A CALL FOR PROPOSALS
ASTC Annual Conference
"Science Centers and Communities"
Reuben H. Fleet Space
Theater and Science Center
October 14-17, 1995
In an increasingly pluralistic society,
science centers are rethinking their
relationship to the communities they serve.
What is the nature of our responsibility
to the public? How do we define our
communities -- local, national, global? How
do we articulate and demonstrate the value of
science centers to the public that in large
measure supports them? How do we reach out to
include and welcome segments of the community
that have been traditionally underrepresented
in science centers?
At the 1995 ASTC Annual Conference in San
Diego, we will come together to examine these
questions, and their implications for all
areas of museum practice:
What role do science centers play as learning
communities where educational innovation is
nurtured?
In what ways can science centers make unique
contributions to a nation's -- and a
community's -- infrastructure and
science culture?
How do we recruit, train, and retain a
workforce reflective of the communities we
seek to serve?
How do we ensure that our exhibits and
programs are inviting and relevant to a broad
spectrum of the community?
What is the science center's obligation to
serve as a forum for educating the community
about current and controversial issues like
AIDS and global warming?
How can science centers become vehicles for
public access to the information superhighway?
How can we build a collective image for
science centers that will assure a continued
broad base of community support?
How do we measure the impact that science
centers have on their communities?
The 1995 ASTC annual conference will be hosted
by the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater and
Science Center in San Diego, California. The
Space Theater and Science Center will be
undergoing the last stages of construction of
their expanded facility in Balboa Park, right
in the heart of downtown San Diego. It will
be an exciting time for the Space Theater
and Science Center, and a great opportunity to
see expansion in the works first hand -- an
expansion that has happened only with the help
and support of the San Diego community.
Successful sessions will:
-relate to the conference theme;
-encompass more than one point of view on an
issue, or more than one approach to a
problem;
-include speakers and/or discussion
facilitators from more than one institution,
ideally including institutions diverse in
size and geographical location;
-include as session leader a science center
professional currently working in the field;
-use representatives of commercial firms
sparingly, with at least an equal number of
speakers from other organizations;
-target a specific segment of the conference
attendees;
-be sensitive to gender equity and cultural
diversity in the content of the session and
the makeup of the panel; and
-engage attendees in a spirited exchange of
ideas.
"Science Centers and Communities"
ASTC Annual Conference
*** Session Proposal ***
Reuben H. Fleet Space
Theater and Science Center
October 14-17, 1995
Please print or type.
1) Session Title:
______________________________________________
2) Description of session: How does the
session relate to the conference's overall
theme?
3) List the main points of your session.
4) Participants in this session will come away
with . . .
5) Presenters/Panelists:
Names, titles, and institutions and major
contribution.
Confirmed Tentative
[ ] [ ]
[ ] [ ]
[ ] [ ]
Important note: Presenters are not paid for
conference participation.
6) Audience: Check one category that best
describes your primary audience.
.[ ] Administration/Finance
.[ ] Philosophy/Mission
.[ ] Development
.[ ] Planetarium/Theater
.[ ] Exhibits
.[ ] Programs/Education
.[ ] General
.[ ] Research and Evaluation
.[ ] Human Resources/Volunteers
.[ ] Visitor Services
.[ ] Marketing/Public Relations
.[ ] Other
[ ] __________________________(specify)
7) What kind of presentation format will you
use to facilitate this session?
.[ ] Panel (1 hour and 15 minutes)
.[ ] Workshop (intensive educational
program)
.[ ] Roundtable (guided discussion of
specific issues of common concern)
.[ ] Showcase (informal table-top
presentation of projects/programs)
.[ ] Guest speaker
.[ ] Other (please describe)
8) Session Leader's Name:
______________________________________________
Title:________________________________________
______________________________________________
Institution:__________________________________
______________________________________________
Address:______________________________________
______________________________________________
City/State/Zip:_______________________________
______________________________________________
Telephone:(_____)_____________________________
Fax:(_____)___________________________________
Submitted by:_________________________________
Telephone:(_____)_____________________________
Schedule:
December 15, 1994 - Deadline for proposals
February 28, 1995 - Acceptance notices mailed
by ASTC
March 17, 1995 - Deadline for revised
session narratives and
confirmed panelists
Mail to:
Association of Science-Technology Centers
1025 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20005-3516
202/783-7200
-------------------------------------------
[Posted to Museum-L on 12/9/94 by:
--Todd Happer
Information Services & Publications
Association of Science-Technology Centers
(ASTC)
Voice--202/783-7200
Fax--202/783-7207
Fax to OCR computer--202/783-6523
[log in to unmask]
America Online--THaps
CompuServe--74531,13
ASTC Online--74531,13]
|