Durham Capacity of Co‐Created public Engagement with Science (CCPES) Forums Public Evaluation Memo

The Building Capacity of Co‐Created public Engagement with Science (CCPES) project was led by the Museum of Science, Boston with partners from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and Museum of Life and Science. The project was designed to have a strategic impact on how ISE institutions choose topics of STEM engagement by gathering information from local publics about STEM‐related issues most of interest and importance to them. This information was then used by a local museum, community organization, civic organization, and scientists to create a dialogue and deliberation forum about the topic. The final outcome for the project was to build and test a new model for co‐created public engagement with science activities.

In 2022 and 2023, the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC in collaboration with partners from Families Moving Forward and support from the Durham Neighborhood Improvement Services Department created a forum about the local housing crisis. The forum was implemented four times at sites across Durham and the Research Triangle. Surveys were collected from the public participants at the forums to understand their demographics, their enjoyment and comfort at the forum, and how the forum impacted their views about housing. Data from the forums is presented in the memo.