Draft:National Informal STEM Education Network (NISE Network)

The National Informal STEM Education Network (NISE Network) is an informal learning community that includes museum professionals at science centers, science museums, children's museums, planetarium, university science outreach programs, as well as scientists and other subject matter experts, who are dedicated to supporting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in communities all across the United States.^[1] The NISE Network is based out of Arizona State University (ASU), School for the Future of Innovation in Society (SFIS), Center for Innovation in Informal STEM Learning (CIISL).^[2]

History

Formally known as the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network, the NISE Network began in 2005 and was originally focused on nanoscale science and nanotechnology education.^[3]

Description

The NISE Network creates educational materials for public engagement (hands-on activities, exhibitions, forums, games, media, apps, etc.) and supporting professional development resources (training videos, how to guides, tips and tricks sheets, etc.) for educators using these materials with their audiences.^[4] NISE Network resources are available through a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike License.^[5] Educational hands-on activities are designed to be adapted by partners for a variety of audiences and settings. Digital files for educational materials are free to download from the nisenet.org site, and most physical supplies necessary for hands-on activities are easy to find.^[6]

The NISE Network's goal is to "bring people together to engage in STEM, understand our world, and build a better future for everyone."^[7] The NISE Network strives to provide informal educators with tools to expand their knowledge and confidence around engaging audiences in STEM topics and emerging technology.^[8]

Projects

NISE Network projects cover a variety of STEM topics, with support from multiple funders.

• The National Science Foundation under award numbers:
  • Nanoscale Informal Science Education Project: 0532536^[9] and 0940143^[10]
  • Building with Biology Project: DRL 1421179^[11]
  • Frankenstein200 Project: DRL-1516684^[12]
  • ChemAttitudes Project: DRL 1612482^[13][14][15]
  • Making Waves with Radio Project: DRL 2053160^[16]
• NASA under cooperative agreement award numbers:
  • Space and Earth Informal STEM Education (SEISE): NNX16AC67A and 80NSSC18M0061^[17]
  • Moon and Beyond Project (Moon Adventure Game): 80NSSC18K1219^[18][19]
  • Voyage through the Solar System Project: 80NSSC21M0082^[20]
  • STEM Learning Ecosystems Project: 80NSSC21M0007^[21]
  • Build a Mars Habitat Project: 80NSSC20M0030^[22]
• The Rob and Melani Walton Foundation as part of Arizona State University's Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability in Science and Technology Museums initiative, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services under grant number:
  • Sustainable Futures Projects: MG-245910-OMS-20^[23]
• NOAA under award number:
  • Citizen Science, Civics, and Resilient Communities (CSCRC): NA18SEC0080008^[24][25]
• Institute of Museum and Library Services number:
  • Howtosmile.org At-Home Activities: CAGML-246996-OMLS-20^[26]
• The Kavli Foundation and the Dana Foundation:
  • Changing Brains Project^[27][28][29]

Exhibitions

The NISE Network has created multiple exhibitions:

• Mission Future: Arizona 2045 at Arizona Science Center^[30]
• Sun, Earth, Universe: 52 identical copies distributed to museums and planetariums nation-wide, produced by the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM), created in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)^{[31][32][33][34][35]}
• Build a Human Habitat on Mars: 52 identical copies to be paired with the Sun, Earth, Universe exhibition and distributed to museums and planetariums nation-wide, produced by the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM), created in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)^[36]
• Nano: 93 identical copies produced by the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM), created in collaboration with the National Science Foundation^[37]

References

External links

• Official website