UW-Madison Science Alliance Updater – July 27, 2020 – Science Outreach on Campus

July 27, 2020

UW-Madison Science Alliance Updater

Hi Everyone,

The covid epidemic has closed UW-Madison’s indoor science venues that for at least 140 years have formed a constellation of Destinations for Exploration that welcome the public to come experience science as exploring the unknown here at Wisconsin’s land-grant research & extension university.

Many of our outdoor venues, however, remain open to the public.

We now ponder the happy opportunities of how to make the outdoor venues of the university even more engaging through signage, through online resources and, eventually, through in-person outdoor programs, while maintaining coronavirus precautions.

Furthermore, might those of us without outdoor sites be able to partner with our outreach colleagues who do have outdoor places to provide an alternative route to in-person programming?

Here are a couple of lists of outdoor venues:

Outdoor Science Venues on Campus as Possible Partners in Programming
Lakeshore Nature Preserve, including the Lakeshore Path and Picnic Point
Eagle Heights, including The Woods, BioCore Prairie, and Community Gardens
Allen Centennial Garden
Botany Garden
Campus Brass Plaques & Historic Sites
The Terrace
The Plaza at Union South and the plaza steps as a possible amphitheater
Camp Randall Memorial Park, including Memorial Arch
Alumni Park (including the Greek Theater amphitheater for outdoor seating)
Library Mall, including west-facing steps of Memorial Library and east-facing steps of the Wisconsin Historical Society Library
Bascom Hill
Henry Mall, and the steps at the Genetics Biotech Center as a small amphitheater

Engineering Mall
Weeks Hall Courtyard

Others?

Off-campus UW-Madison Outdoor Science Venues
Arboretum
West Madison Ag Research Station
OJ Noer Turfgrass Ag Research Station
Arlington Ag Research Station
Other Ag Research Stations around Wisconsin
Outdoor venues at some County Extension offices, especially for 4-H programs
Trout Lake Station
Kemp Station
Upham Woods

Others?

As I am fond of saying: “In science outreach programming, Hospitality Counts and Venue Matters.” I look forward to talking with you about the possibilities during our Science Alliance meetings and at your convenience.

Thanks!

Tom Zinnen

Biotechnology Center and Extension 4-H

zinnen@biotech.wisc.edu

Notable This Week

1. Science Alliance meets by webinar at 10:00 am Monday July 27 online. Email zinnen@biotech.wisc.edu or ejesse@biotech.wisc.edu to receive the link. The draft agenda for July 27 includes

a. Welcome

b. Update on recent programs.

July 25, Saturday Science, Home Edition, 10 am

July 25, Virtual Saturday Science Workshop from UW Space Place, 10 am

c. Updates on re-opening of UW-Madison, of peer universities, and of Wisconsin K12 schools.

d. Discussion of UW-Madison policy this fall on face-to-face programming and videoconferencing programming with youth, including a presentation to the Community Partnership Organization and other similar networks.

e. Ideas for making outdoor science venues of the UW Campus a constellation of destinations for exploration. As long as our indoor venues are closed to the public, the university’s outdoor venues may provide a welcoming way we can engage in person with visitors while maintaining coronavirus precautions.

e. Other announcements or topics

f. Notes from last week’s meeting (July 20): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hJTPHC-m2kTsZGKv_J722xBfvEzMpFP6g24Jzn79iC0/edit

2. Please add your upcoming online programs or resources with learners of any ages to the list at http://science.wisc.edu and be sure to include program events in the calendar at http://today.wisc.edu and tag them with “Science” and any other appropriate tag.

3. Programming Events this week

a. Badger Talks Live: “Insect Rockstars of the Garden” with Karen Oberhauser, Susan Carpenter and Brad Herrick. Tuesday July 28 at 12 noon. Link at http://today.wisc.edu/events/view/149033

b. 4-H Kitchen Science Savvy 1:00-1:30pm with Tom Zinnen & Liz Jesse. Featuring the theme of “I don’t know; let’s find out!” Every week we pursue a puzzle posed by a 4-H member. This week: which makes better ice cubes: skim milk or whole? (We’ll also be testing chocolate milk because, chocolate.) To register go to https://uwextension.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJApf-qopzopGdf-7cf0PBXwG-2JojbGJVen

c. Virtual Saturday Science Workshop with UW Space Place. August 1 at 10:00am. Check at http://www.spaceplace.wisc.edu/#satworkshops

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Five Powerful Routes to Promote Your Events: The Updater newsletter (750 subscribers), the Science.wisc.edu portal, the @sciencewiscedu Twitter feed (3.2K followers), the @UWMadisonScienceOutreach Facebook page, and the today.wisc.educalendar.

4. Add your news, requests and programming announcements to the Updater by emailing them to zinnen@biotech.wisc.edu or ejesse@biotech.wisc.edu

5. Check out www.science.wisc.edu for more science activities! We’re delighted to help you promote your upcoming science outreach events. Send a note to Liz Jesse at ejesse2@wisc.edu.

Or post your events to the @sciencewiscedu Twitter feed and to the @UWMadisonScienceOutreach Facebook page.

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