May in Review
The US Global Hub of Future Earth
The US Global Hub of Future Earth is collaborating with the science and technology for sustainability program at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to host a series of dialogues with US sustainability research and innovation leaders from different sectors, to assess the status and future of sustainability science in the US. The focus of these cross-sector dialogues will be on societal needs and research ecosystem capacities for response; the frameworks through which citizens should be supporting sustainability science; and, the methods for linking research, innovation, and technology communities. Franklin Carrero-Martinez, Director of Global Policy and Development and the Science and Technology for Sustainability Programs at NASEM, invited Smithsonian Science Education Center Director, Carol O'Donnell, to join the dialogue based on the center’s work in the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project.
National Academies Committee on Assessing NASA Science Mission Directorate's Science Activation
O’Donnell was invited to present at a meeting of the National Academies Committee on Assessing NASA Science Mission Directorate's Science Activation program on May 20th at the Keck Center in Washington, DC. The Board on Science Education (BOSE) at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has launched a new study aimed at providing an expert review of NASA Science Mission Directorate's Science Activation program. Much of the committee's work is about assessing the effectiveness of the Science Activation's model, which is essentially a network of partnership projects. O’Donnell presented on best practices for transforming STEM education through collaborations and partnerships.
STEM Evaluation Workshop
On May 21st O’Donnell served as a panelist during the Department of Defense (DoD) STEM Evaluation Workshop at the Institute for Defense Analyses in Alexandria, VA. The panel discussed STEM program evaluations from governmental organizations outside of the DoD, with O’Donnell providing her perspective as a STEM evaluator, how evaluation methods/techniques have been implemented at the Smithsonian Science Education Center, and how evaluation results are used.
U.S. News STEM Solutions Presents: Workforce of Tomorrow
O’Donnell attended the U.S. News STEM Solutions Presents: Workforce of Tomorrow conference. The conference brought together leading voices in industry, education, government and more on May 22nd at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Armed with the goal of addressing some of the greatest challenges in education and workforce development, speakers and attendees shared latest and best practices, and collaborated on new ideas to establish concrete solutions for the future.