ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

In addition to the evaluation and research undertaken by our internal 
staff, the Museum of Science, Boston, also has a program called the 
Living Laboratory that brings in researchers from local universities to 
conduct their studies while also educating our visitors about their 
field of study. The Living Lab staff have set up a mutual professional 
development model between the researchers and museum staff - staff help 
researchers to improve their communication skills so they can serve as 
interpreters of their research on our floors, and researchers share the 
latest research in their field with staff. Most of the researchers so 
far have focused on some aspect of cognitive development, but the fields 
of study are starting to expand. We've found that visitors are excited 
to participate in real scientific research and learn from a "real" 
scientist, researchers are glad to get an expanded subject pool, and our 
staff get to learn about the latest in fields of study related to their 
work.

If anyone is interested in more information, the project's website is:
http://www.mos.org/discoverycenter/livinglab
Or you can contact the manager of the program, Marta Biarnes, at 
[log in to unmask] The summative evaluation of the first phase of the 
project is also available on informalscience.org.

Also, to clarify, the institutional review boards that research studies 
with human subjects are run by individual institutions (like 
universities), but must comply with certain government regulations about 
informed consent, the rights of participants, etc.

Anna

On 4/2/2011 3:19 AM, Diana Issidorides wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related 
> institutions.
> ***************************************************************************** 
>
>
> Thanks to all who replied to my post re museum visitors as 
> experimental subjects.
>
> The research programs I’m interested to know about are not those about 
> visitor learning in museums, nor about how visitors experience certain 
> exhibitions or exhibits.  I’m curious to know which museums or 
> centers, worldwide,  invite scientists to the museum  to carry out 
> real, peer-reviewed scientific research (on for example cognition, 
> memory, perception, genetics, or any other topic whose experimental 
> design requires human subjects and is non-invasive (with the exception 
> of saliva swabs or spiting)). Sara Poirier’s post on what the Ontario 
> Science Centre is doing sounds most similar to NEMO’s Science 
> Liveprogram.
>
> I didn’t realize that rules in the States are so strict regarding 
> human subjects.  We are in this sense lucky, for in the Netherlands we 
> don’t have to go through government agencies, as long as the research 
> conducted in the museum has been approved by the university’s ethical 
> committee… And of course, consent forms have to be filled and signed. 
> We offer this program to whole families (kids from age 8 upwards) and 
> it is so rewarding to see families participate together, discussing 
> the experiment, results etc!  We have run three research studies with 
> scientists up till now: on the genetic basis of intelligence; how 
> music affects the perception of emotion; how facial expressions 
> influence age estimation and personality perception.
>
> We have organized a session at  the Ecsite Annual Conference in May 
> 2011 to encourage the science center community to implement live 
> research programs. They are relatively easy to implement, cost little 
> and have a great pay-off. National NSF-type organizations are willing 
> to open their wallet.  Scientists whose research is predominantly 
> based on 20+ year old students are enthusiastic because of the age 
> range and socioeconomic background range found in our museums and the 
> sheer amount of subjects at their disposal. Visitors feel empowered by 
> the idea that they can actively contribute towards scientific  
> knowledge. And we as science center feel we are fulfilling an 
> important mission: our museums not only as a place where science is 
> show-cased, but a place where science is generated and where the 
> scientific process becomes alive. A place that provides the public at 
> large insights into the kind of questions scientists are grappling 
> with and the methods they use to answer them. And last, but not least, 
> a place where scientist and public interact.
>
> I would like to be able to mention in my Ecsite session which other 
> science centers/museums offer such live research programs…
>
> Thanks,
>
> Diana
>
> ==
> Dr. Diana Issidorides | science center NEMO | Exhibitions & Programs | 
> Senior Scientist & Senior Exhibition Developer | tel: +31 (0)20 5313 
> 201 | fax: +31 (0)20 5313 535 [log in to unmask] | www.e-nemo.nl | 
> Postal address: Postbus 421, 1000 AK Amsterdam, Netherlands | Visiting 
> address: Oosterdok 2, 1011 VX Amsterdam, Netherlands
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> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers 
> and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
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For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

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