Strategy and Development

In five short years science capital went from a nascent theoretical idea to an established concept and is now in the process of becoming a practical tool in the science engagement community, as its many mentions in sessions related to learning and inclusion at the recent Ecsite annual Conference showed. Spokes wanted to hear what it actually means to use science capital to underpin daily science engagement practice and sought out four teams and organisations bridging theory and practice.

You’ve probably heard the term ‘science capital’. You’ve possibly talked about it. Maybe you have attended sessions on science capital at previous Ecsite conferences. But what does it really mean? What does it not mean? And why might it be useful for informal science learning settings such as museums and science centres?

What is the situation today, when all museums are closed to visitors but remain accessible virtually? Is this online existence enough for them to be performed, in Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett’s understanding of the concept? The former Director of the Musée des Arts et Métiers discusses ways in which museums must perform in a rapidly-changing and unforeseen environment.

While strategic planning is a well codified process and there are countless resources available to prepare, develop and monitor strategic processes, it is definitely more difficult to define organisational culture. And yet, the culture of an organisation is often one of the first things we pick up when we visit a place or meet their staff. Culture is increasingly what makes or breaks an organisation.

Almost all public-receiving organizations charge their visitors at some point; but how do we know when the price is right? Earned income from visitors is an area where many mistakes are made, resulting in significant missed opportunities. Getting it right is nothing less than a combination of art and science; mastering it brings several benefits to the whole organization beyond income.

What could possibly go wrong with a science museum that gets more visitors year after year? It is a problem most museums would very much like to have, a goal to which they devote a lot of effort. But overcrowding, even if only on peak days, can be a 'dis-satisfier' for your public and undermine your attractiveness in the long run.

To secure the health of humanity and our planet, over the next 10 years, we must all deliver lasting, systemic change that addresses some of the biggest planetary and societal issues of our time.

The COVID-19 pandemic has stymied many aspects of our lives; it has changed the fabric of our communities. As the curtains begin to lift we will see how things have changed and maybe how things ought to change in the future. In the world of education—formal and non-formal—the pandemic has highlighted new possibilities for us and is pressing us to look inward and think about the changes we can make to support future generations acquire the skills they need in this technologically evolving world.

Young people around the world are manifesting a serious concern for the lack of global action in addressing the climate crisis. Over the past few years, we have also seen that many science centers and museums are becoming increasingly vocal about the climate crisis. For many institutions, navigating through these issues can be difficult. The purpose of this article is to help us understand what is really at stake and what the roles are that science centers can play in addressing the climate crisis.

A look back at what science engagement professionals did during the lockdown, to what sometimes were forced to take action upon, or to what they have learned; but also a look ahead trying to think of what they would take from this experience, cherish and exploit to make their field better, stronger, more open to accommodate, an inevitable, change.