360°: See It All! (الصورة كاملة) is the theme of NAMES 2018. It is a call to look at work in science centers and museums from all angles, functions, and contexts, to be contemporary to where the world is now while we create, connect, and commit.
Indeed, the role of science centers and museums is to communicate and connect. We communicate science and connect people through knowledge and awareness; a feat that requires us to create contemporary, relevant, and empowering content. Science communication professionals are expected to set an example of scientific, critical, and sustainable thinking; of professional performance and service; and thus, of holistic assessment and approach to managing and developing institutions.
Subtheme 1: Content – Creating Shared Experiences
- Creating content with the right context for the right audience.
- Taking your content outside your boundaries—no one is left out.
- Does your content keep up.
- Share what you tinker.
- How does your exhibit hall reinvent itself?
- How much content do you need?
Subtheme 2: Connections – Creating links
- Do your connections link to your mission and vision; are you following the same path with your staff and not only your audiences?
- You are only as strong as your weakest link; an approach focused on team building, human resources development, productive organizational structures.
- How do we build these links inside our institution, amongst our team members, and why are such internal links vital for building external ones?
- How do you connect with your audiences?
- Museums and advocacy; make your story heard and mobilize policy makers.
- Cross-industry collaborations and partnerships; how to buy years through working with other industries to improve on your processes, tools, and revenues.
Subtheme 3: Commitment – Creating your sustainability
- How do we foster commitment towards our community?
- Why does internal commitment attract social commitment?
- Keeping the right people onboard; how to foster relationships?
- What makes you sustainable?
- You are here to stay; deal with it.
- Lessons learned the hard way; let’s confess.
- Kick start your project and keep it running.
- Scaling up or down; learn from business experts.