The digital publication of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)
The ASTC Dimensions Resource Library provides peer-reviewed guides, articles, and insights written by science engagement colleagues about topics relevant to science centers and museums and other organizations committed to engaging the public in science and technology. Interested in contributing to the resource library? Learn more about our quarterly submission cycle and our submission guidelines.
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The organizational and contributor characteristics reflect the ways that ASTC classifies member organizations and individuals in our data collection and reflect categorization at the time the article was originally published.
By Douglas Young From Dimensions November/December 2015 In the 1980s in the United States, the traditional science center business and mission models worked well. Science centers were the most prominent source for informal science learning with financial support from governments and donors and a quasi-monopoly on IMAX films, science store merchandise, and interactive exhibits. A […]
By Jason Bosher From Dimensions November/December 2015 You’ve probably heard the adage, “There is no such thing as bad publicity.” A study published in Marketing Science concluded, “Although negative publicity is not always a good thing, in some cases, negative can actually be positive” (Berger, Sorensen, & Rasmussen, 2010). As a science center, you want […]
IN THIS ISSUE September/October 2015 As this issue of Dimensions goes to press, world leaders are preparing to convene at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York City to formally adopt the post-2015 development agenda, committing to 17 ambitious new Sustainable Development Goals. So many of the critical issues facing our planet—from climate change […]
By Anthony (Bud) Rock A collective mass of youthful exuberance pulses through our science centers and museums on any given day. As I visit our ASTC-member institutions around the world, I find it extremely rewarding to watch all that energy being transformed into focused, intense contemplation of specific topics or experiences. I have always been […]
By Carlyn S. Buckler From Dimensions September/October 2015 On the first day of the Science and Society course at the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Cooperstown, New York, I present the students with an incandescent lightbulb, with clear glass so one can easily see the filament inside. I ask the students how it works and they […]
This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the September/October 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine. Before my first nonprofit management position (in England), I wish I could have coached my newbie self: learn about spreadsheets, practice daily meditation and stretching, and schedule physical exercise and play time […]
Interviewed by Joelle Seligson This interview appeared in the September/October 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine. When neurologist Annick Desjardins first heard about an experimental therapy that uses the polio virus to attack cancer cells, she admittedly thought it was an off-the-wall idea. In the 12 years since then, however, Desjardins—now associate professor of neurology at […]
By Sarah B. George From Dimensions July/August 2015 People love stuff. It speaks to them; it reminds them of special moments or people in their lives. They collect it and they love to tell stories about it and show it off. Museums’ deepest roots are in the stuff of collections. But over the last 200 […]
By Susie Wilkening From Dimensions May/June 2015 There are many lenses through which we can measure the value of a museum experience. There is the satisfaction factor: Did visitors have a good time? Were they engaged? Do they want to return? There are learning outcomes: Did visitors learn something new? How much did they learn? […]
This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the May/June 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine. “. . . 3D printing and design can electrify various literacies and creative capacities of children in accordance with the spirit of the interconnected, information-based world.” —V. Kostakis, V. Niaros, and C. […]