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Full Schedule

The conference schedule is subject to change

Full Schedule

  • Thursday, September 4, 2025
  • 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM US PT
    Registration
  • Friday, September 5, 2025
  • 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM US PT
    Registration
  • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM US PT
    AI in Science Centers: Exhibition Strategies From Development to Implementation
  • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM US PT
    All Bones Great and Small: Integrating Bone and Skeleton Specimens in Your Science Programs
  • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM US PT
    Bringing iNaturalist to Your Museum: Bioblitz in San Francisco
  • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM US PT
    Building Bridges to the Future: Addressing the Leadership Challenges of Today and Tomorrow
  • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM US PT
    IF/THEN® Champions Network: Advancing Gender Equity in STEM Through Connectivity and Collaboration
  • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM US PT
    Lighting the Way: Building STEM Identity and Belonging
  • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM US PT
    Rapid Exhibit Iteration Interactive Workshop
  • 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Experience the Heart of Silicon Valley: Technology, Innovation, and History in Exhibits and Programs
  • 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM US PT
    STEM on the Menu: Creative Community Connections Through Food and Science
  • 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM US PT
    Breaking Bad (Ideas) and Making Them Better
  • 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM US PT
    Creating and Sustaining Fresh and Fun Camp Programs for ALL
  • 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM US PT
    Dive In! How to Make Your Storytelling Sink or Swim: Inspiring Climate Action Through Teen and Museum Storytelling
  • 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM US PT
    NASA's Neurodiversity Network Space Camp Training for Informal Educators
  • 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM US PT
    Pathways to Professional Growth: Building Expertise and Advancing Your Career
  • 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM US PT
    Science and Civics: Taking Action With Your Community
  • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM US PT
    Adventures in AI Panel
  • 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM US PT
    Navigation and Networking Gathering
  • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM US PT
    Meet-ups
  • Saturday, September 6, 2025
  • 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM US PT
    Registration
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM US PT
    Addressing Increasing Social Divisions with ASTC's Global Trends Committee
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM US PT
    Capacity-Building with Community Partners: A Strategic Use of Resources with Multi-layered Impact
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM US PT
    Co-Creation for Connectivity- Perspectives on the Process and Peril of Co-Design
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM US PT
    Connecting visitors with development: Using evaluation to update historic habitat dioramas and improve visitor experience
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM US PT
    Context, Collections, and Community: Curating Cultural Connections
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM US PT
    Innovative Approaches to Family Programs: Culturally Sustaining STEAM in Action
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM US PT
    Lightning Session: Accessibility in Exhibits and Programs
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM US PT
    Making STEM More Accessible for Blind and Low-Vision Audiences: Hands-On Strategies for Inclusive Design
  • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM US PT
    What Mathematics Supports Makers and Making? Finding the Math Activity and Assessment Opportunities in an Afterschool Making Programs
  • 10:30 AM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Exhibit Hall Open
  • 10:45 AM - 11:15 AM US PT
    Opening Session
  • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT
    Day One: Poster Palooza and Planetary Health Action Fair in the Exhibit Hall
  • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM US PT
    Lunch in the Exhibit Hall
  • 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM US PT
    Exhibits: Drink and Draw (conference social networking activity)
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    10 Good Reasons Not To Become a CEO: What if Being at the Top Is Not As Glamorous as It Seems?
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Bayview Science Workshop: A Case Study of a Community Science Center in a High-Need Neighborhood.
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Improving connectivity to diverse audiences through flexible, easy, and culturally appropriate evaluation
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Lightning Session: Exhibit Design
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Moon, Mars, and Beyond! Inclusive Space Content for Audiences of All Ages
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Nature in the City: Using green spaces, even very small ones, in early childhood STEM education
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Pathways to Professional Growth: An Updated ISL Professional Competency Framework
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Strengthening STEM Pathways: Tools and Strategies for Connectivity and Improvement of Precollege Outreach Programs
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Using Universal Design for Learning to create Neurodiversity-affirming STEM Activities
  • 1:35 PM - 1:50 PM US PT
    NeuroVivid: A Hands-On Experience in How Neurodivergent Youth (11–14 Years Old) Build a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) in a Maker Camp
  • 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM US PT
    Talk-back Exhibits and Gallery Staff: Facilitating Engaging Conversations about Conservation
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Behind the Smiles: Navigating the Pressure Points of Volunteer Management
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Beyond Your Inbox: A Solution Lab for Stronger Relationship-Building and Community Engagement
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Inspiring Planetary Health Action Through Imagination, Creativity & Experimentation
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Living Collections Resource Community: Activating a Community of Practice for institutions with live animal collections
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Making Making: Combining Art and Science to Create Meaningful Engagement
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    PD Palooza: Exploring the Evolving Role of Museums in Enhancing Formal Education
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    The Connection between Staff Engagement, Leadership Pathways, and Workplace Excellence
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    The Importance of Reaching Remote Indigenous Communities in Outback Australia and Other Worldwide Examples of Transformative Cultural Engagement
  • 2:50 PM - 3:10 PM US PT
    Sparking Curiosity! Inquiry-Based School lab for 2nd graders
  • 3:15 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Solvem Problers: Hands-On Activity Ideas To Bring Back to Your Museum
  • 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM US PT
    Coffee Break
  • 4:00 PM - 4:15 PM US PT
    Linking the Science Behind the 5 Types of Traditionally Wired Steering Boxes Systems of a Vehicle…With the Modernized
  • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Applying Proven Advocacy Strategies in a Rapidly Changing Policy Landscape
  • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Big Lessons from Little Learners: Community-Centered Early Childhood Spaces Inspiring Empathy and Playful STEM
  • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Bridging Across Language: Workshopping New Approaches to Multicultural Engagement
  • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Coming Soon: Strategic Phasing for Big Picture Success
  • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Cut through the NOISE and Connect the Dots: Data-Driven Strategic Planning
  • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Gardens in Space and on Earth: How Does What We Learn in Space Help Us Grow Food, Protect Earth and Empower the Next Generation
  • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Ingredients for Action: Approaches that Cultivate a Culture of Hope and Action for Planetary Health
  • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Lightning Session: Trends in Marketing and Communications
  • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Revenue Diversification Through Museum Services: Four Case Studies from San Antonio
  • 4:20 PM - 4:35 PM US PT
    The Magic of Math
  • 4:40 PM - 4:55 PM US PT
    Veo, Veo, Radio! A Showcase of Activities and Educator Guides About Radio Waves and Wireless Radio Communications in English and Spanish
  • 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM US PT
    Unplug and Play: ASTC Host Party at the Exploratorium
  • Sunday, September 7, 2025
  • 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM US PT
    Registration
  • 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM US PT
    Breakfast
  • 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM US PT
    Alan J. Friedman Science Center Dialogues Breakfast
  • 10:30 AM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Exhibit Hall Open
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM US PT
    Advancing Accessibility: Disability Work Culture in Science Centers & Museums
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM US PT
    Built to Last: Models for Sustaining a Great Experience
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM US PT
    Connecting to the Great Wealth Transfer: Fuel Your Mission and Ensure Sustainability by Securing a Share of Trillions of Dollars That Will Pass From Older Donors to the People and Causes They Love
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM US PT
    Exploring Innovative Strategies for Using Digitized Museum Collections To Spark Curiosity and Critical Thinking for Data-Driven Inquiry
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM US PT
    From Prototype to Progress: How Science Centers' Tinkering Programs Empower Communities Through Creative Problem-Solving
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM US PT
    Navigating the Radical Middle: Museums As Spaces for Complex Climate Conversations
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM US PT
    Teen Science Cafés: Exploring the Importance of Youth Led Youth Programming
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM US PT
    The Blue Whales Project: Designing flexible education programs to connect with diverse informal learning environments
  • 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM US PT
    Three Stories and Ten Poems: Museum Frameworks for Building Climate Resiliency
  • 11:45 AM - 1:45 PM US PT
    Lunch and Exhibit Hall Activities
  • 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM US PT
    Day Two: Poster Palooza and Planetary Health Action Fair in the Exhibit Hall
  • 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM US PT
    Public Science Festival
  • 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM US PT
    Brite Strategies for Building Connection and Community Online
  • 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM US PT
    Community Science Lessons from the Field
  • 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM US PT
    Cultivating Connection: Fostering Belonging for Visitors and Educators in Museums
  • 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM US PT
    Lightning Session: Learning from Across Practices
  • 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM US PT
    Shape the future: Empowering learners through exhibitions and programs
  • 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM US PT
    Supporting Professional Learning and Increasing Staff Capacity
  • 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM US PT
    The Age of Curiosity: Designing for Lifelong and Cross-Generational Learners
  • 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM US PT
    Unlock the Power of Community Partnerships
  • 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM US PT
    Weaving Connections in Experience Design
  • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM US PT
    Building and Strengthening Your Museum's Digital Marketing Strategy
  • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM US PT
    Building Trust and Addressing Misinformation through Museums and Science Centers
  • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM US PT
    Cultivating a Culture of Connectivity: Leadership Stories, Strategies and Struggles
  • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM US PT
    Emerging Roles for Science Centers in AI Engagement
  • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM US PT
    Lightning Session: Expanded Role of Science Centers in Their Communities
  • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM US PT
    Rethinking Science Engagement in the Face of Extremism
  • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM US PT
    Revitalizing on a Dime: Low-Budget Strategies for Museum Renovations
  • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM US PT
    Strengthening Early STEM Learning: Building Effective Partnerships That Support Universal PreK
  • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM US PT
    When Natural Disasters Strike: Communicating Science and Resources in Times of Crisis
  • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM US PT
    Happy Hour in the Exhibit Hall
  • 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM US PT
    Celebrating Regeneration: ASTC Soirée at the California Academy of Sciences
  • Monday, September 8, 2025
  • 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM US PT
    Registration
  • 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM US PT
    Breakfast
  • 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM US PT
    Plenary Session: Recognition and Keynote
  • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT
    Bridging the Gap: How Museums and Science Centers Foster Authentic and Meaningful Engagement
  • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT
    Designing Useful Strategies for Museum Professionals: Observation Tools for Facilitator Evaluation
  • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT
    Exploring and Shaping AI Education and Technology in Informal Learning Spaces: The Role of Research and Development in Museums
  • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT
    From Static to Splashy: Refreshing Exhibits Without Starting Over
  • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT
    Leveraging Informal STEM Programs for Workforce Development: Building Inclusive Pathways to STEM Careers
  • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT
    Lightning Session: Building and Shifting Organizational Culture
  • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT
    Online Digital Member Portal: The Cake Is a Lie, but a Digital Member Portal Enhances Member Engagement
  • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT
    Science Center Sit-In: Going Rogue for a Good Cause
  • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT
    Tappenin Himmetka: Building meaningful relationships and centering Ohlone voices at Bay Area science institutions
  • 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT
    What Tastes Like Home? Recipes for success in developing inclusive sticky-note response walls
  • 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM US PT
    Lunch on own
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Can Standardized Practices Benefit and Hinder Traveling Exhibits?
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Failing Forward: Designing for Failure in Programs, Exhibits, and Research
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Interconnectedness of People and Place: Botany of Nations & the California Native Homeland Festival
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Lightning Session: Climate and Environment
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Navigating the Global Landscape of International Partnerships: a Focus on Traveling Exhibitions
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Techbridge Girls: A retrospective of 25 years of systems change with reflections for the future
  • 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM US PT
    Trust in Action: Rethinking Student Engagement in Museums
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Beyond Covered Cases: Two Museums' Response to the New Regulations of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Collections should be welcomINg: Engaging external communities in collections work.
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Exhibits² Debates Round³: Sophisticated, Smart, & Serious Shenanigans in San Francisco
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Experience Design from the Outside In: Observations, Perspectives, and Dreams
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Global Goals, Local Action: The UN Sustainable Development Goals as a framework for education programming
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Igniting Exceptional Service: Transforming Visitor Experiences through Engaging Front-Line Staff Training
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Lightning Session: Using Technology to Support Science Engagement for Learners and Teams
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    Revenue Diversification Through Engaging Makers and Artists: Transforming Museum Retail
  • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM US PT
    When Disaster Strikes: Serving Community During Times of Acute Crisis
  • Tuesday, September 9, 2025
  • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM US PT
    Museum Open Hours