Hands On Science Partnership

Hands On Science Partnership
Name	Hands On Science Partnership
Formation	1990s
Type	Nonprofit
Headquarters	Unknown
Region served	International
Purpose	Science outreach
Leader title	Executive Director

Hands On Science Partnership

Hands On Science Partnership is a nonprofit organization focused on experiential science outreach and public engagement through interactive exhibits, mobile laboratories, and educator training. Founded to bridge informal learning and formal instruction, the organization operates programs that connect museums, universities, and community groups to increase access to experiential STEM opportunities. Its activities intersect with major science centers, research institutions, and philanthropic foundations to promote hands-on inquiry and maker-style learning.

Overview

Hands On Science Partnership develops interactive programming for museums, schools, and after-school providers, drawing on models used by the Smithsonian Institution, Exploratorium, American Museum of Natural History, Science Museum, London, and Ontario Science Centre. It collaborates with higher education partners such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Cambridge, and University of Oxford to adapt research-based practices for public audiences. Funding and evaluation frameworks reference foundations and agencies like the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, National Science Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and National Endowment for the Arts. Hands On Science Partnership frequently appears at conferences hosted by organizations including Association of Science-Technology Centers, American Association for the Advancement of Science, International Council of Museums, European Museum Academy, and American Educational Research Association.

History and Founding

The group traces origins to collaborations among museum educators, university faculty, and community advocates influenced by pioneers such as Frank Oppenheimer and institutions like the Lawrence Hall of Science and COSI (Columbus, Ohio). Early partners included the National Science Teachers Association, American Chemical Society, Royal Society of London, and regional networks linked to National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Founders drew on curriculum innovations from Project 2061, professional development models from Institute for Learning Sciences, and evaluation approaches associated with researchers at Harvard Graduate School of Education and Stanford Graduate School of Education.

Programs and Activities

Core activities include traveling exhibits developed with teams from California Academy of Sciences, Field Museum, and Natural History Museum, London; mobile labs inspired by BioBus and Museum on Wheels initiatives; educator workshops modeled on Teach For America training and university extension programs; and maker-space collaborations echoing work at Maker Faire and the Fab Lab network. The organization runs citizen science projects in partnership with research programs at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Kew Gardens, and Jane Goodall Institute affiliates. It also supports curriculum pilots aligned with standards from Next Generation Science Standards authoring bodies and assessment practices championed by ETS (Educational Testing Service).

Partnerships and Collaborations

Hands On Science Partnership maintains alliances with regional museums such as Science Museum of Minnesota, Franklin Institute, The Tech Interactive, and Museum of Science (Boston), and with university labs at University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin, University of Chicago, Columbia University, and Yale University. It partners with government research agencies and labs including NASA, NOAA, US Geological Survey, European Space Agency, and Centre national de la recherche scientifique for content and outreach. Corporate and philanthropic collaborators have included Google.org, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Wellcome Trust, and Rockefeller Foundation.

Impact and Evaluation

Evaluation draws on methods used by scholars at RAND Corporation, Brookings Institution, and Pew Research Center to measure learning outcomes, participation equity, and long-term career impacts. Published assessments reference metrics from OECD reports and case studies featured at conferences such as SXSWedu, AAAS Annual Meeting, and European Science Engagement Conference. Impact highlights include documented increases in informal STEM participation comparable to benchmarks reported by National Science Board and program citations in reports by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Funding and Governance

The Partnership secures funding through grants from entities like the National Science Foundation, European Commission, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and private donors including family foundations modeled after Gates Foundation structures. Governance is overseen by a board with representatives from institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University, Imperial College London, Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University, and University of Toronto. Financial practices align with nonprofit standards advocated by Council on Foundations and audit processes recommended by Charity Commission for England and Wales and Internal Revenue Service guidance for 501(c)(3) organizations.

Notable Events and Recognition

The organization has been featured at exhibitions and symposia alongside teams from TED, World Economic Forum, and UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, and has received awards or recognition from bodies like the AAAS Public Engagement with Science and Technology Award, British Science Association, Science Festival Alliance, London Design Museum exhibitions, and regional museum awards administered by Association of Science-Technology Centers. Collaborations have produced high-profile exhibits co-developed with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and research partnerships recognized in journals such as Nature, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Public Understanding of Science, and Science Education.

Category:Science outreach organizations