BROADER IMPACTS — PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

The following list is intended to assist University of Minnesota researchers develop public interaction with their research projects. If you are interested in including one of these projects in your research grant, please contact Peggy Korsmo-Kennon, Head of Public Programs.

Overview of Broader Impacts Project Demands

Café Scientifique
At Café Scientifique your research takes center stage. The museum's popular forum for science and culture showcases current research in a unique public venue, attracting young adult audiences and encouraging informal dialogue. We will work with you to design, schedule and market a talk that suits a particular audience and location.

Field Trip
Your field site and lab may seem mundane to you after having spent months and years on your project. But the public is intrigued by seeing research "in action" and would prefer to talk with you about your research in a real research setting. These trips can be for adult life-long learners or for families with kids depending on your research and research location. This can be a great way to introduce younger kids (accompanied by adults) to science as a career.

K-12 Curricula
Teachers are interested in bringing objects and activities that support the graduation standards into their classrooms. Bell Museum staff can develop a curriculum that captures one or two key points from your research and makes them accessible to this audience. One advantage of curriculum development is that the product is potentially useful for many years.

K-12 School Presentation
Science careers have very low visibility in the general public. Visiting a school to talk about what you do can be a great way of introducing kids, and teachers, to your science. If you haven't spoken to a group of elementary, middle school, or high school students before, we can work with you to develop an effective presentation.

K-12 School Project
Getting students involved in actually doing science is a high priority for teachers and yet it is difficult to find activities that are interesting to students and are more than mere cookbook exercises. Bell Museum staff can work with you to design a project that can be carried out by a class or entire school.

National Traveling Exhibition
If your research is not constrained in its impact to Minnesota, then you might consider a traveling exhibition. Exhibits have the potential to reach hundreds of thousands of museum goers. Bell Museum staff can produce an exhibit that could be displayed initially on campus and then could be installed on a temporary basis at museums around the country. Depending on topic and exhibit size, exhibits could travel the country for several years.

On-Campus Multimedia Interactive Kiosk
Web pages can communicate a tremendous amount of information but in the end they are entirely virtual experiences. Some research isn't appreciated unless the public can also see real objects. The interactive kiosk approach combines the strength of a web site with the strength of a museum that can display physical objects (specimens, equipment, etc...).

On-Campus Temporary Exhibition
A temporary exhibit at the Bell Museum ensures that large numbers of people see your research. We can also arrange for a temporary exhibit to be installed at the State Fair. Bell Museum staff can work with you to develop an exhibit that has great content but that is also accessible to the public.

Public Presentation
An illustrated talk, especially when it involves interesting forms of life or exotic places, can be a great way to introduce the public to your research. We can work with you to design, schedule and market a public presentation. If you are uncertain how to present your research to a lay audience, we can help you in this regard as well.

Publication For Lay Audience
The museum's quarterly newsletter (Imprint) reaches a diverse public audience and can be an excellent vehicle for communicating the results of your research. Articles are written by science writers for a general audience and must fit the publication's editorial focus.

Teacher Training Workshop
K-12 Teachers are always on the look-out for professional development opportunities that help them improve their content knowledge. While they really appreciate receiving content knowledge from the University's research faculty, there is concern about whether faculty will talk "over their heads." Bell Museum educators can work with you to design an effective teacher training workshop.

Website With Online Exhibit
Developing a web presence for your research is one of the easiest things to do to broaden the impact of your work. However, if your intended audience is the general public, it is helpful to work with someone who knows that audience well and who knows how to communicate with them properly. Bell Museum educators can help write short informative pages that communicate your research in a clear and concise manner or produce online games that convey important concepts in an interactive context.