Science Museum Of Minnesota

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA, TOGETHER WITH PROJECT TEAM PARTNERS ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, BOSTON, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIF

FUTURE EARTH INITIATIVE

IPAGE 2.0: UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORTING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE TOWARD EQUITY IN THE ISE SECTOR

GSE/EXT: PEER ALLIANCE FOR GENDER EQUITY (PAGE)

MATH CORE FOR MUSEUMS

SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA STATEWIDE STEM EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTERS INITIATIVE

BRIGHTER FUTURES: PUBLIC DELIBERATION ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT.

IPAGE - DEVELOPING A MODEL FOR BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN INFORMAL STEM INSTITUTIONS

DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR USING MUSEUM-BASED THEATER AND GAMING TO SUPPORT VISITOR UNDERSTANDING OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS

WEIGHING THE EVIDENCE: MAKING INFORMED HEALTH CARE DECISIONS (A TRAVELING EXHIBI

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA COLLABORATING WITH THE EDUCATION AND CONSTELLATION OFFICES OF THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER AND WITH SMM'S FIVE PARTNER M

BRAINS ON! THE MOVE: STEM PODCASTS AS FACILITATORS OF AUTOMOBILE-BASED FAMILY LEARNING EXPERIENCES

BITS-2-BITES: YOUTH APPLYING STEM CONTENT AND COMPUTATIONAL THINKING TO LEARN ABOUT NUTRITION AND ADVOCATE FOR FOOD JUSTICE

LINCT: LINKING EDUCATORS, YOUTH, AND LEARNERS IN COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

EXPANDING ACTIVITIES FOR OUTDOOR, NATURE SITUATED MAKING -THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA (SMM) WILL COLLABORATE WITH FOUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SERVING BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC) AUDIENCES TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOP A NOVEL OUTDOOR MAKERSPACE THAT ENGAGES FAMILIES IN STEM LEARNING. A MAKERSPACE IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER ON CREATIVE, INTEREST DRIVEN PROJECTS. IN WORKING WITH BIPOC FAMILIES, THE PROJECT ADDRESSES THREE FORMS OF HISTORICAL (AND PRESENT DAY) EXCLUSION OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING PARTICIPATION IN THE DESIGN OF INFORMAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES, PARTICIPATION IN SUCH ACTIVITIES, AND OVERALL ENGAGEMENT IN STEM. THE PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP ACTIVITIES THAT FOSTER STEM LEARNING USING NATURAL MATERIALS IN AN OUTDOOR MAKERSPACE, INFORMED THROUGH ROBUST COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN AN OUTDOOR MAKERSPACE AT SMM THAT WILL INCLUDE 3-4 SETTINGS (APPROXIMATELY 2500 SQUARE FEET TOTAL) THAT HOUSE AND SUPPORT MULTIPLE MAKING ACTIVITIES IN AN OUTDOOR CONTEXT. THE PROPOSED WORK WILL CONTRIBUTE TO ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE THROUGH EXPLORING HOW BIPOC FAMILIES DEFINE LEARNING IN MAKERSPACES AND HOW YOUNGER CHILDREN CAN BE FULLY ENGAGED IN FAMILY LEARNING. THE PROJECT WILL SHARE THE INCLUSIVE DESIGN AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION PRACTICES DEVELOPED THROUGH THIS WORK WITH OTHER MUSEUMS, MAKER EDUCATORS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN DEVELOP OR EXPAND THEIR OWN OUTDOOR MAKERSPACES IN WAYS THAT WILL RESPECT AND REFLECT BIPOC FAMILIES? PERSPECTIVES. BIPOC FAMILIES WILL JOIN MUSEUM STAFF AS CONTRIBUTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND ITERATION OF AN OUTDOOR MAKERSPACE AND COLLABORATORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GENERALIZED DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND DISSEMINATION OF THE RESEARCH. VISITOR-CAPTURED VIDEO OF ENGAGEMENT IN THE OUTDOOR MAKERSPACE, SURVEYS, AND MEMOS FROM DESIGN MEETINGS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE PROCESS OF ALIGNING DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUTDOOR INFORMAL SCIENCE EDUCATION SPACES WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS AND VALUES. ALL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES WILL BE GUIDED BY A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE RESEARCH FRAMEWORK AND USE STRATEGIES TO ENSURE THE MULTICULTURAL VALIDITY SUCH AS VIDEO MEANING-MAKING WITH FAMILY RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS AND MEMBER-CHECKING INSTRUMENTS, DATA ANALYSES, AND FINDINGS WITH DESIGN PARTNERS. PROJECT RESEARCH WILL ADDRESS THREE QUESTIONS: (1) WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FAMILY LEARNING IN AN OUTDOOR NATURE-SITUATED MAKERSPACE, INCLUDING HOW BIPOC FAMILIES IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE STEM LEARNING AND HOW OUTDOOR SPACES CAN BE BUILT TO SUPPORT BIPOC FAMILIES? PERSPECTIVES? (2) HOW CAN THE SPACE BE BUILT TO SUPPORT MULTI-AGE FAMILIES TO ENGAGED IN MAKING, INCLUDING A FOCUS ON WHAT DESIGN ELEMENTS SUPPORT PRESCHOOL LEARNER?S ENGAGEMENT AND SUSTAINED PARTICIPATION BY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS? AND (3) HOW DO THE DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR MAKING WITH WIDELY AVAILABLE MATERIALS TRANSLATE FROM INDOOR TO OUTDOOR SPACES AND MATERIALS? RESEARCH FINDINGS, DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GUIDES WILL BE WIDELY DISSEMINATED TO RESEARCHERS, DESIGNERS, PROGRAM DEVELOPERS, INFORMAL SCIENCE INSTITUTIONS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE ADVANCING INFORMAL STEM LEARNING (AISL) PROGRAM, WHICH SEEKS TO (A) ADVANCE NEW APPROACHES TO AND EVIDENCE-BASED UNDERSTANDING OF THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF STEM LEARNING IN INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTS; (B) PROVIDE MULTIPLE PATHWAYS FOR BROADENING ACCESS TO AND ENGAGEMENT IN STEM LEARNING EXPERIENCES; (C) ADVANCE INNOVATIVE RESEARCH ON AND ASSESSMENT OF STEM LEARNING IN INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTS; AND (D) ENGAGE THE PUBLIC OF ALL AGES IN LEARNING STEM IN INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTS THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

BUILDING MORE INCLUSIVE MAKERSPACES TO SUPPORT INFORMAL ENGINEERING LEARNING EXPERIENCES

BUILD A MARS HABITAT - SURVIVE AND THRIVE . . . AN ADDITION TO THE SUN EARTH UNIVERSE EXHIBITION

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA (SMM) REQUESTS NASA SUPPORT FOR ENGINEERING FOR SPACE EXPLORATION, WHICH WILL CREATE THREE IMPORTANT NEW SECTIONS IN

RESEARCH: "MAKING CONNECTIONS: EXPLORING CULTURALLY-RELEVANT MAKER EXPERIENCES THROUGH AN ITERATIVE, CROSS-INSTITUTIONAL APPROACH"

GP-IN: CONNECTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH EXPERIENCES (CORE) IN THE GEOSCIENCES -THERE IS AN INCREASING NEED FOR TRAINED GEOSCIENTISTS TO TACKLE SOCIETALLY RELEVANT ISSUES SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE, NATURAL HAZARDS, AND ENERGY RESOURCES. MEANINGFUL PROGRESS ON THESE COMPLEX SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIETAL ISSUES WILL REQUIRE A DIVERSITY OF VIEWPOINTS AND VOICES. HOWEVER, THE GEOSCIENCES ARE ONE OF THE LEAST DIVERSE STEM FIELDS. THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA (SMM) HAS DEVELOPED A PROGRAM TITLED CONNECTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH EXPERIENCES IN THE GEOSCIENCES (CORE) TO DEVELOP HOLISTIC STRATEGIES TO CREATE MORE INCLUSIVE PATHWAYS IN THE GEOSCIENCES. THIS PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER TWO HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL GROUPS WITHIN SMM: THE ST. CROIX WATERSHED RESEARCH STATION (SCWRS), A FIELD RESEARCH STATION SPECIALIZING IN PRIMARY RESEARCH IN THE GEOSCIENCES, AND THE KITTY ANDERSEN YOUTH SCIENCE CENTER (KAYSC), A GROUP THAT PROVIDES OUT-OF-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING FOR HUNDREDS OF UNDERSERVED YOUTH EACH YEAR WITH THE GOALS OF BUILDING LEADERSHIP AND SCIENCE COMMUNICATION SKILLS, CAREER READINESS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND FOSTERING APPRECIATION OF AND CONFIDENCE IN WORKING WITH STEM. BRINGING TOGETHER THESE TWO AREAS OF EXPERTISE, ALONG WITH A COMMUNITY NETWORK SUPPORT OF GEOSCIENCE FACULTY AND PROFESSIONALS, WILL CREATE AN EFFECTIVE, LONG-LASTING, AND SUPPORTIVE PATHWAY TO GEOSCIENCE CAREERS. CORE WILL BE BUILT AROUND THE KAYSC?S STEM JUSTICE FRAMEWORK, AN ECOSYSTEM LEARNING MODEL FOR ENGAGING YOUTH IN STEM LEARNING THROUGH A JUSTICE-FOCUSED LENS CENTERED AROUND SOLVING REAL-WORLD COMMUNITY ISSUES. YOUTH WILL ENGAGE WITH AN ONGOING SCWRS RESEARCH PROJECT IN PALEOLIMNOLOGY FOCUSING ON THE EFFECTS OF ROAD SALT ON LAKES IN THE MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL METRO REGION. ADDITIONALLY, CORE WILL BUILD A COMMUNITY NETWORK OF SUPPORT OF GEOSCIENCE FACULTY FROM REGIONAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, AS WELL AS GEOSCIENCE PROFESSIONALS FROM COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS; THIS WILL BUILD A PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT NETWORK AS PROGRAM YOUTH TAKE THE NEXT STEPS IN GEOSCIENCE PROGRAMS OR CAREERS. THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF THE STEM JUSTICE MODEL, CORE WILL DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO INCLUSIVELY INTRODUCE YOUTH TO GEOSCIENCE RESEARCH AND NETWORKS, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY PURSUE COLLEGE OR CAREER PATHWAYS IN THE GEOSCIENCES. THE THREE PROJECT GOALS ARE: 1) TRAIN ADULT MENTORS/GEOSCIENCE PROFESSIONALS IN STEM JUSTICE PRACTICES; 2) ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE IN A DEFINED AND MEANINGFUL RESEARCH PROJECT IN PALEOLIMNOLOGY; AND 3) PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO GEOSCIENCE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS AND CAREERS. BY TRAINING GEOSCIENCE PROFESSIONALS IN MORE INCLUSIVE PRACTICES, ENGAGING YOUTH IN RELEVANT GEOSCIENCES RESEARCH, AND CREATING SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT BETWEEN THESE GROUPS, WE WILL DEVELOP AND SHARE A SUSTAINABLE, INCLUSIVE PATHWAY FOR YOUTH IN THE GEOSCIENCES THAT WILL LIVE BEYOND THIS PROJECT AND CAN SERVE AS A MODEL FOR OTHER INSTITUTIONS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

PAUL MARTIN/SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTATHE ANTHROPOCENE ATMOSPHERE INITIATIVE:CCE WILL HELP LARGE PUBLIC AUDIENCES UNDERSTAND HOW HUMANS ARE PLAYIN

STEM JUSTICE: BUILDING YOUTH SCIENCE CAPITAL

GSE-RES: GENDER RESEARCH ON ADULT-CHILD DISCUSSION IN INFORMAL ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENTS (GRADIENT)

PLANET EARTH DECISION THEATER

REDESIGN AND INSTALL EXHIBITS FOR THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VISITOR CENTER

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ULTRA-DATA: DEVELOPING GLOBAL RIVERINE SOLUTE REGIME AND SYNCHRONY FRAMEWORKS FOR UNDERSTANDING WATERSHED-SCALE CONTROLS ON RIVER BIOGEOCHEMICAL SIGNALS -RIVERS ARE VITAL TO LIFE, PROVIDING DRINKING WATER AND SUPPORTING AGRICULTURE, RECREATION, TRANSPORTATION, AND FISHERIES. HOWEVER, CHANGES ON LAND CAN ALTER RUNOFF IN WAYS THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACT RIVER ECOSYSTEMS AND WATER QUALITY. THE GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND PREDICT CHANGES IN RIVER CHEMISTRY AT THE GLOBAL SCALE. THE INVESTIGATORS WILL (RE)USE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE WATER CHEMISTRY AND FLOW DATA FROM MORE THAN 450 RIVERS ACROSS ALL SEVEN CONTINENTS. NOVEL MACHINE LEARNING AND OTHER DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE HOW AND WHY SUBSTANCES IN RIVERS, INCLUDING NUTRIENTS, METALS, SALTS, AND TRACE MINERALS, VARY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE. THE PROJECT INCLUDES TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS AND PUBLIC OUTREACH THROUGH THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA. PROJECT OUTCOMES WILL PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO HOW WE CAN BETTER MANAGE RIVERS AND PROTECT WATER RESOURCES FOR THE FUTURE. THIS DATA-INTENSIVE PROJECT WILL EXAMINE THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES IN THE SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF CHEMICALS ACROSS RIVERS WITH VARYING FLOW REGIMES AND WATERSHED CHARACTERISTICS. RESEARCHERS WILL HARMONIZE LARGE DATASETS FROM LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH, NATIONAL ECOLOGICAL OBSERVATORY NETWORK, AND OTHER FEDERAL SCIENCE INVESTMENTS. THEY WILL USE DEEP LEARNING AND STATISTICAL APPROACHES TO IDENTIFY DIFFERENT DRIVERS AND SEASONAL REGIMES FOR A BROAD RANGE OF CHEMICAL SOLUTES. THE INVESTIGATORS HYPOTHESIZE LESS SYNCHRONY AMONGST BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES AND ACROSS DISTURBED WATERSHEDS. THE RESULTING DATASET AND ANALYSES WILL ENABLE PREDICTION OF WATER QUALITY IN UNMONITORED AND REMOTE RIVER SYSTEMS THAT ARE DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE TO MONITOR. THE PROJECT ALSO SUPPORTS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN WATER RESOURCES AND ?BIG DATA? ANALYSIS. THE OUTCOME OF THIS RESEARCH WILL BE NEW GLOBAL FRAMEWORKS FOR UNDERSTANDING AND PREDICTING HOW RIVER CHEMISTRY RESPONDS TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES OVER LONG TIMEFRAMES AND BROAD SPATIAL SCALES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES: A MUSEUM EXHIBITION/PROGR*

"THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA WILL CREATE A 450-SQUARE-FOOT VERSION OF ITS AWARD-WINNING 'RACE: ARE WE SO DIFFERENT?' EXHIBITION FOR DISTRIBUTION TO RURAL AREAS AND COMMUNITIES IN MINNESOTA, AND ADJACENT REGIONS IN IOWA, EASTERN NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA, AND NORTHERN WISCONSIN. THE MUSEUM WILL PRODUCE FOUR REPLICAS OF THE EXHIBITION FOR MUSEUMS AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, AND COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO DEVELOP SUPPORTING PROGRAMMING SPECIFIC TO IDENTIFIED COMMUNITY NEEDS. PROGRAMS WILL INCLUDE FACILITATED REFLECTIVE DIALOGUES FOR GROUPS OF ADULTS AND STUDENTS; A LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH HOST COMMUNITY; AN EDUCATOR GUIDE FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS; AND A VARIETY OF WORKSHOPS AND ARTS PRESENTATIONS TO EXTEND CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACE AND RACISM. LIKE THE ORIGINAL RACE EXHIBITION, THESE CONDENSED EXHIBITIONS WILL ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO EXPLORE THE SCIENCE, HISTORY, AND EVERYDAY EFFECTS OF RACE AND RACISM THROUGH A COMBINATION OF ARTIFACTS, HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY, MULTIMEDIA COMPONENTS, AND INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES."

P20AC00364 GLKN SMM GLNF CESU: DIATOMS AND WATER QUALITY IN GREAT LAKES NATIONAL PARKS FY20 $36,803.44

WHAT WORKS FOR WHOM IN WHAT CONTEXT: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CONDUCTING EVALUATIONS WITH DIVERSE POPULATIONS?.

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA WILL SUPPORT TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE TOWARD INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCESS AMONG UPPER MIDWEST MUSEUMS BY CREATING A DURABLE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE.  USING A FIELD-TESTED MODEL OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE MUSEUM WILL COLLABORATE WITH 20 SMALL, UNDERSERVED MUSEUMS, ACROSS MINNESOTA, IOWA, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, AND WISCONSIN, TO BRING TOGETHER 48 STAFF AND RESEARCHERS, VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON, OVER A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS TO LEARN ABOUT THEORIES, METHODS, AND TOOLS RELATED TO EQUITY AND FIND WAYS TO ADAPT THESE IDEAS TO THEIR MUSEUMS AND PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS.  THROUGH ONGOING COMMUNICATION AND CONSULTATION, THE PROJECT WILL GENERATE A LEADERSHIP COHORT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH A SOLID GROUNDING IN COMPLEX EQUITY ISSUES.  THE PROJECT WILL NOT ONLY DEVELOP RESOURCES, SKILLS, TOOLS, AND MINDSETS TO CREATE MORE INCLUSIVE STAFF AND INSTITUTIONS, BUT ALSO MORE INCLUSIVE LOCAL AND REGIONAL COMMUNITIES OF PROFESSIONALS.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: BURIAL OF ORGANIC CARBON IN TEMPERATE, SHALLOW LAKES

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA, COLLABORATING WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION OPERATIONS OFFICE OF THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER AR.D WITH SMM&#039

MUSEUMS AND INCLUSION: UNDERSTANDING VISITORS' SENSE OF BELONGING IN SCIENCE AND NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS

MANAGE NONPOINT POLLUTANTS BY WATERSHED MODELING OF TARGETED SUBWATERSHEDS IN TEH ST. CROIX NATIONAL

USING DIATOMS AS A BIOMONITORING TOOL TO IDENTIFY AND INTERPRET CHANGES IN WATER QUALITY - GLKN

THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS THE GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE AND GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO PUBLIC LAW 111-88. SPECIFICALLY T

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA WILL RE-EXAMINE AND RECREATE THE WAYS IN WHICH IT GATHERS, ANALYZES, AND USES DATA TO GUIDE ITS STRATEGIC PLANNING AND DAILY WORK. THE DEPARTMENT OF EVALUATION AND RESEARCH IN LEARNING, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM, WILL EXPAND AND ACCELERATE AN ONGOING PROCESS TO DOCUMENT, STUDY, AND IMPROVE DATA-GATHERING SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE INSTITUTION; DEVELOP AND TEST NEW STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES; REFINE AND EXPAND ON THE TOOLS AND PRACTICES USED TO ELICIT FEEDBACK FROM VISITORS; BETTER DOCUMENT THE VISITORS" LEARNING EXPERIENCES; AND BE MORE PROACTIVE IN ENGAGING VISITORS. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL COMMUNICATE FINDINGS AND SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM THE ENTIRE STAFF, AND SMALLER CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL TEAMS WILL DEVELOP AND REFINE DATA COLLECTION TOOLS AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TO STRENGTHEN INSTITUTIONAL EVALUATION CAPACITY. THE MUSEUM WILL FORM AN ADVISORY BOARD OF EXTERNAL MUSEUM AND EVALUATION EXPERTS, AS WELL AS A TWIN CITIES, INDUSTRY?BASED ADVISORY BOARD TO OFFER PERSPECTIVES FROM OTHER FIELDS.

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA WILL EXPAND ON RECENT EFFORTS TO BUILD EVALUATION CAPACITY ACROSS THE MUSEUM BY ENGAGING IN COMMUNITY-WIDE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EQUITY AND CLIMATE ACTION IN THE TWIN CITIES AND THE UPPER MIDWEST. USING A WIDE VARIETY OF DATA COLLECTION STRATEGIES, ONGOING DATA REPORTING, AND THREE DAY-LONG SUMMITS TO REFLECT ON THE BREADTH OF DATA GATHERED, THE MUSEUM WILL DEVELOP NEW INSIGHTS INTO WHAT ITS ROLE CAN AND SHOULD BE IN SUPPORTING CLIMATE-RELATED COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS. THE PROJECT WILL BUILD ON THE MUSEUM’S EXISTING CLIMATE AND EQUITY WORK, INFORM FUTURE EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMMING, AND SUPPORT DEEPER ENGAGEMENT WITH ONSITE VISITORS AS WELL AS WITH NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN OR COMMITTED TO WORK ON EQUITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: LTREB: DYNAMICS OF EXTREME CLIMATE DISTURBANCE IN ARCTIC LAKES (DECADAL) -AFTER A PERIOD OF RECORD HEAT AND RAINFALL IN WEST GREENLAND, LAKES WHICH HAD BEEN CLEAR AND BLUE RAPIDLY TURNED BROWN AND MURKY, A CHANGE THAT TYPICALLY TAKES THOUSANDS OF YEARS. THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THIS DRAMATIC CHANGE ARE LARGELY UNKNOWN. THIS PROJECT OFFERS A RARE CHANCE TO UNDERSTAND HOW ENTIRE LAKE ECOSYSTEMS RESPOND TO SUCH RAPID AND SEVERE DISTURBANCES, PARTICULARLY IN THE SENSITIVE ARCTIC BIOME WHICH INCLUDES 40% OF THE WORLD?S LAKES. THESE DRAMATIC CHANGES DIRECTLY IMPACT ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION OF THESE LAKES, WHICH INCLUDES BOTH THE STABILITY OF THE FOOD WEBS AS WELL AS WATER SECURITY FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THIS PROJECT ALSO HELPS EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT CHANGES TO WATER QUALITY IN ARCTIC LAKES AND TRAINS THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS AND TEACHERS, DEVELOPING CURRICULUM FOR K-12 STUDENTS IN COLLABORATION WITH CURRENT TEACHERS AND MAKING THIS CRUCIAL KNOWLEDGE WIDELY ACCESSIBLE. THIS PROJECT ALSO GIVES SCIENCE TEACHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE HANDS-ON FIELD WORK, SAMPLE COLLECTION, AND DATA ANALYSIS. THIS PROJECT USES MORE THAN A DECADE OF PREVIOUSLY-COLLECTED DATA FROM TEN ARCTIC LAKES IN WEST GREENLAND AND CONTINUES TO COLLECT OBSERVATIONS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO INVESTIGATE THE ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE TO EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS. THE RESEARCH INVESTIGATES HOW LAKE ECOSYSTEMS ARE RESILIENT AGAINST AND RECOVER FROM EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS, CREATING A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING HOW ARCTIC LAKES WILL CHANGE IN THE FUTURE. STUDYING THESE METRICS ACROSS THE WHOLE LAKE ECOSYSTEM WILL GAIN A MUCH DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THESE CRITICAL ARCTIC LAKES RESPOND TO RAPID ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES. THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES FOCUS ON (1) QUANTIFYING THE ONGOING EFFECTS OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS IN MULTIPLE ASPECTS OF LAKE ECOSYSTEMS, (2) ASSESSING HOW A ?STABILITY FRAMEWORK? CAPTURES THE VARIABILITY IN THE RESPONSE OF ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS FOLLOWING THESE WEATHER EVENTS, AND (3) INVESTIGATING HOW LAKE ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES AFFECT THE TRAJECTORY OF ECOSYSTEM RECOVERY FROM WEATHER DISTURBANCES. THIS RESEARCH WILL INCLUDE TEN YEARS OF ADDITIONAL DATA COLLECTION, EXPERIMENTS TO TEST HOW SPECIFIC LAKE PROCESSES RESPOND TO TEMPERATURE, LIGHT, AND NUTRIENT CONDITIONS, AND ANALYSIS OF LAKE SEDIMENTS TO ASSESS LONG-TERM CHANGES IN CARBON NUTRIENT CYCLING. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

RAPID: ADVANCING MUSEUM-COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS THAT INTERSECT STEM AND RACIAL JUSTICE

WATER PLANET

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA WILL INVENTORY, DOCUMENT, AND DIGITIZE ITS COLLECTION OF MAYA ETHNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL FROM CHIAPAS, MEXICO. THE MUSEUM WILL HIRE AN ANTHROPOLOGY COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT AND A COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN TO WORK WITH VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY ADVISORS ON THE REHOUSING AND CATALOGING OF THE COLLECTION. THE MUSEUM WILL PARTNER AND WORK CLOSELY WITH THE MUSEO NA BOLOM AND CONSULT WITH MAYA WEAVERS FROM NEIGHBORING VILLAGES ABOUT TEXTILES, WEAVING TOOLS, AND RAW MATERIALS. THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN STANDARDIZED DOCUMENTATION OF THE COLLECTION THAT THE MUSEUM WILL MAKE LOCALLY ACCESSIBLE THROUGH EXHIBITION AND GLOBALLY ACCESSIBLE THROUGH ONLINE PLATFORMS TO SCHOLARS, ARTISTS, AND MAYA COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CHIAPAS.

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA WILL DIGITIZE A COLLECTION OF OVER 8,000 FOSSILS FROM THE WANNAGAN CREEK SITE IN NORTH DAKOTA. THE 60-MILLION-YEAR-OLD FOSSILS DOCUMENT A BROAD RANGE OF LIFE FROM THE ANCIENT ECOSYSTEM, FROM FUNGUS TO PRIMATES. BUILDING ON A PREVIOUS IMLS-FUNDED PROJECT, THE MUSEUM WILL PHOTOGRAPH, REHOUSE, AND CREATE DIGITAL CATALOG RECORDS FOR THE FOSSIL COLLECTION. THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT A TEMPORARY FULL-TIME PALEONTOLOGY COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT, WHO WILL PERFORM THE MAJORITY OF THE DIGITIZATION. TO ENHANCE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE COLLECTION BY THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC, THE MUSEUM WILL MAKE THE DIGITAL RECORDS AVAILABLE ON IDIGBIO AND GBIF, TWO FREE OPEN-ACCESS DATABASES FOR BIOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS. IN ADDITION, THE MUSEUM WILL HOST OUTREACH EVENTS, CREATE NUMEROUS SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, AND DEVELOP A NEW EDUCATIONAL KIT TO SHARE THE COLLECTION PUBLICLY AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: RUI: LANDSCAPE-LEVEL CONTROLS ON TERRESTRIAL, AQUATIC, AND WETLAND RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE SOUTHERN CANADIAN ARCTI

J6067100010 - THE HISTORY MECHNANISM AND DRIVERS OF BOTULISM OUTBREAKS NEAR SLBE

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA WILL UNDERTAKE A TWO-YEAR PROJECT THAT WILL INCLUDE THE DIGITIZATION OF THE WANNAGAN CREEK FOSSIL COLLECTION AND ALL SPECIMEN DATA. THE COLLECTION REPRESENTS A CRITICAL RECOVERY PHASE FOR LIFE SHORTLY AFTER THE MASS EXTINCTION THAT ENDED THE AGE OF THE DINOSAURS, INCLUDING PLANTS, VERTEBRATES, AND INVERTEBRATES. THE MUSEUM WILL MAKE A PHOTO OF EACH SPECIMEN PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND PUBLISH DIGITAL VERSIONS OF FIELD NOTES, ACCESSION RECORDS, AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE FOR BROADER AND EASIER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT BOTH ONLINE AND IN-PERSON. DIGITIZATION OF THIS COLLECTION WILL ENSURE THE LONG-TERM SURVIVAL OF ITS CONTENT AND ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO LEARN FROM AND APPRECIATE ITS VALUE.

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

PREDICTING THE SENSITIVITY OF BOREAL LAKE ECOSYSTEMS TO CLIMATE CHANGE - ISRO

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: A MILLENNIAL-SCALE CHRONICLE OF ORGANISM-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS RESULTING IN MICROEVOLUTIONARY PHYSIOLOGICAL AND GENOMIC SH

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EAGER: MAKER: STUDYING THE ROLE OF FAILURE IN DESIGN AND MAKING

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: NEOTOMA PALEOECOLOGY DATABASE, A MULTI-PROXY, INTERNATIONAL, COMMUNITY-CURATED DATA RESOURCE FOR GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH

USING DIATOMS AS BIOMONITORING TOOLS

J6067100008-GLRI MAPPING AND BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF SHORELINE ROCK POOLS IN THREE SUPERIOR NP

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD TO THE ST. CROIX WATERSHED RESEARCH STATION (SCWRS) IS TO FUND ANALYSIS OF WATER SAMPLES FOR NUTRIENT AND CHLOROPHYLL LEVELS AND IDENTIFY DIATOMS FROM LAKE SEDIMENT. ALL WATER AND SEDIMENT SAMPLES WILL BE COLLECTED BY THE GREAT LAKES INVENTORY AND MONITORING NETWORK (GLKN). SCWRS WILL DELIVER WATER QUALITY AND DIATOM DATA TO GLKN. GLKN AND SCWRS WILL COLLABORATE ON DATA ANALYSIS AND RELATE TRENDS IN THOSE PARAMETERS TO WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT TO AQUATIC LIFE, SUCH AS GAME FISH, IN NATIONAL PARK SERVICE LAKES AND RIVERS. BOTH PARK RESOURCE MANAGERS AND THE PUBLIC WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS WORK BY UNDERSTANDING THE OVERALL HEALTH OF THE LAKES AND RIVERS, AND THE BIOTA (E.G., GAME FISH) THAT RESIDE IN THEM, AND AS WELL AS THE ABILITY SUPPORT PUBLIC USES SUCH AS DRINKING WATER, FISHING, AND OVERALL AESTHETICS.

RAPID: RARE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY ANCIENT CROCODYLIAN SOCIAL DYNAMICS IN EXTINCT ECOSYSTEM (18 MYA) FROM AT-RISK FOSSIL SITE (RUSINGA, KENYA) -CROCODILIAN SOCIAL DYNAMICS IS A NEW AREA OF STUDY WITHIN MODERN ECOSYSTEMS, AND HAS NOT BEEN STUDIED IN DEPTH IN THE FOSSIL RECORD. AN IDEAL SITE TO TEST FOR DIFFERENCES IN SOCIAL AGGRESSION AND CANNIBALISTIC CONSUMPTION EXISTS AT A CROCODILIAN-DOMINATED FOSSIL ASSEMBLAGE IN KENYA. THE SITE IS CURRENTLY AT HIGH RISK OF DESTRUCTION DUE TO AN INCREASED NEED FOR RESIDENTIAL HOUSING. MOREOVER, NO ONE IN THE REGION (OR IN KENYA BROADLY), HAS THE EXPERTISE, FINANCIAL MEANS, OR AVAILABILITY TO CONDUCT THIS WORK. THE TEAM WILL CAREFULLY EXCAVATE AND DOCUMENT THESE FOSSILS, RECORD AND MEASURE SIGNS OF INTERSPECIES AGGRESSION, AND TRANSPORT THEM TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUMS OF KENYA WHERE THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. THE ON-SITE TEAM WILL INCLUDE TWO SPECIALISTS FROM THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS WORKERS FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. DURING THE EXCAVATION, THE TEAM WILL ALSO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS OF THE VALUE OF THESE FOSSILS TO SCIENTIFIC LEARNING. THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE TO RECOVER FOSSIL SPECIMENS FROM THE SITE, WITH ALL NECESSARY STRATIGRAPHIC AND POSITIONAL CONTEXT. AS EACH FOSSIL IS REMOVED, THE TEAM WILL TAKE PHOTOS THAT WILL BE LATER USED TO MAKE A 3D PHOTOGRAMMETRIC MODEL. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO EVALUATE EACH BONE FOR TRACES OF INTERSPECIES AGGRESSION, RECORDING SIZE, DEPTH AND POSITION. GATHERING THESE DATA WILL IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PERVASIVENESS OF SOCIAL AGGRESSION IN THIS ANCIENT COMMUNITY, THE EXTENT TO WHICH CANNIBALISM PLAYED A ROLE AND HOW THIS MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ECOSYSTEM. THIS STUDY WILL BE PUBLISHED IN PEER-REVIEWED LITERATURE AND PRESENTED AT SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES IN ADDITION TO BEING SHARED THROUGH OUTREACH. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

J2105100003 - USING DIATOMS AS A BIOMONITORING TOOL

CONSERVATION PROGRAM

DETERMINE SPECIFICALLY IF MERCURY LEVELS WITHIN SEDIMENTS AND AQUATIC ORGANISMS ARE AT A LEVEL THAT

COLLECT AND ANALYZE SEDIMENT CORES FROM THE NAMEKAGON RIVER, P14AC00620, $11,000

2016 ST. CROIX RIVER MONITORING PLAN UPDATE

SMM VISITOR CENTER MODIFICATION, $8K

PRACTITIONER-DRIVEN SYNTHESIS OF MUSEUM FAMILY LEARNING CONVERSATIONS RESEARCH -THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA (SMM), IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA (UMN) AND BAKKEN MUSEUM, IS CONDUCTING A PRACTITIONER-DRIVEN SYNTHESIS OF MUSEUM FAMILY LEARNING CONVERSATIONS (FLC) RESEARCH. THE PROJECT TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES RESEARCHERS, LIBRARIANS, MUSEUM EDUCATORS, AND EXPERIENCE DESIGNERS, AIMS TO BRIDGE RESEARCH AND PRACTITIONER KNOWLEDGES TO PRODUCE BIDIRECTIONAL INSIGHTS FOR THE FUTURE OF MUSEUM DESIGN AND MUSEUM-BASED LEARNING RESEARCH. THE RESEARCH INVOLVES GATHERING, SCOPING, AND SYNTHESIZING 25 YEARS OF RESEARCH AND EVALUATION ON FAMILY LEARNING CONVERSATIONS CONDUCTED IN MUSEUM SETTINGS, AND FORMALLY INCORPORATING PRACTITIONER-GENERATED KNOWLEDGE TO SPARK THE NEXT GENERATION OF DESIGN AND RESEARCH ON FAMILY LEARNING IN MUSEUMS. THIS PROJECT IS STRUCTURED DIFFERENTLY THAN A TRADITIONAL SYNTHESIS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE BROADEST IMPACTS. MUSEUM PRACTITIONERS DRIVE THE SYNTHESIS, CONTRIBUTING THEIR OWN PRACTICE-BASED KNOWLEDGE, QUESTIONS, AND CRITICAL COMMENTARY TO EACH PART OF THE SYNTHESIS WORK. FOR PRACTITIONERS, LITERATURE SYNTHESES THAT IDENTIFY HOW THEIR EXISTING IDEAS RELATE TO RESEARCH FINDINGS PROVIDE ECOLOGICALLY GROUNDED AND ACCESSIBLE INSIGHTS FOR DESIGN. FOR RESEARCHERS, UNDERSTANDING HOW PRACTITIONERS IDENTIFY LEARNING OR VALUABLE INTERACTIONS DISTINCT FROM WHAT HAS BEEN VALUED IN FLC RESEARCH HISTORICALLY PROVIDES FERTILE GROUND FOR INNOVATION IN RESEARCH METHODS AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS. BY BRINGING RESEARCHERS WITH EXPERTISE IN INFORMAL LEARNING, VIDEO-BASED DISCOURSE ANALYSIS, AND EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS INTO COLLABORATION WITH MUSEUM EDUCATORS, DESIGNERS, AND EVALUATORS FROM INSTITUTIONS OF VARYING SIZE AND EMPHASES, THE PROJECT IS SYNTHESIZING RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE KNOWLEDGE THAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY PRACTITIONER-DRIVEN, MAKING KNOWLEDGE IN INFORMAL LEARNING RESEARCH MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PRACTITIONERS, AND GENERATING NEW QUESTIONS AND INSIGHTS FOR FURTHER PRACTICAL AND RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT. THIS WORK CONTRIBUTES DIRECTLY TO ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE THROUGH SYNTHESIS OF 25 YEARS OF MUSEUM FAMILY LEARNING CONVERSATIONS RESEARCH IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO MUSEUM PRACTITIONERS, WHILE ATTENDING TO HOW SHIFTING VALUES IN MUSEUM EDUCATION HAVE SHAPED PRIOR RESEARCH AND REQUIRE NEW DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE WORK. USING BOTH RIGOROUS LITERATURE SYNTHESIS PROCESSES AND ONGOING COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH A COHORT OF MUSEUM EDUCATORS, DESIGNERS, AND EVALUATORS, THE PROJECT IS REACTIVATING THIS LITERATURE AND RESEARCH APPROACH, PROVIDING PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR RESEARCH DESIGN BASED IN INTERTWINED RESEARCH AND PRACTITIONER KNOWLEDGES AND CHARTING A NEW VISION FORWARD FOR MUSEUM FAMILY LEARNING RESEARCH. THE WORK INVOLVES FIRST DESCRIBING THE EXISTING KNOWLEDGE OF RESEARCH AND PRACTITIONERS REGARDING DESIGN FOR FLC AND THEN GENERATING A FOCUSED MIXED METHODS META-SYNTHESIS ON A PRACTITIONER-PRIORITIZED LINE-OF-RESEARCH. THE PROJECT TEAM IS ALSO ENGAGING IN A CRITICAL REFLECTION ON RESEARCH METHODS USED IN FLC RESEARCH AND IDENTIFYING UNDERLYING VALUES SHAPING CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND NEW AVENUES OF INVESTIGATION TO FURTHER KNOWLEDGE GENERATION. THROUGH TARGETED DISSEMINATION TO MUSEUM PRACTITIONER AND MUSEUM FAMILY LEARNING RESEARCHERS, THE PROJECT AIMS TO CREATE BI-DIRECTIONAL LEARNING AND TO MAKE THE WEALTH OF FLC RESEARCH MORE ACCESSIBLE AND INTERPRETABLE THROUGH A RIGOROUS SYNTHESIS THAT CENTERS THE VALUES AND PRIORITIES OF MUSEUM PRACTITIONERS AT EVERY STAGE OF THE WORK. THIS INTEGRATING RESEARCH AND PRACTICE PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE ADVANCING INFORMAL STEM LEARNING (AISL) PROGRAM, WHICH SEEKS TO ADVANCE NEW APPROACHES TO, AND EVIDENCE-BASED UNDERSTANDING OF, THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF STEM LEARNING IN INFORMAL ENVIRONMENTS. THIS INCLUDES PROVIDING MULTIPLE PATHWAYS FOR BROADENING ACCESS TO AND ENGAGEMENT IN STEM LEARNING EXPERIENCES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.