Association of Science and Technologies Centers

Association of Science and Technology Centers

Archives: Dimensions

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.

A photo, looking up through a canopy of trees into a blue sky with a few clouds. Text reads Seeding Action. Imagination & Planetary Health.

Imagination and Planetary Health: Science Centers’ and Museums’ Power to Shape the Possible

March 25, 2026
Terri Donofrio
March 25, 2026

Science centers, museums, and public engagement organizations have a critical role to play in building a culture of hope and action to address planetary health priorities. Through summer camps, programming for students and teachers, and dialogue and deliberation events, science centers and museums offer opportunities to practice the skills, capacities, and ways of working together necessary to […]

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A woman stands at a lecturn, speaking into a microphone. Behind her a large screen reads "science at a crossroads."

Inside the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

March 4, 2026
Tricia Waddell
March 4, 2026

This project from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science was a 2025 Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Awardee. The awards—presented each year by ASTC—honor member institutions and/or their staff and volunteers whose work represents exceptional achievement. These awards celebrate efforts that not only enhance the performance of an individual institution but also advance the […]

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Three large dinosaur sculptures overlook the San Francisco Bay at sunset.

Reframing Succession Planning: A Practical, Equitable Approach to Organizational Continuity

March 2, 2026
Rena Dorph | Preeti Gupta
March 2, 2026

For science centers and museums, succession planning is a strategic response to longstanding workforce challenges, including staff recruitment, turnover, and professional growth. Disruptions over the past six years—from the pandemic to present day—have exacerbated these issues and surfaced critical, fieldwide conversations about how to address them.  In 2023, the Association of Science and Technology Center’s […]

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An image of Linda Kekelis, seated at a desk, smiling broadly. A large, colorful bouquet of flowers sits on the desk.

With Passion and Innovation, Linda Kekelis Charts a Path for Girls in STEM

February 25, 2026
Jennifer Stancil | Dr. Linda Kekelis
February 25, 2026

Linda Kekelis was a 2025 Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Awardee for her body of work in the field of informal education, including her role in founding Techbridge Girls. The awards—presented each year by ASTC—honor member institutions and/or their staff and volunteers whose work represents exceptional achievement. These awards celebrate efforts that not only enhance […]

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Four students, wearing hard hats and team shirts reading "Drop and Dash" assemble a device made of wood, string, tape, and a plastic wheel base. They carefully hang it from a hanging support.

Empowering One Million Teachers to Close the STEM Gap

February 17, 2026
Sherry Burch | Jessica Kilpatrick | Shital Patel
February 17, 2026

This project from The Tech Interactive was a 2025 Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Awardee. The awards—presented each year by ASTC—honor member institutions and/or their staff and volunteers whose work represents exceptional achievement. These awards celebrate efforts that not only enhance the performance of an individual institution but also advance the entire field of informal […]

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On left, two people, wearing winter coats, pose in front of a large stack of boxes. On right, an open box reveals a collection of hands-on STEM learning supplies, including baking soda, vials, and measuring utensils.

North Carolina STEM Boxes: Delivering Curiosity and Comfort Amidst the Storm

February 5, 2026
Jamie DeMent Holcomb
February 5, 2026

This project from the North Carolina Children’s Museum and Hands On! Children’s Museum was a 2024 Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Awardee. The awards—presented each year by ASTC—honor member institutions and/or their staff and volunteers whose work represents exceptional achievement. These awards celebrate efforts that not only enhance the performance of an individual institution but […]

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A woman poses in front of a sign reading "Deb Klima."

From a Small Island to the World: Rethinking Science Engagement Through Youth Voices and Climate Action

January 27, 2026
Dr. Bhamini Kamudu Applasawmy
January 27, 2026

Dimensions invited Bhamini Kamudu Applasawmy, PhD, the 2025 Lee Kimche McGrath Worldwide Fellow, to share about a project important to her work in Mauritius, while reflecting on her experience attending the ASTC 2025 Annual Conference in the San Francisco Bay Area. The McGrath Fellowship is a key part of ASTC’s global outreach, strengthening international dialogue […]

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Two adults and three children strike a celebratory pose in front of the VENOMventure, inflatable escape room. They hold signs saying "We did it!" and "Lo logramos!"

Play the Game, Save the World! Using an Immersive Escape Game to Teach Families Evolutionary Thinking

January 27, 2026
Teresa MacDonald | Anna Thanukos | Lisa D. White
January 27, 2026

This project from the University of Kansas Natural History Museum and the UC Museum of Paleontology was a 2025 Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Awardee. The awards—presented each year by ASTC—honor member institutions and/or their staff and volunteers whose work represents exceptional achievement. These awards celebrate efforts that not only enhance the performance of an individual […]

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Image of Mar Dixon, from the waist up. She is smiling and casually dressed, wearing a denim jacket, scarf, and earbuds.

Brilliant on a Budget: How Mar Dixon Connected Millions to Museums

January 12, 2026
Darlene Cavalier | Caroline Nickerson | Jacqueline Lewis
January 12, 2026

Mar Dixon’s Legacy of Good Troublemaking Mar Dixon, a self-proclaimed “troublemaker for sectors that need a kick up the bum,” was a self-taught digital strategist who became a global champion for cultural access. She did not merely challenge the status quo; she rewrote the rules with humor, audacity, and a knack for bringing together people […]

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