BROADER IMPACTS, AN EXHIBIT PROGRAM FOCUSING ON BASIC RESEARCH

Given the importance of public funding to scientific endeavors, dissemination of the process and results of research to the public should be regarded as integral to research programs. Social media phenomena such as #actuallivingscientist and #scientistswhoselfie have highlighted the importance of connecting scientists with their research when communicating with the public. Besides print and digital media, museums are one of the few venues available for scientists to present their work directly to the public. Unfortunately, very few scientists are employed by museums, and museum exhibits often present a refined picture of science, one which largely obscures the sometimes haphazard basic processes, observations, and discoveries that come together to form the more polished “end-product”.

In an attempt to make basic research more accessible to the public, in 2019 the Western Science Center (WSC) in Hemet, California launched a new exhibit program, “Broader Impacts”. These compact (~20 square meter) exhibits feature a narrowly focused research project, recently completed or currently underway, and conceptually are similar to an expanded, public-friendly research poster. One exhibit panel is devoted to photos and short biographies of the scientists conducting the research, while others introduce the basic concepts, preliminary results, significance, and unanswered questions. Emphasis is placed on science as an ongoing process, rather than final answers. Panels are supplemented by specimens or 3D prints, videos, and other interactives when appropriate. Exhibit runs are generally planned to last 3-4 months, with exposure to 8,000-10,000 visitors. Because of their small size and narrow focus, the exhibits can be produced rapidly and inexpensively, and are easily adapted into traveling exhibits that can be displayed in other venues. WSC intends to open the second and third “Broader Impacts” exhibits in 2020.