Association of Science and Technologies Centers

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Co-Chair: Andrés Roldán*, Parque Explora, Medellín, Colombia
Co-Chair: Linda Conlon, International Center for Life, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

  • Ganigar Chen, National Science Museum of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Jayatri Das, The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
  • Stephanie Downey, RK&A, New York, New York, United States
  • Jeremy Hoffman, Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, United States
  • Douglas Jones*, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida, United States
  • Guy Labine, Arizona Science Center, Phoenix, Arizona, United States
  • David Nuñez, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  • Joseph Quinones, Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, Miami, Florida, United States
  • Katrina Stevens, The Tech Interactive, San Jose, California, United States
  • Rosalia Vargas, Pavilion of Knowledge – Ciencia Viva, Lisbon, Portugal

*Member of ASTC Board of Directors

ASTC Staff Liaisons: Melissa Ballard, Naomi Wallace

Are you interested in serving as a member of the Global Trends Committee? We invite staff at all levels from ASTC members (both Science Center and Museum Members and Allied Members) in good standing to raise your hand to be considered for a committee or other volunteer opportunity. See additional information about volunteering to serve.

GTC CHARTER

PURPOSE

In the context of ASTC’s vision, purpose, and strategic direction, the Global Trends Committee (the “Committee”) is an ad-hoc committee of the ASTC Board of Directors (the “Board”) and provides a global perspective and advice to ASTC’s Board and staff, including on how science and technology centers and museums around the world engage diverse communities on global challenges and societal trends, and how such trends are impacting the businesses of ASTC members.

STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP

The Board Chair will have the power to appoint a Chair or Co-Chairs for the Committee from the staff of ASTC Science Center and Museum Members or Allied Members. At least one of the Committee Co-Chairs, or the Sole Chair, will be a Director serving on the Board. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Board Chair, and the Board Chair shall have the power at any time to fill vacancies of, change membership of, or discharge Committee members.

The Committee will comprise no fewer than five (5) members, including the two Co-Chairs, of which at least two Committee members will be Directors currently serving on the Board. Committee members will serve one-year terms. No person may be appointed to serve on the Committee for more than three (3) consecutive full terms without a break in service of at least two (2) years following the third full term. Committee members may serve on other ASTC Committees and task forces. The Board Chair will endeavor to ensure that the membership of the Committee reflects and represents the breadth of ASTC member institutions.

The Board Chair also will endeavor to ensure that at least at least one (1) member of the Conference Program Planning Committee and at least one (1) member of the Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement Committee serve concurrently on this Global Trends Committee, to act as liaisons between the three committees.

FOCUS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The primary focus and responsibilities of the Global Trends Committee include:

  • Identifying field-wide opportunities, priorities, challenges, and needs related to how ASTC might best support—and build capacity for—the work of science and technology centers and museums to partner to tackle global and local challenges in the context of societal trends (such as the future of work, education, health, resilient communities, and the environment).
  • Considering how science and technology centers and museums are engaging their communities on significant societal trends and global challenges, lifting up models and approaches that advance equity and access to science engagement across the diverse communities served by science and technology centers and museums, and otherwise looking for opportunities for ASTC to advance its stated commitment to diversity, accessibility, inclusion, and equity.
  • Defining opportunities for research and data-sharing across the field to advance understanding of how societal trends are impacting the businesses of science and technology centers and museums in North America and around the world.
  • Working with the Board and ASTC staff to refine and maintain a framework of high-priority global issues and challenges that ASTC and its members might collectively address—particularly societal trends, global challenges, and emerging-technology areas where ASTC members are already doing promising work, ASTC members have needs or opportunities new partnerships might address, and ASTC can play a role in forging such partnerships.
  • Providing input to the Board and ASTC staff on opportunities for collaboration among regional science-engagement networks and associations to champion the work of science and technology centers and museums throughout the world, and to build capacity and collaboration among science and technology centers and museums to tackle global and local challenges.

PROCEDURES AND ADMINISTRATION

  1. Conduct Consistent with Bylaws. As an ad-hoc committee of the Board, the Committee will conduct its activities in a manner consistent with ASTC’s bylaws. The business of the Committee will be conducted as nearly as possible in the same manner as provided by the ASTC Bylaws for the Board, unless otherwise provided for by the Board in rules for the Committee’s business.
  2. Advisory Capacity with No Power to Bind. The Committee may advise the Board, any committee of the Board or ASTC staff. The Committee shall have no power or authority to bind ASTC or the Board on any matter.
  3. Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest and Recusal. Committee members will disclose any conflicts of interest and be recused from any matters on which they have a conflict of interest, in accordance with ASTC’s conflict of interest policy.
  4. Meetings. The Committee will meet in person or via telephone or videoconference at the discretion of its Chair or Co-Chairs, or at the request of the Board Chair. A majority of the members of the Committee will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the affirmative vote of a majority of those present shall be necessary for any action by the Committee. The Committee will keep such records of its meetings as its Chair or Co-Chairs shall deem appropriate.
  5. Ad-Hoc Working Groups. The Committee Chair or Co-Chairs may form working groups (including those consisting of a single member), as it deems appropriate from time to time.
  6. Reports to Board. The Committee will report on an as-needed basis to the Board, including by providing an annual summary and evaluation of committee activities to the Board.
  7. Charter. At least annually, the Committee will review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval.
Scroll to Top