Gardeners visit this site and report what varieties perform well - and not so well - in their gardens. Other gardeners visit to view the variety ratings and read the reviews to decide which might work well for them. The VVfG citizen science project also provides an opportunity for researchers to involve knowledgeable, motivated citizens in meaningful scientific research. Research on the performance of vegetable varieties is often limited to commercial production in part, because visiting thousands of home gardens to collect data would be an overwhelming task.
BirdSleuth is an inquiry-based science curriculum that engages kids in scientific study and real data collection through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's citizen science projects. Each BirdSleuth module encourages students do what “real” scientists do: ask questions, collect data, look for patterns and evidence, test ideas, draw conclusions, and share results. Each module scaffolds one or more citizen science projects, and includes lesson plans, student journals, a reference guide, and a resource kit containing such tools as Focus Cards, CD-ROMs or DVDs, books, and full-color posters.
The Raptor Population Index Project (RPI) uses migration counts collected by citizen scientists and professional biologists to monitor population trends of vultures, hawks, falcons, and other birds of prey. RPI generates indices of annual abundance, generates status assessments, and makes information available to the general public, wildlife conservation agencies, and the scientific community.
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Ernesto InzunzaHawk Watch InternationalHawk Mountain SanctuaryBird Studies Canada
In this article, Mariana Galvani, Commercial Manager at Laboratorio museotecnico Goppion, describes how a defining project for this "Italian-centric" company: construction of the display elements for the British Galleries at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. This job was complex and exposed the firm to a new level of cultural debate about the role of museums and a philosophy of work that it had never experienced before.
In this article, Richard Faron, independent museum consultant, discusses how the act of musuem building can unite communities and the government. Faron uses Iraq as an "imaginary case study" to investigate how museums can strengthen Iraqi identity and pride.
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Richard FaronNational Association of Museum Exhibition
In this article, John Russick, Curator at the Chicago Historical Society, shares his adventurous experience participating in an archeological dig at a remote site in central Turkey. The experience taught Russick four important lessons related to exhibit development and foreign travel.
In this article, Janet Petitpas, assistant director at the Bay Area Discovery Museum and President of the Youth Museum Exhibit Collaborative, discusses how the group of North American children's museums share and manage traveling exhibits between the United States and Canada. Petitpas addresses the challenges associated with international exhibitions and offers suggestions based on her experiences.
In this article, Audrey O'Connell, Head of International Business Development at The Natural History Museum, London, describes the CASTEX Project, a collaboration of five European natural history museums who developed a set of guidelines to help museums produce and distribute natural history exhibits. O'Connell addresses the challenges and successes associated with this project.
In this article, Robin Groesbeck, Traveling & Temporary Exhibitions Director at The Field Museum, Chicago, details the complex process of examining and packing the objects for "Splendors of China's Forbidden City: The Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong," the largest exhibit ever to leave the Forbidden City. The project was in collaboration with The Palace Museum, Beijing.
This article was derived from an AAM panel session of the same title at the 2003 Annual Meeting. The session, chaired by John Chiodo, Director of Design at Academy Studios, included observations by three international museum professionals: Silvia Singer, Director, Espacio Centrale Educativo Betlemitas, Mexico City, Mexico; Tim Walker, Director, The Dowse Museum, The Hutt, New Zealand; and Chris Cawte, Managing Director, MET Studio Design LTD, London, England. The speakers argue that American musuems need to be more willing to implement alternative interpretive techniques.
In this article, Maria Piacente, Principal at Exhibition Studio for LORD Cultural Resources, draws on experience in Asia and Continental Europe to reveal that audience development and visitor research is less common than in the US, Canada, and UK. Some projects at small museums in Asia, however, reveal that a few are taking strides to engage their audiences and work with local communities to meet their needs.
In this article, Sean Duran, Director of Exhibits at the Miami Museum of Science, examines how the institution serves a multicultural audience and helps bridge cultural boundaries. As an example, Duran discusses how the "Amazon Voyage: Vicious Fishes and Other Riches" exhibit will serve this international audience.