Carnegie Mellon University is developing an interactive, multimedia planetarium presentation about the human brain. The interdisciplinary project team will build upon and refine the experience gained from its recently completed planetarium show, Journey Into the Living Cell. The context for this work is the need for increased public understanding of the human brain - an organ central to the very concept of humanity. The understanding of the human brain is located at the lively crossroads of research in many disciplines, including psychiatry, psychology, neuroscience, computer science and biology. The proposed medium to address this important issue is a 45-minute planetarium show. A broad audience ranging from pre-adolescent to adult will be targeted. Sophisticated and entertaining imaging technologies, including animation and virtual reality, will be used throughout the work. Narration and sound will be tightly integrated into the work. The hemispherical display surface of the planetarium will be fully utilized both visually and sonically. Recent advances in the brain sciences as well as long held understandings about the brain will be presented. Basic brain biology and principles of brain function including cooperativity in brain region activity and brain region specialization will be introduced.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
James McClellandPaul OlesBryan Rogers
The Austin Children's Museum will develop Sixteen Candles: Growing Up from 0 - 16. a 1500 sq. ft. interactive traveling exhibition the topic of human development. Visitors will be given the opportunity to learn about the physical, intellectual, and social/emotional changes that are connected with human growth and the branches of science that study human development. Guided by the museum's maxim of exhibit and program development that experience should "build on the familiar and be personally meaningful to varied audiences" this exhibit will have components and activities that highlight similarities and differences between families and children of different cultural and economic backgrounds and family life styles. The exhibit text material will be bilingual, Spanish and English. Complementary educational material will include teacher orientation materials, educator's guide book with pre-and post-visit activities, and various parent -child activities. Museum staff will cooperate with a PBS affiliate and various other community organizations in the development of this exhibit. The exhibit will travel to an additional eight to twelve sites around the country during a three-year period. It will open at the Austin Children's Museum in the spring of 1999.
David Grubin Production, Inc., in conjunction with Thirteen/WNET, is producing a multimedia project entitled, The Secret Life of the Brain. The project will examine new understandings into the processes of the human brain that have developed over the last decade. Through an exploration of the brain's normal development from conception through old age, the project conveys the most recent knowledge available. The series will enable audiences to appreciate the current revolution in neuroscience, understand how new technologies have enabled scientists to unearth a wealth of information, and learn how neuroscience research impacts the health and future well-being of the average person. The five one-hour programs in the series will explore the brain from conception through age two, childhood from age two through puberty, adolescence, adulthood, and normal aging process in older age. Educational outreach materials for use in informal and formal setting will include two separate sets of printed materials, one for adolescents and one for adults. A Secret Life of the Brain Web Site will include Brain Games, the Brain Quiz, and the Live Brain that present learning opportunities for adults and teens. The project Principal Investigator will be David Grubin who will serve as Executive Producer. Grubin previously was the producer of Healing and the Mind with Bill Moyers and the critically acclaimed biographies of Lyndon Johnson, Franklin Roosevelt, and Theodore Roosevelt. June Kinoshita, an internationally recognized science reporter and editor, will serve as the Series Science Editor. Lead advisors for each program will be Bruce McEwen, President-elect of the Society for Neuroscience and Professor at Rockefeller University (Program 1); Steve Petersen, Director, Division of Neuropsychology, Dept. of Neurology and Neurological Surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine (Program 2); Steven Hyman, Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (Programs 3 & 4); and Carl Cotman, Director for the Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia at the University of California, Irvine (Program 5). Robert Miller of WNET will be responsible for the educational materials to accompany The Secret Life of the Brain.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
David GrubinTamara RobinsonWilliam Grant
Soundprint Media Center is producing a series of 13 public radio documentaries entitled Exploring Space Science. The series will target a range of audiences: public radio listeners; listeners to radio reading services; visitors to planetariums, public libraries, and museums; teachers seeking additional information for core science subjects; and the parents and students who visit space science education centers. The programs will survey scientific inquiry into and from space. The series will include the architectures of the universe, the origins of the planets, global climate and atmospheric changes, and microgravity's effect on the human biomedical systems. A range of science will be covered including astrophysics, astronomy, planetary science, space policy, climatology and earth science, biomedical science, and the history of science.
The Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) requests a grant from the National Center for Research Resources through the SEPA program to develop and evaluate a model biomedical science education partnership program in collaboration with the University of Minnesota's Cancer Center, Medical School, School of Public Health, and College of Veterinary Medicine. The museum will work with 19 researchers at the University to develop a multifaceted exhibition and presentation program focusing on the importance of human tissues in biological development, function, and disease. The 1500-square-foot exhibition, to be located in SMM's new Human Body Gallery, will consist of an introduction to tissues and four topical exhibit clusters. Each topic was chosen because it tells a fascinating story of how the human body works and because it represents an important current NIH research focus in health and medicine. The exhibits will emphasize the importance of understanding how tissue function and viability leads to advances in detection, treatment, and curing different diseases. The exhibits closely support the National Science Education Standards Content Standards for Life Science for grades 5-9 (representing the majority of school field trip visitors to the museum.) A complimentary presentation/outreach program will involve NIH-supported researchers in three programs designed to increase public understanding of basic biomedical science, the causes and cures for disease, and the goals and achievements of biomedical research. A Visiting Scientists Program will feature scientists in the museum presenting programs and demonstrations related to their research interests. A Scientist Mentor Program will involve scientists closely with a diverse team of high-school aged youth to develop ongoing demonstrations and community outreach programs. A Dramatic Presentation will bring home to museum visitors the wider ethical and philosophical dimensions of tissue research.
This Phase I SEPA proposal supports a consortium of science and education partners that will develop System Dynamics (SD) computer models to illustrate basic health science concepts. The consortium includes Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU), Portland Public Schools (PPS), Saturday Academy, and the Portland VA Medical Center. SD is a computer modeling technique in which diagrams illustrate system structure and simulations illustrate system behavior. Desktop computers and commercial software packages allow SD to be applied with considerable success in K-12 education. NSF grants to Portland Public Schools have trained over 225 high school teachers in Portland and surrounding areas. Two magnet programs have been established with an emphasis on systems and at least five other schools offer significant systems curriculum. Major components of this project include (1) Annual summer research internships at OHSU for high school teachers and high school students, (2) Development of SD models relevant to each research project, (3) Ongoing interactions between high school science programs and OHSU research laboratories, (4) Development of curriculum materials to augment the use of the SD model in the high school classroom or laboratory setting, and (5) Development of video materials to support the classroom teacher. Content will focus on four fundamental models: linear input/exponential output, bi-molecular binding (association/dissociation), population dynamics, and homeostasis. Each of these models is very rich and may be extended to a broad variety of research problems. In addition these models may be combined, for example to illustrate the effect of drugs (binding model) on blood pressure (homeostasis model). System Dynamics is an exemplary tool for the development of materials consistent with National Science Education Standards. SD was specifically developed to emphasize interactions among system structure, organization, and behavior. Students use these material as part of inquiry-based science programs in which the teacher serves as a guide and facilitator rather than the primary source of all content information; technical writing by students is also encouraged. Finally, these SD materials will provide a coherent body of work to guide the ongoing professional development of the classroom science teacher.
The New York Hall of Science, partnering with biomedical researchers, educators and the Association of Science-Technology Centers, is planning to develop, test, (Phase I) and nationally disseminate (Phase II) a new exhibition titled Molecules and Health. This exhibition will engage middle and high-school students and the general public in inquiry-based learning on the role of molecules in health illness and prevention. The proposed project will be a national model for conveying the molecular basis for health-related sciences, which will be increasing central to research and public understanding in the coming decades. The exhibition will be based upon Marvelous Molecules-the Secret of Life, a permanent exhibition at the Hall of Science, and will include an extensive array of biomedical and health-related exhibits. We will develop pre- and post-visit materials for teachers' use, a family guide through the exhibition, and two Explainer-run demonstrations, as well as a web site to support classroom learning. This exhibition will travel to science centers within the United States through the Association of Science and Technology Centers touring program. We anticipate that 1,000,000 science museum visitors throughout the country will see the Molecules and Health exhibition during the four year dissemination phase. We will share the results of our evaluation and the process of developing this exhibition to the science education field.
KY-H.E.R.O.S. (Health Education Rural Outreach Scientists) is a health science education program that partners the largest science center in Kentucky with Science Heroes-- important regional biomedical research scientists. The Science Heroes, their stories and their studies serve as inspiration to our rural audience. The project objectives are to: (1) Convey the relevance of health science research to people's daily lives and promote awareness of healthy lifestyle choices and wellness; (2) Promote understanding of the fundamental principles of the scientifc process and inspire K-12 teachers to incorporate current research into their teaching of health science; and (3) Encourage students to pursue advanced science education and increase awareness of the wide range of health science related careers. The Science Center, working with the distinguished Science Heroes, their research teams and a group of 15 knowledgeable professional advisors will develop the new KY-H.E.R.O.S. science education program. The program will include new hands-on labs and demonstrations, teacher training workshops, career exploration activities, interactive videoconferencing distance learning links, and innovative public programs. Using museum-based exhibits and a wet lab, traveling exhibit components, telelinking (distance learning), an interactive website and printed and electronic materials, we will present information about the work of the Science Heroes and its relevance to the lives of participants. The focus of the program will change every two years to feature three different scientists and their work. A total of nine scientists will be included during the 5 year period covered by the SEPA grant. As the focus changes every two years to a different three scientists, all the programs and exhibits will be changed accordingly. KY-H.E.R.O.S. will be designed to serve audiences composed of school groups on field trips; teachers in workshops; classes in remote areas of the state participatng through videoconferencing; underserved groups including economically disadvantaged, minorities and young women; and the family audience that makes up about 60% of the Science Center's annual attendance. Formative and summative evaluation will be conducted by an outside firm to ensure effectiveness.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Amy LowenBeth Blakeley
resourceprojectProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
Working in collaboration with biomedical researchers from universities in the San Francisco area, across the nation, and abroad, the Exploratorium proposes to develop a high-quality microscopic imaging station for use by museum visitors, students, teachers and Internet visitors. This facility will utilize the highest quality optics and state-of-the-art microscopic techniques including biological staining and sophisticated digital recording. A variety of living specimens fundamental to basic biology, human development, the human genome and health-related research will be displayed. The station will be the lively center of the life sciences' area at the Exploratorium, providing educational content, dramatic imagery and regular demonstrations to reach an audience which ranges from the mildly curious to research scientists. In addition, the Exploratorium will be the first public institution, outside of a few research laboratories, to present live microscopic specimens via video and the Internet in real time. (To date, remote microscopes have generally presented inanimate objects or fixed tissue.) In order to increase student accessibility, subject matter for the imaging station will be integrated into the ongoing middle and high school teacher professional development at the museum. Teachers will be able to use the imaging station to conduct their own experiments, develop classroom explorations, take away images, access the website in their classrooms, or share materials with other teachers.
The Maryland Science Center, in cooperation with the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions (JHMI) and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, developed and produced BodyLink, a unique health sciences update center. The group did so with support from the National Institutes of Health SEPA (Science Education Partnership Award) Program, BodyLink, which is modeled after the Maryland Science Center's praised SpaceLink space science update center, will make today's medical and health news clear and relevant for visitors, young and old. Science and technology centers have long struggled with ways to acquaint visitors with the latest and greatest discoveries in health and biomedical science, and to interpret the significance of these findings for all ages. Museums can no longer be content with presenting only basic science, and need to expand their role as public communicators of science by presenting cutting-edge research, and by interpreting and explaining this information for visitors. BodyLink is a 1,500-square foot multimedia center where visitors can discover and appreciate the wonders of cutting-edge medical research (basic research, as well as clinical research) through interactive exhibits, stunning imagery, and facilitated demonstrations in a multimedia driven programmable space. BodyLink also includes WetLab, an open-access microbiology laboratory facility that allows visitors to conduct scientific investigations using state-of-the art research technology. Visitors can extract DNA from wheat germ, test common anti-microbial products on live bacteria, and learn Gram staining techniques, among other activities. Bodying will further serve school groups, general museum visitors, and remote-learning participants through the interactive website. BodyLink also incorporates an internship program for graduate students from the Maryland Science Center's collaborating universities. These internships give the graduate students an opportunity to interact with the general public to enhance their scientific communication skills and give them first-hand experience with investigating public understanding of scientific research.
BioTrac will expand opportunities in biomedicine for low-income, first-generation college-bound high school students, increasing the number interested in, and prepared to enter, the biomedical research pipeline. Specific objectives are to: (1) Raise awareness of careers in biomedicine and provide students with real-world biomedical research experiences; (2) Increase awareness of requirements and opportunities for related post-secondary study; (3) Increase public understanding of the importance and diversity of biomedical research; and (4) Disseminate project outcomes. In collaboration with the University of Miami (UM) and Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), the Museum will design and implement a replicable model program exposing students to research on selected priority areas outlined in the Public Health Service's Healthy People 2000 agenda. The program will focus on areas with significant local research capacity, ties to local growth industries, and relevance to Miami-Dade's diverse communities. Students will investigate each area through hands-on lab activities, on-line research, site visits to research facilities, and through interactions with research scientists at UM's nationally renowned Jackson Memorial Medical Complex. Students will work in teams to conduct community-focused research on aspects of each priority area, using technology skills acquired as part of the program to document their research through digital video, PowerPoint presentations, and development of a BioTrac website. Students will present their research at annual symposia held at the Museum. They will also serve as science explainers in the Museum's galleries, interpreting biomedical-related exhibits to the general public. During the summer before 12th grade, students will attend residential programs at University of Florida and Florida A&M University, gaining exposure to post-secondary programs leading to careers in biomedical research. Students in 11th and 12th grade will also be encouraged to participate in M-DCPS's Advanced Academic Internship Program, gaining up to three honors credits for work in institutions engaged in biomedical research. Following 12th grade, prior to beginning college, students will be placed in an eight-week summer internships at UM labs engaged in a broad spectrum of biomedical research. The Museum will disseminate students' research experiences and project findings through an BioTrac web page, ASTC and Upward Bound conferences and networks, and Museum and UM publications.
The long-term goal is to broaden our model program that currently targets African-American populations in the national capital area. The aim of the program is to: a) educate junior and senior high students and elementary school teachers directly; and b) provide opportunities for exploration of health-related sciences for the public at large (via an interactive website) so that topics in the biomedical sciences become "friendly and familiar" rather than the existing stereotype that science is erudite, obtuse, and incomprehensible. Specific objectives: (A) Design hands-on experiences in science laboratories and opportunities to interact with scientists in the setting of a sophisticated research institute; especially target under-represented minorities, students from inner city schools and other local schools where science opportunities may be limited. This will include junior and high school students, elementary school teachers, as well as interactions with Children's Museum and other similar organizations. (B) Set up interactive web-based informatics to include: i) a system where high school students could refine the question they are posing for science projects by discussing it with a professional scientist; ii) a general "ask-the-expert" site for science and health issues; iii) a reference site containing the detailed experimental protocols for student experiments; and iv) an interactive resource to aid teachers throughout the U.S. to establish contacts with scientists. The goal of this project is to extend the reach of current health science programs that are targeted to females, African-American junior and senior high school students, and elementary school teachers, located in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The project includes laboratory apprenticeships, student mentoring, and an interactive website to help students and teachers establish contact with scientists nationwide.