UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Chris Widga, director or the Earth and Mineral Sciences’ Museum & Art Gallery and research professor of geosciences, will give the talk, “Museums as partners in broader impact activities,” at 4 p.m. on Monday, March 3, in 112 Walker Building at Penn State University Park. Widga's talk also will be available via Zoom.
“Public-facing museums have been part of teaching and training at Penn State since 1855,” Widga said. “Over time, the format footprint and focus of museum organizations — across campus — has evolved. The 21st century museum is multifaceted. As a repository of data, samples and specimens, it vouchers research that occurred in the past for future generations. In the present, it connects to communities through exhibits, programs and public-facing resources as a trusted source of information. It also provides a model of an organization that is sustainable, resilient and responsive to community needs for many generations into the future. Museums provide many opportunities for reaching nontechnical audiences and stakeholders in engaging and measurable ways.”
This talk will explore broader impacts in the contexts of museums, from traditional museum exhibits to informal science programs and online resources with "long" tails of engagement. Museums have the potential to excite and awe, Widga said. They are also accessible bastions of science, history and art that are important to community cohesiveness and inclusion.
Over the last 20 years, Widga has integrated cutting-edge paleontological and earth science research into public outreach efforts and museum programming. Widga’s interest in emerging technologies has led to the development of immersive 3D resources, mobile apps and data-rich online experiences that draw directly from museum collections. He has developed science communication workshops for scientists and was co-host of the weekly science news program, "Paleo Talks."
The talk is part of the EarthTalks spring 2025 series, “Broader Impacts and Community Engagement in Research Design,” which highlights innovative and effective ways for researchers to engage more meaningfully in the research design of public impact activities for Earth and environmental systems research. For more information about the spring 2025 series, visit the EarthTalks website.