CELEBRATE! 25th Annual Visitor Studies Association

25th Annual VisitorStudies AssociationConference

July 24-28, 2012Raleigh, North Carolina

Knowing Our Past, Shaping Our Future:What’s Next for Visitor Studies?

CELEBRATE!

Conference Schedule at a GlanceMonday, July 234:00 – 7:00 p.m. Registration Open

Tuesday, July 248:00 – 11:00 a.m. Registration Open

4:30 – 7:30 p.m. Registration Open

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Pre-Conference Workshops

Wednesday, July 258:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Registration Open

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. VSA Board of Directors MeetingWillow Oak

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Pre-Conference Workshops

6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Welcome to Raleigh: VSA SilverAnniversary Celebration at the NorthCarolina Museum of Art (ticket required)

Raleigh Trolley begins shuttle from hotel at 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, July 268:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Registration Open

8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Welcome and Opening Keynote Hannover I & II

10:30 – 11:00 a.m. Coffee BreakMezzanine

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Concurrent Sessions – 1Capital Room, Governors Rooms I and II,and Hannover III

12:15 – 2:15 p.m. Lunch on your own

12:15 – 2:15 p.m. Visitor Studies Editorial Board MeetingMagnolia I

12:15 – 1:15 p.m. Committee Meetings [Communications & Conference Planning]Capital Room and Governors Room I

1:15 – 2:15 p.m. Committee Meetings[Membership & Development]Governors Room II and Hannover III

2:30 – 3:45 p.m. Concurrent Sessions – 2Capital Room, Governors Rooms I and II,and Hannover III

4:00 – 5:15 p.m. Concurrent Sessions – 3 Capital Room, Governors Rooms I and II,and Hannover III

6:15 – 9:15 p.m. Celebrate North Carolina’s Past,Present, and Future. TravelingReception at North Carolina Museum ofHistory and North Carolina Museum ofNatural Sciences (ticket required)

Friday, July 278:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Registration Open

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. VSA Business Meeting & Coffee BreakHannover I & II, Mezzanine

9:00 – 10:15 a.m. Keynote PresentationHannover I & II

10:30 – 11:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions – 4Capital Room, Governors Rooms I and II,and Hannover III

12:00 – 1:30 p.m. April Award Lunch (ticket required)Oak Forest A

2:00 – 3:15 p.m. Concurrent Sessions – 5 Capital Room, Governors Rooms I and II,and Hannover III

3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Poster Session & Coffee BreakHannover I & II, Mezzanine

4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Meet the Committees Happy HourSee registration desk for locations.

6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Hollywood in North Carolina at MarblesKids Museum (ticket required)

Saturday, July 288:00 – 9:00 a.m. Committee Meetings

[Board Development & X]Capital Room and Governors Room I

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Coffee BreakMezzanine

9:00 – 10:15 a.m. Concurrent Sessions – 6Capital Room, Governors Rooms I and II,and Hannover III

10:30 – 11:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions – 7 Capital Room, Governors Rooms I and II,and Hannover III

12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Closing Luncheon and Plenary Session(ticket required)Hannover I & II

In MemoriamIn the past year, VSA was saddened to learn of the passingof two of VSA’s founding members who helped set thedirection and build the strong foundation on which ourorganization continues to build. Join VSA in honoring thememory and the legacy of Chan Screven and Pat Shettel atthe Welcome Reception on Wednesday, July 25 and duringthe VSA President’s opening remarks on Thursday, July 26.

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Dear Visitor Studies Conference Attendees:

Welcome to Raleigh and the 25th Annual Conference of the Visitor StudiesAssociation! Twenty-five years ago, a hearty group of nearly 100 research-practitioners came together in Anniston, Alabama for the first conferencedevoted to visitor studies – organized and convened by Steve Bitgood andArlene Benefield. Your experience at this year’s conference will representthe exciting growth of work and ideas started at that very first conference.

Knowing Our Past, Shaping Our Future: What’s Next for Visitor Studies?

In this milestone year, we would like to reflect on our past, celebrate ourachievements as a community, and appraise our current work within thecontext of cultural institutions and their communities. As Visitor Studies has grown from a passionate group of research-practitioners interested instudying the visitor experience and informal learning, to a burgeoning,multi-disciplinary field, the time has come to dialog about how visitorstudies can help envision and shape the role of museums within ourincreasingly diverse and complex societies.

Planned sessions and events have been organized with a nod towardswhere we have been and where we are going as an organization. We hopethrough attending lively sessions, listening to our exciting speakers, orsimply connecting with colleagues new and old, you get a sense of whereVSA is headed. In line with our call, we hope this year’s conference helpsyou address the following questions in your work: How can institutionscontinue to be relevant to a wide range of audiences when facing thechallenges of creating community value and low funding? In what ways can we use the work we are doing right now to address the future ofmuseums, zoos, nature centers, visitor centers, historic sites, parks, andother cultural institutions and attractions? In what new ways can we engagevisitors in conversations about contemporary social concerns that areimportant to them?

As you think about these questions, be aware that sessions, events, andactivities emphasizing our 25th anniversary conference theme andcelebration are highlighted with throughout this program.

Our Raleigh Hosts

One of the benefits of VSA Conference attendance is the changing venueeach year. This year we are pleased to have Raleigh, North Carolina as ourhost city. It is an opportunity to learn of a community rich in heritage andofferings. Our Raleigh hosts have planned three evening events at a numberof local institutions, starting with a VSA Silver Anniversary Celebration at theNorth Carolina Museum of Art.

In addition to the events planned by our hosts, we will be hosting the 16thAnnual April Award Luncheon, the Meet the Committees Happy Hour, andthe Closing Luncheon. Consult this program for times and locations of thesesignificant events.

We hope you learn, interact with others, and enjoy this conference. Do feelfree to share your suggestions and thoughts with VSA about the 2013conference that will be in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We hope to see you there!

With warmest regards,

Your Program Co-Chairs Robert Jakubowski, Ross Loomis, and Theano Moussouri

2012 Conference Team

Katey Ahmann, Local Host Committee Co-Chair

Sarah Cohn, Association Manager

Erin Gong, Workshop Co-Chair

Valerie Grabski, Abstracts Editor

Robert Jakubowski, Program Co-Chair

Kimberly Kandros, Local Host Committee Co-Chair

Cheryl Kessler, Workshop Co-Chair

Emlyn Koster, Development Committee Vice-Chair

Ross Loomis, Program Co-Chair

Theano Moussouri, Program Co-Chair

Camellia Sanford, Conference Planning Committee Vice-Chair

Jessica Sickler, Conference Planning Committee Chair

Shannon Stout, Local Host Committee Co-Chair

Kathleen Tinworth, Awards Subcommittee Chair

2012 Session Proposal Reviewers

Jeanine AnceletDavid AndersonChantal BarriaultElizabeth BolanderMinda BorunDonna BradenLynn CourtneyRita DeedrickCathy DonnellyScott EwingSusan FoutzJohn FraserEllen GiustiAmy Grack-NelsonSteve GubermanPreeti GuptaJoshua GutwillJeff Hayward

Jerry LuebkeDale McCreedyPino MonacoKris MorrisseyCaren ObergChris ParsonsMolly PhippsCamellia SanfordBeverly SerrellJessica SicklerRebekah SobelJill SteinCarey TisdalLoreen Trainer Jeanne VergerontMarcella WellsKari WilliamsElee Wood

Raleigh photography courtesy of the Greater RaleighConvention and Visitors Bureau.

What you need to know … REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION DESKCheck in at the registration desk, located in the Esplanade, for conference materials,badges, tickets, and information. Learn more about the sites of Raleigh from localhosts who will be on hand to steer you in the right direction.

Be sure to grab a VSA Member ScavengerHunt activity sheet at the registration desk.While you meet and chat with VSA members

at the conference, complete the scavengerhunt for your chance to win a free VSAMembership or Membership renewal!

REGISTRATION DESK HOURS:

Monday, July 23, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, July 24, 8:00 – 11:00 a.m.;4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 25, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Thursday, July 26, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Friday, July 27, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

CONFERENCE ABSTRACTSThe 2012 VSA Conference Abstractsintroduce the presentations, panels, andposters at this year’s conference. Beyondthat, they act as a lasting record of thetopics discussed here in Raleigh as weshape our future. In keeping with ourcommitment to environmentalstewardship, VSA now publishes theabstracts exclusively in electronic format.Visit www.visitorstudies.org and click onthe Conference page to view or downloadthe abstracts in PDF format.

EVENING EVENTS

Welcome to Raleigh: VSA SilverAnniversary Celebration at theNorth Carolina Museum of ArtWednesday, July 25, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. $45

Sponsored by the North Carolina Museumof Art

The Raleigh Trolley begins shuttle servicefrom the Main Entrance of the Sheraton at6:00 p.m.

Celebrate North Carolina’s Past,Present, and Future with aTraveling Reception at the NorthCarolina Museum of History andthe NC Museum of NaturalSciencesThursday, July 26, 6:15 – 9:15 p.m. $40

Sponsored by the North Carolina Museumof History and the North Carolina Museumof Natural Sciences

The North Carolina Museum of History islocated 0.6 miles north of the Sheraton.Pick up walking directions at theRegistration Desk.

CONFERENCE EVENING EVENTSTickets are required for evening events unless otherwise noted. (Few tickets areavailable onsite – check at the registration desk for last minute tickets. A ticketexchange will also be located in the registration area. If you have an extra ticket or arelooking for one, please check the ticket exchange board.

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Hollywood in North Carolina! atMarbles Kids MuseumFriday, July 27, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. $45

Sponsored by Marbles Children’s Museum

The Marbles Children’s Museum is located0.5 miles northeast of the Sheraton. Pick upwalking directions at the registration desk.

CONFERENCE EVENTS

16th Annual April AwardLuncheonFriday, July 27, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. $45

Oak Forest A

Meet the Committees Happy HourFriday, July 27, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

See registration desk for locations

Pre-Conference Workshops

Registration is required. (Fee: Full DayWorkshops – $150 Members, $180 non-Members; Half Day Workshops – $75Members, $90 non-Members) Registrationmay be available onsite pending spaceavailability. Please check at the RegistrationDesk for more information.

All workshop locations are within about ahalf-mile from the hotel. Attendees areresponsible for transportation to and fromthe workshop locations. Please check theRegistration Desk for transportationinformation, including the names ofparticipants seeking to share taxis to andfrom the workshop locations.

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Tuesday, July 24

Conducting Evaluations with Visitors with Disabilities

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Anna Lindgren-Streicher, Project Manager,Research & Evaluation, Museum of Science,Boston

Christine Reich, Director, Research &Evaluation, Museum of Science, Boston

Juli Goss, Research Associate, Museum ofScience, Boston

NC Museum of History – DemonstrationGallery

Developing Rubrics: AuthenticMeasures of Informal Learning

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Stephanie Downey, Managing Director, Randi Korn & Associates, Inc.

Amanda Krantz, Research Associate, Randi Korn & Associates, Inc.

NC Museum of Natural Sciences – Level AConference Room

Strengthening Visitor Studiesthrough Writing: Part 1Demystifying Publication

9:00 a.m. – noon

Kris Morrissey, Director, Museology GraduateProgram, University of Washington

Jim Kisiel, Associate Professor, ScienceEducation, California State University

NC Museum of Natural Sciences NatureResearch Center – Conference Center Room C

Using Social Science Scales toMeasure Impact

9:00 a.m. – noon

Linda Wilson, Director, Impact Assessment,John G. Shedd Aquarium

NC Museum of Natural Sciences NatureResearch Center – Conference Center Room A

Wireless Ways to Study Visitors: AnOverview of Ways to Study Visitorswith Smartphones, Tablets, andOther Wireless Devices

9:00 a.m. – noon

Camellia Sanford, Evaluator, Rockman et al

Jennifer Borland, Evaluator, Rockman et al

NC Museum of History SECU EducationCenter – Longleaf Classroom

Interactive Data Collection andAnalysis Methods for IncreasingParticipation in Evaluation

1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Amy Grack Nelson, Evaluation & ResearchAssociate, Science Museum of Minnesota


Making Logic Models Work forYou and Your Team

1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Liz Rosino, Research & Evaluation Strategist,Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

Scott Ewing, Research & EvaluationAssociate, Oregon Museum of Science andIndustry

Scott Pattison, Research & EvaluationStrategist, Oregon Museum of Science andIndustry


Strengthening Visitor Studiesthrough Writing: Part 2Rejuvenate Your Writing

1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Kris Morrissey, Director, MuseologyGraduate Program, University ofWashington

Jim Kisiel, Associate Professor, ScienceEducation, California State University


Wednesday, July 25

Advanced Statistical Techniques:Conceptual Frameworks andStrategies for Application

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Amy Cota-McKinley, Associate Professor inPsychology, Worcester State University

NC Museum of History – DemonstrationGallery

Advanced Techniques forCollecting Data with WirelessDevices: Programming WirelessSurveys and Observation Forms

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Jennifer Borland, Evaluator, Rockman et al

Camellia Sanford, Evaluator, Rockman et al


How to Make Things Work for YourVisitors: The Importance ofFormative Prototype Testing

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Kayte McSweeney, Audience Research andAdvocacy, Science Museum, London


Identifying Evaluation Methods:Advantages and Disadvantages

9:00 a.m. – noon

Terrie Nolinske, Principal, TNI Consultants LLC


Working with Logic Models

9:00 a.m. – noon

Sasha Palmquist, Senior ResearchAssociate, Institute for Learning Innovation

Susan Foutz, Senior Research Associate,Institute for Learning Innovation


Bringing an OrganizationalPerspective to Evaluation

1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Jeanne W. Vergeront, Vergeront MuseumPlanning


Survey Design: Writing EffectiveQuestions

1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Amy Grack Nelson, Evaluation & ResearchAssociate, Science Museum of Minnesota

Gayra Ostgaard, Museum Evaluator,Science Museum of Minnesota

Al Onkka, Museum Evaluator, ScienceMuseum of Minnesota


Tuesday, July 24 and Wednesday, July 25

CANCELLED

SOLDOUT

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Pre-Conference ScheduleWednesday, July 256:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Welcome to Raleigh: VSA Silver Conference Celebration at the NorthCarolina Museum of ArtEvent hosted and sponsored by North Carolina Museum of Art and Raleigh Trolley.

Join VSA and the North Carolina Museum of Art as we kick off the celebration of 25 years of VSAconferences. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served in the foyer, with live music asentertainment. The event will also feature “silver anniversary” cupcakes for dessert andlighthearted “remember when” memories of conferences past. Museum docents will beavailable to take guests on tours of the superb collection, which includes more than 5,000years of artwork. The 164-acre Museum Park is home to more than a dozen monumental worksof art, with artists actively involved in the integration of art into the Park’s natural systems andrestoration of its landscape.

Pre-registration is required. Evening includes entertainment, hors d’oeuvres, drinks, anddessert. Event ticket also includes transportation from the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel.

The Raleigh Trolley will begin a shuttle at 6:00 p.m. from the Main Entrance of the Sheraton.

2012 marks a major milestone forthe Visitor Studies Association –25 years of bringing ourcommunity together for

discussion, idea sharing, and professionalgrowth through the VSA Annual Conference.We hope you will join us in celebrating thismilestone throughout the conference.Events in the program that are part of thiscelebration and reflection are denoted witha special icon.

Other conference features that you can lookfor throughout the conference include:

Badge Marker: How many VSAconferences have you attended?During your next hallway conversation, takenote of how many of the 25 conferences yourcolleague has attended. Make our first-timers feel welcome, and try to find amember who has been to all 25 conferences!

Remember When: Most MemorableVSA Conference MomentsRemember when Kathy McLean performedan interpretive dance in a plenary session?Throughout the conference’s plenarysessions, evening events, and luncheons,we will share some of members’ favorite,funniest, and most powerful VSA conference

25th Anniversary Celebrationmemories. Visit the Memory Wall in theRegistration Area to read others’ fond VSAmemories and to add your own!

VSA TriviaHow many founding VSA board membersare at the 2012 conference? Which citybrought in VSA’s highest conferenceattendance? In how many countries doesVSA have members? Test your VSAknowledge with the VSA Trivia questionsshown during plenary sessions and events.

Finally, don’t miss VSA’s new SilentAuction! Check the VSA website and yourconference tote bag for more information.

G Program Evaluation Consultation Market ResearchGOODMAN RESEARCH GROUP, INC.OODMAN RESEARCH GROUP, INC.

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Conference SchedulePresentationFormatsThis year’s conference features avariety of presentation formats.Please review the list below to learnmore about the kinds ofpresentations you can attend:

Panel Presentations /Forum Discussions Panel presentations arefull sessions on a single

theme. The session includes severalpanelists who examine an issue,topic, problem , or theme from avariety of perspectives. Paneldiscussions reserve sufficient time in their sessions for audiencediscussion about the topic.

Individual Presentations These sessions include 3 presentations onseparate, but related,

topics. Each speaker gives a 15-20minute presentation about his/herproject. The session chair moderatesthe session and facilitate audiencediscussion and Q&A for allpresenters.

Innovative / AlternativeFormat SessionsSessions of this type haveproposed alternative,

innovative formats for theirpresentations, with the goal ofincreasing audience participation insupport of furthering discussion of akey topic.

Poster PresentationsIndividual presentersprovide graphic displaysand are present for one-

on-one discussions about specificstudies or projects. All posters will bepresented during a single sessionthat will take place in the Hannover I& II Ballroom on Friday, July 27 from3:15 – 4:15 p.m.

Thursday, July 268:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Welcoming Remarks, Reflections and Opening KeynoteDan Spock

Hannover I & IISponsored by the Franklin Institute

Dan Spock, Director of the Minnesota History Center Museumat the Minnesota Historical Society, will talk about how arelentless preoccupation with studying and learning frommuseum-goers over 30 years of museum work has informedthe development of his public-centered ethic while coincidingwith the growth of the importance of visitor studies in thefield. Dan will recall growing up as the son of Michael Spockduring his trailblazing years in the Sixties at the BostonChildren’s Museum where Dan was a testing guinea pig in thedevelopment of some of his dad’s breakout interactiveexhibits. He will talk about how this peculiar childhood gavehim a hands-on immersion in the things that make museumswonderful. Dan began his own museum career inauspiciously as a guard at the AdlerPlanetarium, a job he hated, but in retrospect he sees how his casual observationsthere taught him early important lessons about what museum visitors do and prefer.Later, he worked at his father's museum repairing exhibits, which unexpectedlyblossomed into a fantastic apprenticeship in the audience-centered culture of theBoston Children's Museum. The mentoring he received there, along with his first foraysinto visitor research as an exhibit designer, informed everything he's done since.

Spock will comment on the challenge of applying his training and researchmethodology to public history and how it has shaped his work with exhibits andcommunity projects that confront museum habits of thinking. He’ll conclude with thediscovery, based on visitor research, of the critical role empathy and storytelling playsin the public’s understandings of the past and how this has led him to acompassionate practice of museum tradecraft.

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Conference Schedule (cont.)

12:15 – 2:15 p.m.Lunch on your own

12:15 – 2:15 p.m.

Visitor Studies Editorial BoardMeeting Magnolia I

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Communications CommitteeMeetingCapital Room

Conference Planning CommitteeMeetingGovernors Room I

1:15 – 2:15 p.m.

Membership Committee MeetingGovernors Room II

Development Committee MeetingHannover III

2:30 – 3:45 p.m.Concurrent Sessions — 2

Discussing Repeat Visitors:Supporting Repeated Use throughProducts

Hannover IIIPresenters: Marjorie Bequette, Al Onkka, and Scott Van Cleave

What can ILE organizations do, in a 21stcentury full of increasingly complexsystems, multimodal environment designs,and continued population segregation, tocontinuously draw visitors back? Using anumber of evaluations from SMM, we willjump into a discussion of the evaluativeissues in recognizing, studying, andunderstanding repeat audiences.

Responding to the Needs ofMuseum Visitors with CognitiveDisabilities

Capital RoomPanelists: Christopher Bell, Tammy Gordon and Amelia Moody

This panel introduces museum educatorsto cognitive disabilities. It takes aninterdisciplinary approach to providinghistorical background as well as practicalways in which museum educators can meetthe needs of visitors with cognitivedisabilities.

Panel Presentations/Forum Discussions

Individual Presentations

Innovative/Alternative Format Sessions

Poster Presentations

VSA Celebration and Reflection

10:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Coffee BreakHannover I & IISponsored by Randi Korn & Associates.

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.Concurrent Sessions – 1

Art + Science = New EngagedCommunities

Capital RoomPanelists: Ellen Gusti, JohnFraser, Alan Friedman, and Lisa Roberts

Science is often overwhelming and socomplex that people turn off, abdicatingtheir civic responsibility to understand andrespond to a range of serious issues. Thissession focuses on art-sciencecollaborations that appeal to non-traditional science learners. Visitor studiesexplore the power of the arts to engagecommunities around scientifictopics/issues.

Using Capacity Building toEnhance Informal Learning inMuseum Exhibits

Governors Room IIPanelists: Max McDaniel, Kate Betz,and Taylor Overstreet

This session focuses on enhancing informallearning in museum environments throughpartnerships between museum staff andevaluators. Specifically, this sessionexplains the importance of internal capacitybuilding in evaluation and presents aroadmap to conducting research thatenhances visitor learning and buildsinternal evaluation skills.

VSA Looking Forward: AnInvitation for Member Input

Governors Room IPanelists: Dale McCreedy,Emlyn Koster, Randi Korn,

Joe Heimlich, Rita Deedrick, and Vance Yoshida

As VSA looks to the future, questions about international scope, internalstructure, outreach to tar get audiences, and cultural context arise. Learn about and then participate in discussions aboutthe topic you care about most. Help shapeVSA’s future!

Investigating Interaction andChange in the Visitor Experience

Hannover IIIChair: Kris Morrissey

Giving and Receiving: A Case Study ofan Interactive Exhibit Lynne Carmichael

An interactive exhibit at Te Papa is studiedfrom the dual perspective of the exhibitionteam and the visitors. Evidence emerged ofthe complex and long reaching-effect thatthe physical environment had on thevisitors and the “ripple effect” of that visiton their wider social circle.

Families Talking about Ecology at TouchTanksChuck Kopczak

Little is known about what occurs whenfamilies visit touch tank exhibits ataquariums and zoos. This study sought todetermine if they talk about ecologicaltopics, and the depth of theirconversations. While ecological talk doesoccur, it is not common, but stafffacilitation can increase its occurrence.

Inspiration to Action: Successes and L essons Learned in Measuring Behavior ChangeKathryn Owen and Mary Jackson

This session will describe the efforts of alarge urban zoo over the past five years toengage its audience in conservationbehaviors and actions. Successes, failures,and lessons learned from ongoingevaluation of these efforts will bepresented.

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the European citizen". Questionnaires,interviews and focus groups providedthought-provoking insights into visitors'ideas and views on the national museumsof Europe.

6:15 – 9:15 p.m.

Celebrate North Carolina’s Past,Present, and Future with aTraveling Reception at the NorthCarolina Museum of History andthe North Carolina Museum ofNatural Sciences $40Begin the evening by exploring more than14,000 years of North Carolina’s historyand inhabitants at the North CarolinaMuseum of History, and visit The Story ofNorth Carolina, an exhibition featuringfascinating artifacts and multimediapresentations. Enjoy appetizers andbeverages while Civil War andRevolutionary War re-enactors regale with tales of North Carolina’s pasts.

Enjoy a second course of traditional NorthCarolina BBQ at the largest natural historymuseum of its kind in the Southeast. TheNorth Carolina Museum of NaturalSciences features an array of exhibits thatencourage visitors to explore the naturalworld and their connections to it. Fromthere, the reception will move across thestreet for dessert at the Museum’s brandnew, 80,000-square-foot wing, the NatureResearch Center. With state-of-the-artlaboratories, interactive exhibits, andhigh-tech, dynamic presentation spaces,the Nature Research Center demystifiesscience and helps visitors understand thepractical applications of science researchin their daily lives.

Evening includes appetizers, dinner,drinks, dessert, entertainment, and twocomplimentary drink tickets. Cash bar willbe available. The North Carolina Museumof History is located 0.6 miles north of thehotel at 5 East Edenton Street.

Event hosted and sponsored by the NorthCarolina Museum of History and the NorthCarolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Studying Web 2.0 Experiences: AnOpen Source Session

Governors Room IPanelists: Jeff Grabill, Beck Tench,and Troy Livingston

Peek behind the scenes to see Web 2.0conversations from a new perspective.Examine and debate different approaches tofacilitating online conversations, comparenotes on the differences in impact,contribute to an ongoing research project,and take home protocols to join in theresearch with your organization’s Web 2.0experiences.

Diversity and Visitor Studies:Barriers, National Identities, andMultiple Worldviews

Governors Room II

Engaging the African AmericanCommunity: A Qualitative Exploration Amy Niedbalski and Mike Flynn

African Americans are underrepresentedamong Saint Louis Zoo visitors. The Zoosought to understand factors influencing thisdisparity. To lower costs and gain credibility,predominantly African American churcheswere used to assist in recruiting and hostingfocus groups. An added bonus: by askingchurches to help, the community wasengaged.

Institutional vs Individual Power:Investigating the St. Barnabas IconMuseum Theopisiti Stylianou-Lambert and Alexandra Bounia

Museums have the power to negotiatenational identities, while individuals havethe power to shape personal memories andmeanings. This presentation deals with therelationship between institutional andpersonal power using as an example the St.Barnabas Icon Museum in the North,occupied part of Cyprus.

Evaluation across Multiple Worldviews:Telling the Cosmic Serpent Story Jill Stein, Shelly Valdez, and Eric Jones

Evaluators from Institute for LearningInnovation and Native Pathways will sharetheir learning from a joint evaluation of theNSF-funded Cosmic Serpent, a professionaldevelopment program that brings togetherIndigenous Knowledge and Western Sciencein museum settings. They will focus on howIndigenous evaluation models were utilizedto reflect community voice.

4:00 – 5:15 p.m.Concurrent Sessions – 3

Designing and Studying MathExhibits About Ratio andProportion

Hannover IIIPresenters: Steven R. Guberman,Troy Livingston, Molly L. Kelton,Elizabeth Fleming, and Al Onkka

In this session, we present three issuesthat emerged in our work on Math Core —an NSF-funded collaboration to developexhibits on ratio and proportion: (a)planning for and studying repeat visitors,(b) researching visitors’ embodiedlearning, and (c) evaluation . . . when youhave a herd of cats.

Ready to Renovate? Models forEvaluating Installed Exhibitions

Capital RoomPanelists: Stephen Bitgood, Mary Jane Taylor, Steve Yalowitz,and Jeanine Ancelet

This session will present frameworks forcarrying out renovation-driven exhibitionevaluation, including three case studies ofsuch projects carried out for an aquarium,a history museum and an art museum.Panelists hope to begin a much-neededdialogue about terminology andapproaches for renovation-basedexhibition evaluations.

Forum: Applications of AEA'sCultural Relevance in EvaluationStatement to VSA

Governors Room IIPresenters: Jill Stein,Joe Heimlich, Shelly Valdez,

Christine Reich, and Cecilia Garibay

This open forum discussion will focus onthe applicability of AEA's CulturalRelevance in Evaluation statement (April2011) to the VSA community. Severalexperts in the area of culturalresponsiveness in evaluation will pose aprovocative question or comment, andthen we will facilitate a discussion onfuture directions.

National Museums and theEuropean Citizen

Governors Room IPanelists: Alexandra Bounia,Jocelyn Dodd, and Pille Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt

This panel presents a visitor studiesresearch undertaken in nine nationalmuseums in Europe, within the FP7program "European National Museums:Identity politics, the uses of the past and

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Friday, July 278:30 – 9:00 a.m.

Coffee BreakHannover I & IISponsored by Rockman et al

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

VSA Business MeetingHannover I & IIJoin fellow members and colleagues for thelatest VSA news to find out what is in storefor the organization in the coming year andvote on matters of importance to theAssociation. VSA President Dale McCreedywill discuss recent changes at VSA,including the work in organizational andstrategic planning and growth for the future.

9:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Keynote AddressAlison Kadlec

Hannover I & IISponsored by the Franklin Institute

Alison Kadlec, Senior Vice President, Director of PublicEngagement Programs, and Director for the Center for Advancesin Public Engagement at Public Agenda, will talk about how shethinks about accountability and case-making when it comes tomuseums. While most of her comments will implicitly or explicitlytake aim at narrowly construed, excessively quantitative, orexternally driven notions of accountability in any context, she believes that in an age ofperpetual scarcity of resources, it is incumbent on cultural institutions to articulate theirvalue and actively seek to better understand, document and amplify that value. As anadvocate of meaningful democracy, Alison will make the case that museums need to stepup and drive the conversations in order to own their power. Alison’s views have beenshaped by Deweyan Pragmatism driven first by the idea that a democracy is not to bejudged only according to its institutions, but also according to the habits of inquiry andcommunication it inspires in its citizens. Through her work at Public Agenda, Alisonstrives to improve the quality of public problem-solving through research, issue framing,engagement, and communications. In this context, Alison will analyze museums assources of civic innovation and the role of play and playfulness in public life, usingscience museums as a case study. She will talk about the value of museum experiencesin a democracy, particularly in a society like ours in which hostile partisan rhetoricundermines effective problem-solving and in which leaders pander to the worstobstacles.

Alison will engage VSA conference delegates in a discussion of how museums can bestrespond to Sam Chaltain’s three questions about education: How do people learn best?(actively, together and throughout their lives); What are the essential skills of a freepeople? (habits of being and habits of mind); What does it mean to be free? (developingthe capacity for self-direction).

10:30 – 11:45 a.m.Concurrent Sessions – 4

I Wish I'd Never Done That Capital RoomPanelists: Beverly Serrel, Alan Freidman, Ellen Giusti,

Theano Moussouri, Mary Ellen Munley,Barbara Soren, and Margie Marino

Senior professionals in the field of visitorstudies will speak about mistakes theyhave made in their careers and what theyhave learned from them.

Mediated Discourse: Shaping theFuture of Visitor Studies Research

Governors Room IChair: Peter Linett

Panelists: Peter Linett, Chloe Chittick Patton, and Cecilia Garibay

This session explores how culturalinstitutions can use research and evaluationto understand audiences who aredemographically and attitudinally differentfrom their usual constituency. Drawing fromthe performing arts and informal learning,the presentation will explore studies inwhich ethnographic, qualitative, andquantitative methods illuminate the needsand experiences of new audiences.

Observation Across Disciplines: AView From Visitor Studies

Governors Room IIPanelists: Jim Kisiel,Jessica Luke, Jeanine Ancelet,

Molly Phipps, and Judy Koke

This session will use evaluation/researchstudies to engage both panelists andattendees in discussion of “observation”as a desired process skill or learningoutcome—from both arts and scienceperspectives. Specifically, the session willexamine similarities and differences (ifany) in how observation is situated andidentified within each discipline.

Rethinking Evaluation Reports Hannover IIIPanelists: Amy Grack Nelson,Marsha Semmel, and Troy Livingston

Visitor studies methods are evolving, yetevaluation reports remain relativelyunchanged. This panel features threedifferent stakeholders: an evaluator,educator, and funder. They will sharereporting guidelines based on analysis ofstudies on informalscience.org,perspectives on integrating public valueinto reports, and alternative reportingapproaches to support reflective practice.

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12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

16th Annual April AwardLuncheonSponsored by Blue Scarf Consulting &Oberg Research

Oak Forest A$45, pre-registration required

The 2012 April Award recipient is Chris Catanese, Director of VisitorExperience at New York Historical SocietyMuseum & Library.

Join your colleagues and friends to reaffirmVSA's commitment to the next generationof visitor studies professionals. We'llwelcome our guest of honor, 2012 AprilAward recipient Chris Catanese from theNew York Historical Society Museum &Library.

This year's luncheon speaker is Dr. SteveBitgood, co-founder of the Visitor StudiesAssociation and co-editor of VisitorStudies: Theory, Research and Practice. Dr.Bitgood is a Professor Emeritus ofPsychology at Jacksonville State University.He has spoken and published widely andhas undertaken extensive research inexhibition centers (museums, sciencecentres and zoos) focusing on how toincrease the impact of exhibits by applyingpsychological principles. He is the authorof Social Design in Museums: ThePsychology of Visitor Studies. Dr. Bitgoodhas been to all 25 VSA conferences and iswell-positioned to take luncheon attendeeson a journey through time with "A Tribute tothe Mothers and Fathers of Visitor Studies."

1:45 – 3:00 p.m.Concurrent Sessions – 5

Behind the Scenes: Learning fromInter-DepartmentalCollaborations and ExternalPartnerships

Capital RoomPanelists: Lynn Courtney,Jessica Luke, Sharisse Butler, and Erica Hirshler

A long-term evaluation project at theMuseum of Fine Arts, Boston invitesreflection on the challenges andopportunities inherent in evaluationinvolving multiple stakeholders in a largearts institution. This session will addresscollaboration, ongoing roles, and workingrelationships and the potential forinstitutional learning about the value ofevaluation.

21st Century Learning in NaturalHistory Settings: A ResearchAgenda

Governors Room IPanelists: Bill Watson and Shari Werb

Participants will discuss recommendationsof the February 2012 NSF-fundedconference, 21st Century Learning inNatural History Settings, for 1) the bestopportunities to harness the resources ofnatural history museums andenvironments for learning in the 21stCentury, and 2) a research and evaluationagenda to advance progress toward them.

Are Art Museums Behind orAhead of the Evaluation Curve?

Hannover IIIPanelists: Peter Linett, Elizabeth Bolander, Matt Sikora,Ryan French, and Anne Lee

Art museums and visitor studies haven’tbeen the closest of kin. Most art museumsdon’t have an evaluator on staff, and manydon’t conduct regular exhibitionevaluations. But when they do engage inaudience research, it’s sometimes holistic,big-picture, and creative in ways that othermuseums can learn from. Join us for a livelyconversation about what research isteaching art museums about theiraudiences—and themselves.

Building Capacity in Evaluation:The CAISE Convenings Continue

Governors Room IIPanelists: Kirsten Ellenbogen,Leslie Goodyear, and Rita O'Sullivan

What supports, resources, and innovationsare needed to improve the practice ofevaluating informal learning environments?Join experts from visitor studies and otherareas of evaluation to discuss andprioritize capacity building needs for our field.

3:15 – 4:15 p.m.

Coffee BreakHannover I & II

3:15 – 4:15 p.m.

Poster SessionHannover I & IISponsored by People, Places, andDesign

A Survey of School Field Trip ResearchPublished 2000-2010Heather Harkins

Children’s Responses to EnhancedExhibits at a Science Museum Roger Phillips

Inquiry and Memory of ExhibitExperiencesLisa Szechter

Interest – The Next Big Concept inVisitor Studies?Tove I. Dahl

Museum Soundscapes and Their Impacton Visitor OutcomesRobert Jakubowski

Congratulations to the Recipients of the April Award and Student Scholarships

The April Award and Student Scholarship programs help bring new talent to thefield of visitor studies and the Visitor Studies Association.

VSA is pleased to welcome the following recipients to their first Visitor StudiesConference:

16th Annual April Award:Chris Catanese, New York Historical Society Museum & Library. Meet Chris at theApril Award Luncheon on Friday, July 27. The April Award was established by Dr. Marilyn (Molly) Hood to honor the memoryof her longtime research assistant April Lahm.

2012 Student Scholarships:Julie Chiu, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignRegan Forrest, University of Queensland, AustraliaKatie Schroeder, University of DenverThe Student Scholarship program supports first-time conference attendance foractive students interested in the field of visitor studies.

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Older People: To Be or Not To BeMuseum VisitorsChi-Hsiang Wang

Family StoriesTheano Moussouri

Unspoken: Sex, Gender, Body Image,and God in Body WorldsSusan Jagger, Michelle Dubek and Erminia Pedretti

Using Evaluation to Provide Scaffoldingfor an Uncomfortable Visitor ExperienceZdanna Tranby and Steve Guberman

What’s Next for Online ProfessionalDevelopment for the ISE CommunityTammy Messick Cherry and Kara Hershorin

Bilingual Exhibits Research Initiative:Exploring Engagement in STEM AmongLatino AudiencesSteven Yalowitz, Cecilia Garibay, Nan Renner, and Carlos Plaza

New Methods for Measuring AffectiveResponse: The Potential ofPsychophysiologyJessica Sickler

Evaluation of the Gallery Guide TourProgram at the Frye Art MuseumPeder Nelson, Mark Rosen, Nick Visscher,and Rose Paquet Kinsley

Harbor Seal Habitat Renovation: Front-End EvaluationKatie Phelps and Chris Cadenhead

The Teachers, the State, and the Zoo:What Learning Goals are Being Met atSelf-Guided School VisitsEric LaPlant, Michelle DelCarlo, and Siri Linz

What Can You Learn from an Orangutan? Erin Hetrick, Elee Wood, Don Riefler, and Chelsea Libby

Socially Relevant Projects: What Are We LearningKris Morrissey, Travis Wildleharth,Katherine Canning, Patty Montano, Kaylan Petrie, and Ari Einbinder

Evidence of Two Types of EngagedVisitor AttentionStephen Bitgood

Judging Exhibitions with the Frameworkfor Assessing ExcellenceBeverly Serrell

Through Their Own Eyes: APhotographic Understanding of VisitorExperiencesKathryn Schroeder

Design Factors in the Museum VisitorExperienceRegan Forrest

4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Meet the Committees Happy HourVSA’s Membership Committee invites newattendees and all members for a happyhour! This is an informal way to meet andchat with other members and VSA leaders,to learn about VSA committees and howyou might get more involved, and to seesome nearby bars and local watering holes.

Pre-registration is not required for thisevent. Food and drinks available forpurchase. Visit the registration desk forhappy hour locations.

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Hollywood in North Carolina! atthe Marbles Kids Museum $45The stars are out in Downtown Raleigh forthis reception at Marbles Kids Museum,which inspires imagination, discovery,and learning through extraordinaryadventures in play and larger-than-lifeIMAX experiences. Enjoy heavy horsd’oeuvres and beverages outside underthe stars while learning about NorthCarolina’s bustling movie and TVindustry. You can also take a backstagetour of the Wells Fargo IMAX Theatre atMarbles, which features the newest state-of-the-art IMAX 3D projection system,enhanced audio with 24,000 watts ofheart-pumping sound, and a higherbrilliance 70-foot wide giant screen.

Guests who purchased advance ticketswill see the highly-anticipated nextchapter in the Batman film series, TheDark Knight Rises, in North Carolina’sonly Giant Screen certified IMAX 3DTheatre. The film begins around 7:30.

Evening includes hors d’oeuvres, drinks,and music. Movie screening is anadditional cost and tickets must bepurchased in advance. The museum islocated 0.5 miles northeast of the hotel at201 East Hargett Street.

Event hosted and sponsored by MarblesKids Museum.


Panel Presentations/Forum Discussions

Individual Presentations

Innovative/Alternative Format Sessions

Poster Presentations

VSA Celebration and Reflection

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Saturday, July 288:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Board Development CommitteeMeetingGovernors Room I

Professional DevelopmentCommittee MeetingGovernors Room II

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

Coffee BreakHannover I & II


Conversations Between Girls andtheir Parents During InformalEngineering Activities

Governors Room IGina Navoa Svarovsky and Zdanna Tranby

This roundtable presentation will share anddiscuss preliminary findings from the GenderResearch on Adult-child Discussions inInformal Engineering Environments(GRADIENT) project, which explores theconversations that occur between girls andtheir parents while engaged in a range ofinformal engineering activities withinmuseum exhibits and programs.

Involving Practitioners in Researchand Evaluation

Governors Room IIPanelists: Scott Pattison,Christine Reich, Lynn Tran, and Paige Simpson

By engaging practitioners in conducting theirown research and evaluation, the visitorstudies field can play a powerful role inhelping to shape the next generation ofinformal learning practitioners. Drawing froma diversity of perspectives, this session willexplore the challenges and benefits ofsupporting practitioner-led research andevaluation.

Embedding Visitor Studies in theArt Museum Through MuseumStudies

Capital RoomPanelists: Ann Rowson Love, AnnMarie Hayes-Hawkinson, Kelsey

Picken, and Lauren Connolly

After an overview of an art museum-basedgraduate museum studies program and theefforts to introduce and embed visitor studiesinto student and museum staff practices, the

presenters will share findings from recentstudies. The panelists will address implicationsfor preparing current and future museumprofessionals to implement visitor studies.

Visitor Experience: TraditionalApproaches and Emerging Issues

Hannover III

The Museum Experience for Families withAutism: What We LearnedLesley Langa, Katie Shanahan, Giuseppe (Pino) Monaco, Mega M.Subramaniam, Paul T. Jaeger, and Beth Ziebarth

This presentation discusses needs andmotivations analysis of children within theautism spectrum disorder and their families tovisit museums, how electronic resources cancontribute to enhance the experience, andplans to operationalize the research resultsinto action plans.

Do Objects Play a Special Role inKnowledge Acquisition?Daniela Bauer and Constanze Hampp

While Internet and TV are limited to usesymbolic systems like texts or pictures,museums are able to present “the real thing.”Using authentic objects to communicatecontent is part of the self-definition ofmuseums. But does this tradition of displaying knowledge also affect the quality of informal learning?

My TripAdvisor: Mining Social Media forVisitors’ PerceptionsElizabeth Maurer

While many museums have embraced directsocial media, like Facebook, they are lessengaged with indirect social media.Conversations that occur on opinion websitesbefore, after, and outside of visits frame publicperceptions. Over the next decade, museumswill need to better understand indirect socialmedia to develop better visitor experiences.


Distributed Evaluation: MovingTowards Richer and MoreMeaningful InstitutionalCollaboration

Governors Room IPresenters: Gina NavoaSvarovsky, Jane Morgan,

Juli Goss, Liz Rosino, and Jenna Lecomte-Hinely

This session will begin by describing adistributed evaluation study conducted byevaluators from three Nanoscale InformalScience Education Network (NISE Net)

institutions. Session participants will thenrotate through a set of roundtablediscussions, each focused on a specificchallenge or issue faced by the team duringthe study.

Embodying Visitors: AnalysisTechniques for InvestigatingMultimodal Interaction inMuseums

Hannover IIIPresenters: Molly Kelton, Nan Renner, and Suzanne Perin

Museums have long recognized the value ofhands-on interactive experiences. Thisdesign principle necessitates research andevaluation methods that capture bothphysical and verbal interaction amongpeople and learning technologies. Thisinteractive session explores multipleapproaches to a more full-bodiedinvestigation of acting, speaking, thinking,and learning in museum settings.

Through Their Own Eyes: APhotographic Understanding ofVisitor Experiences

Governors Room IIPresenters: Kathryn Schroeder and Kathleen Tinworth

This interactive session describes thedevelopment, implementation, and resultsof a pilot photo study at the Denver Museumof Nature & Science, which explored thevisitor experience through images taken byvisitors. This session encourages attendeesto consider future uses, contexts, anddirections for this innovative methodology.

Observation Across Disciplines: AView From Visitor StudiesPathways to Leadership in VSA

Capital RoomPanelists: Laura Huerta Migusand Marcie Benne

VSA is growing and vibrant thanks to theactive participation and input of memberslike you. With a new strategic vision, VSA isrelying on members to make the vision areality. Meet with VSA officers and committeechairs to explore opportunities to contributeskills and leadership at any level!

12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Closing LuncheonHannover I & IITicket Required

Join colleagues and a panel of discussantsfor a final conversation and commentary,reflecting on the past 25 years of VSA, thecontent of the 2012 conference, and visionsfor the next 25 years of VSA conferences.

Event includes lunch.

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Everyone’s reading.

Everyone’s talking.

Join the conversation at curatorjournal.org.

Subscribe at tinyurl.com/curatorsubscribe.

Timely. Provocative. Rigorous.

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Thank You 2012 Conference Sponsors & DonorsThe 25th Annual Visitor Studies Association Conference is supported by businesses, organizations, and individuals committed tounderstanding and serving visitors in informal learning environments. Please support those whose work furthers VSA’s vision ofa world where lifelong learning is embraced, and where learning in informal settings benefits individuals, communities, andsociety at large.

LOCAL HOSTS

CONFERENCE SPONSORS

FOUNDERS’ FUND DONORS

with support from the following VSA members:

Joe Ansel, Carol Bossert, Timothy Chester, Daryl Fischer, Darcie Fohrman,Alan J. Friedman, Sheila Grinell, Mary Ellen Munley, Judy Rand,

Paul Richard, and Myriam Springuel

W W W. M U S E U M G R O U P. C O M

Allen & AssociatesElsa Bailey

Betty DunckelJoe HeimlichLinda Wilson

Barbara FlaggChandler Screven EstatesExploratorium

Beverly Serrell, Barbara Becker, & Patty McNamara

Dr. Barbara Flagg, Directorof Multimedia Research

New KnowledgeTisdal Consulting

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THE VSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2011 – 2013

OFFICERSPresident – Dale McCreedy, The Franklin Institute President-Elect – Joe Heimlich, The Ohio State UniversityVice President, Organizational Development – David Ucko,

Museums + MoreVice President, Outreach Development – Matt Sikora

Detroit Institute of ArtsVice President, Professional Development – Kris Morrissey,

University of WashingtonSecretary – Elisa Israel, Saint Louis Science CenterTreasurer – Jessica Luke, University of Washington Immediate Past President – Kirsten Ellenbogen,

Science Museum of Minnesota

BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGEMarcie Benne, Oregon Museum of Science and IndustryRick Bonney, Cornell Lab of OrnithologyKate Haley Goldman, National Center for Interactive LearningLaura Huerta Migus, Association of Science Technology CentersCheryl Kessler, Blue Scarf ConsultingKaren Knutson, UPCLOSE, University of PittsburghRandi Korn, Randi Korn & AssociatesEmlyn Koster, Institute for Learning InnovationTroy Livingston, Museum of Life and ScienceCaren Oberg, Oberg ResearchSaul Rockman, Rockman et alJessica Sickler, Lifelong Learning Group, COSIKathleen Tinworth, Denver Museum of Nature & Science Mira Zergani, University of the Arts

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Vice President: David Ucko

BOARD DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEEChair: Laura Huerta-Migus

Vice Chair: Anna Lindgren-Streicher

Members: Betty Dunckel, Julie Johnson, Janet Rassweiler, and Linda Wilson

The Board Development Committee is charged with ensuringeffective board governance of the Association. The committeeis responsible for overseeing elections; monitoring andassessing board processes, structures, and roles; andproviding board members with the tools and support neededto fulfill their board duties. Specific responsibilities include:developing a board slate that meets the strategic needs of theorganization; reviewing board and committee structures andrelated policies; planning on-going professional developmentfor new and existing board members; and recognizing boardmembers for their contributions.

DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEEChair: Randi Korn

Vice Chair: Emlyn Koster

Members: Rita Deedrick, Robert “Mac” West, , Mira Zergani,Kim Burtnyk, and Conny Graft

The Development Committee designs, oversees, and executesstrategies to encourage charitable donations, advertising,sponsorships of conference events, and relationships withgrant-making agencies.

VSA Board of Directors and CommitteesSpecial thanks to the following volunteers whose time, energy, and dedicated service have enabledVSA to increase the scope and quality of its service to the field.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Vice President: Kris Morrissey

CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEEChair: Jessica Sickler

Vice Chair: Camellia Sanford

Members: Sarah Cohn, Kelly Lidinsky, and Elee Wood

The Conference Planning Committee oversees the conferencesite selection, program, and logistics for each annual VSAconference and serves as VSA board liaison for thosefunctions. This committee is responsible for setting thestrategy and logistics for future conference site selection. Thecommittee provides guidance to the Conference Team andLocal Host Committee, both of which are convened annually todesign, recruit, and organize the conference program for thefollowing year.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEEChair: Cheryl Kessler

Vice Chair: Kathleen Tinworth

Members: Elsa Bailey, Jennifer Borland, Jen DeWitt, Pino Monaco, Saul Rockman, and Nick Visscher

The Professional Development Committee is responsible forproviding training and growth opportunities for VSA membersand other museum professionals. The committee develops,organizes, and facilitates all training opportunities andprofessional development for VSA including workshops for VSAmembers and others interested in the discipline. Thiscommittee is responsible for facilitating pre-conference andregional workshops, April Award, and Student Scholarships.

OUTREACH DEVELOPMENT

Vice President: Matt Sikora

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEEChair: Rick Bonney

Vice Chair: Elizabeth Bolander

Members: Dorothy Chen Courtin, Daryl Fischer, Susan Foutz,Kate Haley Goldman, Valerie Grabski, Jim Kisiel, Karen Knutson, Troy Livingston, Allison Martin, Pino Monaco, Amy Niedbalski, Liz Rosino, and Kathleen Tinworth

The Communications Committee works to share informationabout the Visitor Studies Association and its projects tomembers and to the broader visitor studies communitythrough a variety of media. The committee comprises threesubcommittees: Website and Publications, Interactive/SocialMedia, and Strategic Communications. The committee alsoprovides a liaison to the editorial board of VSA’s journal,Visitor Studies Today.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEEChair: Marcie Benne

Members: Steve Bitgood, Elizabeth Bolander, Leslie Hartog,Heidi Kartchner, Sara Martinez, Azuka Mumin, Betsy O’Brien,Gayra Ostgaard, Beth Shea, Maia Werner-Avidon, and Renae Youngs

The Membership Committee strives to create accessible andinclusive pathways for joining and engaging with VSA. Thecommittee co-develops a variety of resources and activities tohelp members get acquainted with each other, shareexpertise, develop VSA competencies, create VSA experiences,and collaborate to advance the field.

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Preparing museum professionals to make a difference in their communities, Since 1972Proud to share an anniversary year with VSA!

Innovative solutions for human behavior researchwww.noldus.com

Observation made simple!

The Observer® XT

Portable lab

Pocket Observer

Services

Sarah CohnVSA Association Manager

2885 Sanford Avenue, #18100Grandville, MI 49418e-mail: [email protected]: www.visitorstudies.org

Thank you Dr. Screven for inspiring me to pursuevisitor studies and stimulating my intellect alongthe way. I will always remember your work,charming manner, and spectacular piano playing.

Randi Korn

Thank you to Patricia Shettel for contributing her time and talents, including her superborganizational skills and conference planningexpertise, to the Visitor Studies Associationduring its foundational years. Her life and workhave benefited us all, both yesterday and today.

Anonymous

In Memory of Dr. Chandler Screven Patricia Shettel

Documents

CELEBRATE! 25th Annual Visitor Studies Association