Discovery Place

THE OFFICE OF STEM ENGAGEMENT (OSTEM) SEEKS TO: ATTRACT STUDENTS TO STEM THROUGH UNIQUE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT SPARK INTEREST AND PROVIDE CONNECTIONS TO NASA S MISSION AND WORK; ENGAGE STUDENTS IN AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES WITH NASA S PEOPL

DISCOVERY PLACE WILL CREATE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MODEL TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW EXHIBITION AND PROGRAM EXPERIENCES AS IT PLANS FOR A NEW BUILDING AND INTERPRETIVE EXHIBITIONS FOR ITS DISCOVERY PLACE NATURE FACILITY. THE TWO-YEAR PROJECT WILL SUPPORT PLANNING ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO ASSESS COMMUNITY NEEDS AND IDENTIFY COMMUNITY ASSETS. THE MUSEUM WILL DEVELOP NEW COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND EXPAND EXISTING ONES, MATCH ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES TO COMMUNITY CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS, AND TEST APPROACHES FOR ELEVATING THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NATURE AND THE LIVES OF CHARLOTTE'S RESIDENTS. THE MUSEUM WILL ALSO COLLABORATE WITH PEERS WHO ARE WORKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS AND CONSULTANTS WITH EXPERTISE IN AUDIENCE RESEARCH EVALUATION AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND INCLUSION. TO SUSTAIN THE WORK OF THE PROJECT, THE MUSEUM WILL APPLY FINDINGS ACROSS ITS MULTI-FACILITY ORGANIZATION, ADAPTING APPROACHES FOR APPLICATION TO ITS OTHER THREE MUSEUMS.

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

4200151208 "LUNARNAUTICS"

DISCOVERY PLACE WILL HIRE A DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL EXPERIENCES TO LEAD THE MUSEUM'S DIGITAL PROGRAMS AND PLATFORM EFFORTS. THIS INDIVIDUAL WILL DRIVE DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORTS WITH STUDENT AND FAMILY AUDIENCES THROUGH PROGRAMS SUCH AS STAY-AT-HOME SCIENCE WHILE ALSO CREATING ADULT-FOCUSED PROGRAMMING. THIS WORK WILL ALLOW THE MUSEUM TO REACH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS BY CENTERING CONTENT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AROUND COMMUNITY NEEDS, RATHER THAN SIMPLY PRESCRIBING PROGRAMMING FOR COMMUNITIES. THE NEW STAFF MEMBER WILL OBSERVE HOW FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, ADULTS, AND MEMBERS ENGAGE WITH THE CENTER; SOLICIT COMMUNITY MEMBERS' FEEDBACK ON PROGRAMMING; EVALUATE DIGITAL PLATFORM METRICS TO DATE; AND CRAFT AND EXECUTE A PLAN THAT SERVES THE CENTER'S LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND POTENTIALLY NATIONAL COMMUNITY. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC SHIFT TO VIRTUAL AND DIGITAL PROGRAMMING DEMONSTRATED THE COMMUNITY'S NEED FOR VIRTUAL STEM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.

NASA COMMUNITY SPACE STATIONS