One of the really great things about working for an organization with the exposure of COSI is the people you get to interact with as a COSI representative.  When attending the monthly Columbus Social Media Cafe meetings, I’m not just Kevin, but I also represent COSI.  Through our various partnerships, I get to work with other Columbus organizations that I’ve grown up admiring…the Columbus Museum of Art (partnering with us for Egypt in Columbus next summer), the Ohio Historical Society (promoting their new Rockwell in America exhibition), WOSU (one of our partners in the COSI building), and many more.  It’s exciting to work with organizations of this caliber, knowing that our combined efforts are making a positive contribution to Columbus!

Next week I will have the pleasure of serving as one of COSI’s representatives to the Association of Science-Tachnology Centers (ASTC) conference in Philadelphia.  Since registering for the conference, I have received all kinds of invitations to booths, demonstrations, and seminars that will take place at the conference.  Most of them don’t directly relate to my role, but I think the overall exposure will really help me get a good perspective on the science center community as a whole.  Even though Parents Magazine rated us as the #1 Science Center, I know I can learn from the experiences of science center representatives I will meet from other cities like Boston and San Fransisco.

One event invitation I got for ASTC did interest me greatly though.  On Sunday morning, I will be having breakfast with some of the online editing staff of the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer (the guy who moderated the first presidential debate).  They are looking for ways to improve their science coverage online, and wanted to both get input on their site and content and also discuss how we can partner to make good use of this developing resource.  It should be a great connection to make given our current partnership with local PBS affiliate WOSU.  We also want to continue to develop COSI.org not only as a tool to sell our programs and exhibits, but also as a connecting point for science resources online.

If you get a chance, check out the online NewsHour Science Reports and let me know what you think.  I will have the opportunity to pass your thoughts and ideas next weekend!