President’s Update, May

How has your science engagement activity adapted in the last couple of months?

 

For me personally it’s been quite an experience, moving from working in a hands-on, interactive museum which closed to the public two months ago to pulling together and launching our first online exhibition LIFE INTERRUPTED, in the space of a week.  We’re now running a new streamed TV show 4 days a week through Twitch, and looking at launching our second online exhibition in September as the rest of our physical gallery schedule has been shuffled about to accommodate change; things that I would have never dreamed of a few months ago.  It’s meant thinking about how we can still apply the design principles that guide the work we do at MOD. to an online space, still being focussed on the experience of the visitor.  One of the great things about this time is the creativity I’ve seen from other institutions and organisations (as well as the great team I get to work with daily).

 

Some things that I’ve seen and enjoyed:

  • Guided tours of museums – loads are offering this and while the peak of searching for online tours may have already passed us, I’ve really enjoyed getting inside to see some places I’ve never been to.
  • Zoo live streams (always great, now even more so).
  • Pint of Science Australia is running an online quiz night (will tune in for this later, as its happening on the day that I’m writing this)

 

Also, I’m looking forward to taking note of other interesting ways that there is engagement happening across different sectors and platforms, things like:

 

We’re also thinking about how we can adapt ASC activity to support members during this time.  We ran our first online Q&A with Norman Swan at the start of May, and are in the process of organising some more of these sessions – so please get in touch if there are people you want to hear from and pick their brains as to how they and their organisations are adapting to COVID-19.

 

Lisa Bailey,

ASC President

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