Bimonthly magazine of the Association of Science-Technology Centers January • February 2015 A Meeting of Minds: Neuroscience in Science Centers Multimedia Experiences that open up new worlds Digital/Physical Interactive, Caguas Science Center Blue Telescope Studios uses technology, storytelling, and design to create engaging interactive exhibits and experiences. From multi-touch and mobile apps to games, quizzes, and social interactives, our innovative solutions use the latest technology to educate, communicate, and connect with your visitors. INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS IMMERSIVE MULTIMEDIA GAMES & SIMULATIONS ANIMATION & VIDEO 212-675-7702 MOBILE APPLICATIONS studios.blue-telescope.com EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES Multimedia Experiences January • February 2015 contents that open up new worlds features 24 Exploring the Wonders of the Brain and Mind By John H. Morrison 26 The Human Brain Project: A Role for Science Centers and Museums By David Horrigan 29 NSF and the BRAIN Initiative: A Multidisciplinary Approach In the Your Brain exhibition at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute, the Neural Climb simulates the dynamic, complex signaling By Lily Whiteman and Sarah Bates environment of the brain. Photo by Colin M. Lenton 32 50 What Museum Professionals Creating Accessible departments Can Learn from Neuroscience Opportunities at the 5 FROM THE CEO Research Intrepid Museum introducing ASTC’s new website By Kalie Sacco and Grace Troxel By Barbara Johnson Stemler Digital/Physical Interactive, Caguas Science Center 6 INBOX 36 54 feedback on ASTC 2014 How the Brain Became Roots and Reflections: Your Brain Engaging People Blue Telescope Studios uses technology, storytelling, and design to 7 SPOTLIGHTS By Jayatri Das with Dementia new exhibitions explore create engaging interactive exhibits and experiences. From multi-touch By Libby Rhoads sustainability in Puerto Rico, and mobile apps to games, quizzes, and social interactives, our 42 design in New York, and natural innovative solutions use the latest technology to educate, When Heureka Went Crazy forces in Oregon communicate, and connect with your visitors. By Heidi Rosenström 10 NOTES FROM ASTC 46 news from ASTC 2014 in Raleigh Brain Teasers 21 PEOPLE By Emma Cook, Holly Truitt, comings and goings INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS Erika C. Shugart, Fábio Gouveia, Paulo Colonese, Diego Vaz Bevilaqua, IMMERSIVE MULTIMEDIA 57 GRANTS AND AWARDS Laurie Kleinbaum Fink, Bhavleen Kaur, GAMES & SIMULATIONS Elizabeth Kong, Varda Gur Ben Shitrit, ANIMATION & VIDEO and Mary Olson 58 Q&A science communicator and brain 212-675-7702 MOBILE APPLICATIONS injury survivor James Piercy turns a studios.blue-telescope.com EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES tragedy into a teachable moment Cover: A neural network with an activated neuron illuminated. Image courtesy Ed Boyden and MIT McGovern Institute Dimensions January • February 2015 3 Volume 17, Number 1 OKS APBO GREA HE TES C T H IT S! EDITORIAL Featuring 30 “classics” from Volumes 1, 2, and 3 Anthony (Bud) Rock plus 10 all new cheap exhibit hits! EDITED BY: Paul Orselli PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Emily Schuster EDITOR Margaret Glass, Wendy Hancock, Larry H. Hoffer, Mary Mathias, Rowena Rae, Christine Ruffo, Kalie Sacco CONSULTING EDITORS Christine Ruffo SPECIAL!! PHOTO EDITOR The ASTC Exhibit Christopher Lotis COPY EDITOR Cheapbooks Bundles Red Velvet Creative Edited by Paul Orselli ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN ASTC (1995, 1999, 2004, 2014) BUSINESS AND ADVERTISING David Coutoumanos These collections of inexpensive exhibit SALES COORDINATOR ideas, now available in PDF format, have To advertise in Dimensions, contact David Coutoumanos, (202) 783-7200 x121, [email protected]. been extremely popular and are more afford- Alejandro Asin PUBLICATIONS ASSISTANT able than ever. Perfect for small museums and exhibit developers on a budget, each EDITORIAL ADVISORS volume provides construction tips and Ganigar Chen R.L. (Chip) Lindsey Erika C. Shugart National Science Museum, ScienceWorks Hands-on Museum, American Society for Microbiology, exhibit schematics for 30 time-tested Pathumthani, Thailand Ashland, Oregon, U.S.A. Washington, D.C., U.S.A. interactive exhibits. Jonah Cohen Rachel Meyer Julia Tagüeña The Children’s Museum, CuriOdyssey, Centro de Investigación en Energía, West Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A. San Mateo, California, U.S.A. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de You may also purchase The Cheapbook, México, Morelos, Mexico Ayman Elsayed Paul Orselli Cheapbook 2, Cheapbook 3, and the new Planetarium Science Center, Bibliotheca Paul Orselli Workshop (POW!), Harry White Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt Baldwin, New York, U.S.A. At-Bristol Science Centre, Cheapbooks Greatest Hits individually as elec- Bristol, England, U.K. tronic editions by visiting our website below. CONTRIBUTORS Alejandro Asin, Sharon Barry, Sarah Bates, Jamie Bell, Paulo Colonese, Emma Cook, Jayatri Das, Laurie Kleinbaum Fink, Order your PDF copies of the Cheapbooks Fábio Gouveia, Varda Gur Ben Shitrit, Larry H. Hoffer, David Horrigan, Carlin Hsueh, Jessica Jain, Barbara Johnson Stemler, Bhavleen Kaur, Elizabeth Kong, Mary Mathias, John H. Morrison, Jared Nielsen, Mary Olson, Libby Rhoads, to save big time on exhibits! Anthony (Bud) Rock, Heidi Rosenström, Kalie Sacco, Joelle Seligson, Erika C. Shugart, Walter Staveloz, Nancy Stueber, Grace Troxel, Holly Truitt, Diego Vaz Bevilaqua, Lily Whiteman Dimensions (ISSN 1528-820X) is published six times a year by the Association of Science-Technology Centers #169E Cheapbooks 1–3 Bundle Incorporated, 818 Connecticut Avenue NW, 7th Floor, Washington, DC 20006, U.S.A. Copyright © 2014 the Association of (PDF only) Science-Technology Centers Incorporated. All rights reserved. Dimensions is intended to keep member institutions apprised of trends, practices, innovations, perspectives, and news of ASTC members/students: $20 significance to the science center and museum field. Any paid staff member of an ASTC-member institution can request a Nonmembers: $28 free print or electronic subscription at members.astc.org. For nonmembers, print subscriptions are USD 60/USD 70 outside the U.S. (electronic: USD 35). For students, print subscriptions are USD 35/USD 45 outside the U.S. (electronic: USD 29). Students also receive a free subscription to the biweekly INFORMER enewsletter. Students must provide a copy of a valid #178 Cheapbooks Greatest Hits student ID. Subscribe at www.astc.org/pubs/dimensions.htm or send name, address, and payment in U.S. dollars to ASTC at the above address, Attn: Dimensions Subscriptions. For help, call (202) 783-7200 or email [email protected]. Dimensions is Super Bundle included in EBSCO Publishing’s products. ALTERNATE FORMATS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST. (includes all four Cheapbooks as Dimensions is printed on 30% post-consumer paper with environmentally friendly inks. By printing this issue on PDF copies) recycled paper, ASTC has saved the following resources: ASTC members/students: $38 1,230 gallons 136 pounds 268 pounds 2,050,965 BTUs wastewater solid waste net greenhouse energy Nonmembers: $45 flow saved not generated gases prevented not consumed www.astc.org/ Follow us on Twitter: @ScienceCenters (twitter.com/ScienceCenters), like our Visit Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ScienceCenters), and visit www.astc.org. publications for availability and to order. To submit ideas for features or departments, contact Emily Schuster, editor, (202) 783-7200 x130, [email protected]. To see the current editorial calendar, visit www.astc.org/pubs/dimensions/ DimensionsEditorialCalendar.pdf. Email letters to the editor to [email protected] (subject line: Inbox) or mail them to ASTC at the above address, Attn: Dimensions Inbox. Include your name, title, and institution. We reserve the right to edit letters for publication. From the CEO Z Introducing ASTC’s New Website I hope Dimensions readers around the world have already had the chance to visit ASTC’s new website (www.astc.org). We are extremely pleased with the new design and functionality of the site. It is organized to provide easy access to information, news, resource materials, and professional develop- ment opportunities. I encourage you to explore all the new website has to offer, including the following useful resources: • Visit the ASTC Community to join one or more of the nearly 350 conversations currently under- way among more than 2,300 museum profession- als from around the world in the General Forum, or discuss the latest issues in one of ASTC’s 20 Photo by Christopher Anderson Communities of Practice (community.astc.org). • Learn about ASTC member benefits (www. • Jump over to myASTC to read the latest issue of astc.org/membership/join-astc) and the Travel Dimensions, access the directory, or update your Passport Program (www.astc.org/membership/ subscriptions (members.astc.org). passport-program-guidelines). • Find out what ASTC is up to on our blog (www. • Take advantage of ASTC’s diverse professional astc.org/blog). development resources and opportunities (www. • Search for products and services in the ASTC astc.org/professional-development). Marketplace or list your own for others to find • Access ASTC’s 2014 Annual Conference pre- (www.astc.org/marketplace). sentations and get information on ASTC 2015, • Look through current job openings in the ASTC to be held October 17–20 in Montreal (www.astc. Job Bank (www.astc.org/job-bank). org/conference). • Check out all of ASTC’s publications, including • Learn about ASTC’s advocacy and public poli- Dimensions (www.astc.org/publications). cy efforts (www.astc.org/advocacy)