ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Dr. Kohlhagen,
I wholeheartedly agree.  US science centers are collaborating on varied 
projects these days-some are huge, multimillion dollar grants.  When I 
have brought up the nature of science and the importance of 
communicating it in exhibit or program meetings, everyone agrees it is 
important, but they also think we already do it-implicitly, anyway.  I 
think it needs to be explicit, and I think it could be a beautiful, 
powerful exhibit.   The trouble I have run into is that it isn't 
concrete, and that is hard for revenue-driven people to hang their hats on.

The annual ASTC meeting is coming up in October, so perhaps a small 
group will find common ground and interest for something to blossom.  
Though I am not currently in a position that decides Museum directions, 
I am deeply interested in forwarding visitors learning about the nature 
of science and am going to keep my ear to the ground.

What is your role at Questacon?  Also, I subscribe to the ASC 
listserve.  It seems there is an active science communication community 
in Australia.  Has the nature of science been expressly addressed in 
science centers or other venues there?

Best,
Tinsley


Tinsley H. Davis, M.S.
Musuem of Science, Boston



Stuart Kohlhagen wrote:

>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>Some observations from the southern hemisphere
>
>The issues revolving around "creationist (ID)  Verses Evolutionary
>theory" do re-enforce how much work WE have left to do in communicating
>to the public about
>
>What science is and How is it done ( and the converse).
>
>Given this is a shared, significant and fundamental challenge for us..
>What are the steps open to the US based centres to jointly develop a
>submission to the NSF ( please subtitute other agencies as apporpriate)
>to fund the development of an exhibition, programs and resource
>matterials that address this issue.
>
>If the NSF ( and other similar agencies) can't see the value in this,
>then I fear the case is already lost. I would like to think that a joint
>submission from a wide range of institutions from across the US could be
>sucsessful.
>
>
>Such materials would not have to focus on JUST the ID vs EVO issue (
>although it could- as its very clear example).. It could take the ID -
>EVO "head on" or just have that as one of the several "case studies"..
>
>I feel it's time to stop (just) talking about the weather and get some
>resources to do something about it..
>
>
>
>Dr Stuart Kohlhagen
>Leader New Concepts
>Quesatcon
>Australia.....
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Informal Science Education Network on behalf of Amanda Chesworth
>Sent: Wed 8/24/2005 1:48 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: beating a dead horse?
> 
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>Barbara Forrest was on Larry King last night talking about the creationism
>issue. Here is one question Larry posed, that in my opinion, shows us why
>this issue is such a HUGE problem and why all scientists and educators
>should be doing *something* to help:
>
>KING: All right, hold on. Dr. Forrest, your concept of how can you
>out-and-out turn down creationism, since if evolution is true, why are there
>still monkeys?
>
>Amanda
>
>***
>Amanda Chesworth, Educational Director
>Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
>www.csicop.org
>Inquiring Minds Program
>www.inquiringminds.org
>Skeptical Inquirer Magazine
>www.skepticalinquirer.org
>Skeptiseum
>www.skeptiseum.org
>Skeptic's Toolbox
>www.skepticstoolbox.org
>
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>
>
>  
>

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