Skip Navigation LinksHome :: Speakers :: Speaker Details

Speaker Details

Per-Edvin Persson
peredvinperssonconsulting
Country: Finland

Biography:

Professor, Dr. Per-Edvin Persson, was Director of the Federation of Finnish Scientific Societies, in 1983-87, Director of Science at Heureka, the Finnish Science Centre 1987-91, and Director of Heureka in 1991-2013. Professor Persson was President of the Nordic Science Centre Association 1987-1991, President of the European Science Centre network ECSITE (Brussels) 1997-1998 and President of the international branch organisation Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), based in Washington, D.C., in 2004-2005. He served on the ECSITE Board 1991-2001, and again in 2007-2013. He served on the ASTC Board in 1993-2007. He served as Chairman of the First Science Centre World Congress in Finland in 1996. He served on the Programme Committee of subsequent World Congresses. Under his leadership, Heureka, the Finnish Science Centre developed into a science centre of international renown. Professor Persson is ASTC Fellow for Outstanding Contribution, Ecsite Honorary Member and Recipient of the ASPAC President’s Award.

Status: Confirmed

Papers/Presentations

Impact: Science Centres Influence Learning, Local Prosperity And Social Development

Learning should be regarded as a personally constructed, highly idiosyncratic, lifelong process of making meaning. A review of the published scholarly and professional literature on science centres strongly indicates that they enhance interest in science, affect attitudes towards science and technology positively, increase confidence in science, influence career choices by young people and strengthen science learning and motivation to learn science. Science centre visits may result in life-long memories, indicating a strong personal impact on visitors.

The results of an international study on the impact of science centres in 2012-2013, including 17 centres in 13 countries, with interviews of almost 14 000 persons, support the contention that individuals who use science centres were significantly more likely to be science and technology literate and engaged citizens. The study shows clear correlations between science centre visits and, inter alia, science and technology knowledge and understanding.

Download File: