Museums, STEM, & Social Issues: An Ongoing Conversation

 In November 2020, President-elect Joe Biden identified four priority areas for the incoming administration: COVID-19; climate change, economic recovery, and racial equity. These crucial areas of national interest will be the focus of media attention, policy debates, funding initiatives, and community discussions over the next four years. Will museums be part of these important conversations and initiatives? Are there opportunities for museums to affirm or to reposition their roles within the difficult public deliberations ahead? Addressing Societal Challenges through STEM (ASCs) is a research synthesis conducted by Knology with funding from the National Science Foundation (#1906556) to examine ways that science centers and museums are addressing social issues. In this paper, we look at Biden’s four priorities and share a few observations about the trends, gaps, and opportunities we see in the studies we’re examining.