Making science museums more dynamic, beneficial

Are science and natural history museums warehouses filled with insignificant artifacts, or vital educational centers that shed light on critical contemporary issues? Join experts from some of the world’s greatest cultural institutions as they discuss new ways to make museums more relevant and beneficial to society.

WHO:

- Jose Sarukhan, Mexico’s Commissioner for Human Development
(Keynote speaker; pioneering scientist, author and internationally recognized biodiversity expert)

- John McCarter, President and CEO, Chicago’s Field Museum

- Laureen Ong, President, National Geographic Channel, which was launched in January

- George Rabb, Director, Brookfield Zoo

- Brian Boom, President, Association of Systematics Collections

Plus, almost 80 other experts from museums, universities and institutions, including American Museum of Natural History, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Conservation International, Harvard and Yale Universities, MacArthur Foundation, Milwaukee Public Museum, Missouri Botanical Garden, Morton Arboretum, and Smithsonian Institution.

Representatives from institutions in Australia, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands and United Kingdom will also speak.

WHAT: Conference organized by the Association Systematics Collections, a nonprofit that supports natural science collections, the institutions that house them, and their research activities

WHEN: Friday, June 8, 8:00–5:30; and Saturday, June 9, 8:30–3:30.

WHERE: Chicago. Sears Tower Conference Center, June 8; The Field Museum, June 9

A SAMPLING OF SESSIONS:

* Using Plants Collected By Lewis and Clark as Ancient Weather Stations
* Examining Genetic Variability in An Endangered Dragonfly Using Museum Collections
* Inside Out: Bringing Research and Collections to the Public
* Monitoring the Health of Marine Habitats Using Marine Worms
* Please Touch! An Interactive Approach to Collection Programming
* Handheld Computing at The Field Museum

Media contact: Greg Borzo 312-665-7106
For the full program, visit www.ascoll.org.