Skip to main content


Icon Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
Engagement Tags
Experiential
Experiential
Group Discussion
Group Discussion
Hands-On Showcase
Hands-On Showcase
Lightning Session
Lightning Session
Panel
Panel
Poster
Poster
Preconference Intensive
Preconference Intensive
Solution Lab
Solution Lab

Full Schedule

The conference schedule is subject to change

Full Schedule

  • Thursday, September 26, 2024
  • 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM US CDT
    Early Badge Pickup
  • Friday, September 27, 2024
  • 8:00 AM – 6:30 PM US CDT
    Registration
  • 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM US CDT
    Building Bridges to the Future: Grow Your Leadership Effectiveness Through Expert and Peer Conversations
  • 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM US CDT
    Digital Immersive Spaces for Deepening Guest Engagement
  • 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM US CDT
    From Page to Play: Storybooks as Starting Points for Creative Coding in Community
  • 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM US CDT
    Human-Centered AI: Developing Programs for Fostering Agency, Creativity, and Connection
  • 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM US CDT
    IF/THEN® Champions Network: Gain Resources, Share Ideas, and Make an Impact!
  • 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM US CDT
    Imagining Our Shared, Sustainable Future: Building Capacity to Imagine, Articulate, and Inspire
  • 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM US CDT
    Re-Making Archeology: Studying the Past Through Engineering and Making
  • 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM US CDT
    Transformative Change Toward Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access: Tools and Frameworks from iPAGE 2.0
  • 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Make_X: Engaging the Creativity of the Individual and Unlocking the Potential of a Community
  • 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    NEON: National Education Outreach Network
  • 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM US CDT
    Evaluation and Educator Leadership in Museum Makerspaces
  • 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM US CDT
    Exploring and Planning for Digital Immersive Exhibits at Your Museum
  • 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM US CDT
    Fo(u)r (H)our BIPOC Space: Code-Switching Not Required
  • 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM US CDT
    Foundations of the Next Generation Science Standards and Sensemaking for Museum Professionals
  • 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM US CDT
    Health in Space: A Local and International Collaboration at the International Museum of Surgical Science
  • 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM US CDT
    Learn About, Reflect On, and Plan Reciprocal Community Partnerships and Authentic STEM Learning Experiences
  • 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    NASA Team III PI Meet-Up
  • 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM US CDT
    Navigation and Networking Gathering Event
  • 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM US CDT
    Host Party at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
  • Saturday, September 28, 2024
  • 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM US CDT
    Registration
  • 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM US CDT
    Meet and Greet Breakfast
  • 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM US CDT
    Opening Plenary
  • 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM US CDT
    Exhibit Hall Open
  • 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM US CDT
    Day One: Poster Palooza and Planetary Health Action Fair in the Exhibit Hall
  • 11:45 AM – 12:05 PM US CDT
    Stage Show: Imagine Exhibitions
  • 12:15 PM – 1:15 PM US CDT
    Code-switching Not Required Lunch Networking
  • 12:15 PM – 1:15 PM US CDT
    Lunch in the Exhibit Hall
  • 12:30 PM – 12:50 PM US CDT
    Stage Show: WeFlip
  • 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM US CDT
    Seeding Action Meet-Up
  • 1:30 PM – 1:45 PM US CDT
    2175: A Youth-Created XR Game About Climate Futures
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM US CDT
    Addressing Community Priorities through Civic Engagement & Policymaking
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM US CDT
    AI ASAP: How to Amplify Existing Hands-On Activities to Start Sharing AI Concepts with Learners
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM US CDT
    Bringing Informal STEM to Children from Underrepresented Groups Through Museum-Research Partnerships
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM US CDT
    Cambio Ahead: Insights on How a Change Towards Equity Is a Change for Museums’ Future
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM US CDT
    Four White Men Reflect on DEI
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM US CDT
    Lightning Session: Natural History
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM US CDT
    Mistakes WILL BE Made: Balancing Success, Failure, and Opportunity Cost in Experience Design and Beyond
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM US CDT
    Planetary Health Efforts, Challenges, and Priorities: Insights from Seeding Action’s Institutional Self-Assessment
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM US CDT
    Robots to the Rescue: Leveraging AI-Driven Tools for Nonprofit Marketing & Fundraising
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM US CDT
    The Value and Values of Communities of Practice: Designing for Inclusion, Challenge, and Vulnerability
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM US CDT
    Which Comes First? The Concept Deck or the Money? Tips for Hatching Your Capital Project
  • 1:50 PM – 2:05 PM US CDT
    Airborne Interactive: Elevating the Museum Experience with Spatial Computing
  • 2:10 PM – 2:25 PM US CDT
    Astronomy Activities for Neurodiverse Youth
  • 2:45 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Dinosaurs Will Always Be Awesome (¡Y Accesibles Para Todos!)
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    "Be proud!": Exhibit Design Guidance from Youth with Learning Disabilities
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    A Cornucopia of Stories About and Resources for Early Childhood Exhibits and Programs
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    Collective Futures: Reimagining Museums and Science Centers in Partnership with Indigenous Youth
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    Communicating to Inspire Hope and Action: Strategies and Exemplars for Planetary Health Content and Programs
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    Data-Driven Inquiry with Digitized Specimens: Exploring Methods and Strategies for Learning with Natural History Collections
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    Discussion as a Method to Advance DEAI Efforts
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    Keeping It Local: Advocating for Your Needs at the Local and State Levels
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    Lightning Session: Teachers and Schools
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    Playful Leadership: Making Space for Focus AND Fun in Challenging Work Environments
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    Succession Planning Workshop for Managers: Building a Diverse, Future-Ready Talent Pool of Candidates
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    The Longevity Blueprint: Exploring Experiential Depreciation and the Total Cost of Ownership of Exhibits
  • 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM US CDT
    The Opportunity To Start From (Almost) Scratch: What Would You Do?
  • 3:05 PM – 3:20 PM US CDT
    Escape the Backpack, Explore the Natural History Museum in a New Way!
  • 3:25 PM – 3:40 PM US CDT
    Europa Prime: A STEM-Based Virtual Reality Experience and Other Digital Assets Co-Designed for Accessibility
  • 4:00 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    Inviting Interaction in the Arts to Co-Create Inspiring and Memorable STEAM Learning Experiences
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Designing Exhibits About AI: Reflections, Challenges, and Opportunities
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Diversity and Inclusion in STEM Through Stories, Music, and Art
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Exploring Culturally Sustaining STEM Partnerships: A Year-Long Workshop Series
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Exploring U.S. Federal Funding Opportunities
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Got Diversity? What’s Next?
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Learning from Adventure Playgrounds: Creating Safe Spaces for Risky Play in a Variety of Venues
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Leveraging Partnerships for Research and Learning at Two U.S. Fossil Sites
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Lightning Session: Learning Through Evaluation
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Making Space to Explore Mental Health & Humanity Content in Your Science Center
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Swipe Right on Research Practitioner Partnerships: How to Find "the One" for You
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    The Challenges of Science Museums in Latin America
  • 4:20 PM – 4:35 PM US CDT
    Scissors to Power Drills: Empowering Young Children Through Tool Use
  • 4:40 PM – 4:55 PM US CDT
    Supporting Young Learners with Brain Science
  • 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM US CDT
    Gateway to Chicago Social in the Exhibit Hall
  • 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM US CDT
    Explore Chicago Activities
  • Sunday, September 29, 2024
  • 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM US CDT
    Registration
  • 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM US CDT
    Conference and Awards Committee Info Meet-Up
  • 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM US CDT
    NASA 1:1 Meet-Up
  • 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM US CDT
    Breakfast and Activities in the Exhibit Hall
  • 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM US CDT
    Exhibit Hall Open
  • 9:15 AM – 9:35 AM US CDT
    Stage Show: World Science Centers Initiatives for Ukraine
  • 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM US CDT
    Voya STEM Futures Networking
  • 10:00 AM – 10:20 AM US CDT
    Stage Show: Embracing Digital Immersive Technologies in Science Centers: The Future of Learning
  • 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM US CDT
    Data Dialogues: ASTC's Annual Statistics Survey
  • 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM US CDT
    Meet & Greet with REVISE
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    DJs, Drinks, and Dialogue: How Natural History Museums Are Inspiring Adults to Become Environmental Stewards
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    Elevating the Youth: Co-Designing Exhibits, Programs and Teaching Models with Teens
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    Every Moment Matters: Elevating Guest Experiences for Relationship and Revenue Growth
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    From Passion to Impact: Women Leading in Science Engagement
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    Global Perspectives of Outdoor Science Parks: Benefiting from What We Learned over 25 Years!
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    Learn How Logic Models Can Be Used to Empower Staff Who Design Education Programming
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    Lightning Session: Teens and Youth Engagement
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    Mirror, Mirror on the Wall; Does This Exhibit Reflect the Community at All?
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    Navigating Identity: Challenges and Opportunities in Using Terminology for Cultural Groups in Cultural Institutions
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    Not "Just" an Intern: Building Authentic Pathways for Teen Employment Programs
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    Object Elicitation Interviews: Engaging Youth in Conversations About Their STEM Learning Through Making
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM US CDT
    People and Policy: Strategies to Leverage Public Partnerships to Advance Organizational Goals and Museum Priorities
  • 12:15 PM – 1:45 PM US CDT
    Alan J. Friedman Science Center Dialogues Luncheon
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Cutting Edge: Meet the People and Projects of the Roy L Shafer Leading Edge Awards
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Engaging Curiosity: Exploring Best Practices for STEM Camps in Museum Settings
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Engaging Scientists with the Public in Natural History Museums
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Exhibits² Debates Round²: New Topics, New Teams, Same Shenanigans
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    IDEAs at Work: Exploration of Creative Approaches to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Leading with the Arts: Centering Arts-Based Methods for Deeper Science Learning
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Lightning Session: Collaboration
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Museums and Health Education: Connecting Science, Community, and Culture
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Navigating Methods for Integrating Community Knowledge and Values into Museum Practice
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Recipes for Community: Maintaining Authenticity While Integrating Food and Culture into STEM Activities
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Re-EnVISIONed: Linking Multiple Approaches to Develop More Accessible Experiences for Blind and Low-Vision Visitors
  • 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Exhibit Hall Open
  • 3:15 PM – 3:35 PM US CDT
    Stage Show: Promotions Guy
  • 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM US CDT
    AI Meet-up
  • 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM US CDT
    Day Two: Poster Palooza and Planetary Health Action Fair in the Exhibit Hall
  • 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM US CDT
    Network With Top Québec Creative Design Studios
  • 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM US CDT
    Networking Break in the Exhibit Hall
  • 3:50 PM – 4:10 PM US CDT
    Stage Show: Taking Action for the Great Lakes
  • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM US CDT
    Youth Civic Engagement and STEM Meet-Up
  • 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM US CDT
    IF/THEN® Champions Network Reception
  • 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM US CDT
    A Night at the Museum: Field Edition
  • Monday, September 30, 2024
  • 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM US CDT
    Registration
  • 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM US CDT
    Breakfast
  • 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM US CDT
    Plenary Session and Keynote
  • 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM US CDT
    Beyond the Press Release: Navigating the Changing Media Landscape
  • 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM US CDT
    Community-Centered Collections Digitization and Access: Digitally Uniting Maya Weaving Collections from Chiapas, Mexico
  • 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM US CDT
    Engaging Local Communities in Climate Action and Solutions Through Exhibits: Perspectives from the Field
  • 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM US CDT
    Landscaping Federal Support for Science Engagement: Findings From a Year-Long Study
  • 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM US CDT
    Light and Shadow: Bright Ideas for Taking on Tinkering in Your Context
  • 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM US CDT
    Lightning Session: Digital and Media Engagement
  • 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM US CDT
    No Easy Answers: Facilitating Critical Conversations in and About Museums
  • 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM US CDT
    Preparing for the Future with ASTC's Global Trends Framework
  • 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM US CDT
    Science as Ceremony: Indigenous-Led Partnerships Between Indigenous Nations, Urban Indigenous Youth, and Natural History Museums
  • 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM US CDT
    Slam Dunk for Science and Literacy: A Natural History Museum and Urban School Partnership
  • 12:15 PM – 2:00 PM US CDT
    Lunch on own
  • 12:45 PM – 1:45 PM US CDT
    Community Science Practitioner Meet-Up
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    AI Playground: Using Play to Demystify AI
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Bringing Research to Light: How Collections Can Tell the Stories of Our Scientists
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Embracing Uncertainty: Navigating the Ever-Changing Landscape in Science Centers & Museums
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Establishing Support for YOUR Youth-Led Programming
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Igniting Interest: The Need for Engaging Museum Audiences on Wildfire Awareness and Prevention
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Lightning Session: Games and Play
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    New Immersive Programming in Giant Screen and Planetarium Theaters
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Pedagogical Parkour: Exploring the Evolving Landscape of Professional Learning
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Strategize, Decolonize, Indigenize: Building Trust Among Community Partners and Colleagues Through Culturally Inclusive Communication
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Supporting Belongingness for Neurodivergent Learners in Hands-On STEM Spaces
  • 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM US CDT
    Who’s in Charge?: Involving Community Leaders in Decision Making; Respecting the Owners of Artifacts
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    Animal Welfare Strategies in Live Animal Exhibit Design
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    Building Teen-Led Climate Communities: Insights From Critical Action Lab Partners
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    Business Operations for All
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    Iterative Design: Stuck, Stalled, or Successful?
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    Leadership as a Mindset: From Volunteers to Executives
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    Lightning Session: Teachers and Schools
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    Small but Mighty: Celebrating the Strengths and Navigating the Challenges of Small Museums
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    Teens Tackle Climate Change: Empowering the Next Generation of Youth Leaders and Environmental Advocates
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    The Obama Presidential Center: Empowering Communities To Bring Change Home
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    Traveling Exhibits: The Swiss Army Knife for Your Organization
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    User-Friendly Signage in Science Institutions: Delivering Content Without Dumbing Down
  • 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM US CDT
    We Are Camps: The Challenges and Triumphs of Camps in Museum Spaces
  • 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM US CDT
    ASTC Leadership Alumni Networking Reception
  • 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM US CDT
    Community Meet-ups
  • Tuesday, October 1, 2024
  • 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM US CDT
    Museum Experience Day