalized communities, but also one in which solutions are increasingly available and accessible. But, as we all know, planetary health challenges are deep and systematic, and they require all sectors of our society to play a role in advancing solutions.
Science centers and museums have increasingly embraced their roles as place-based institutions with informal education missions to engage with visitors and local communities on planetary health challenges and solutions. Through content and programs, partnerships and relationships, research, and operational decisions, ASTC members are continuously innovating and scaling approaches to play a role in bringing about a shared sustainable future.
Is your organization part of the Seeding Action network yet? If not, we hope that you will join us to gain the tools for helping advance your organization’s commitment to advancing planetary health, demonstrate your commitment to creating a shared sustainable future, and join with your fellow science centers and museums to show our field’s leadership in this area.
Joining is easy and without cost. We hope you’ll sign on today.
We’re looking forward to welcoming your organization to the Seeding Action network in the coming months and working together to expand the impact of our collective planetary health endeavors.