The Human Spark

October 1st, 2005 - September 30th, 2011 | PROJECT

WNET is producing "The Human Spark," a multimedia project that includes a four-part television series (4 x 60 min) for national primetime broadcast on PBS, innovative outreach partnerships with museums, an extensive Web site and outreach activities, including a Spanish-language version and companion book. Hosted by Alan Alda, "The Human Spark" will explore the intriguing questions: What makes us human? Can the human spark be found in the differences between us and our closest genetic relative -- the great apes? Is there some place or process unique to the human brain where the human spark resides? And if we can identify it, could we transfer it to machines? The programs will explore these questions through presenting cutting-edge research in a number of scientific disciplines including evolution, genetics, cognitive neuroscience, behavioral science, anthropology, linguistics, AI, robotics and computing. The series will highlight opposing views within each field, and the interdisciplinary nature of science, including its intersection with the humanities. The series will develop a new innovative format, the "muse concept", which involves pairing the host with a different scientific expert throughout each program. The outreach plan is being developed with a consortium of four leading science museums, American Museum of Natural History in New York, Museum of Science in Boston, The Exploratorium in San Francisco, and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, paired with their respective local public television stations. An additional six museums and local broadcasters will be chosen through an RFP process to develop local initiatives around the series. Multimedia Research and Leflein Associates will conduct formative as well as summative evaluations of the series and web.

Project Website(s)

(no project website provided)

Project Products

Strengthening Collaborations Between Public Television Stations and Science Museums: Lessons From the Human Spark National Outreach Initiative
The Human Spark Outreach: Collaboration between PBS Stations and Museums

Team Members

William Grant, Principal Investigator, Educational Broadcasting Corporation
Jared Lipworth, Former Principal Investigator, WNET
Graham Chedd, Co-Principal Investigator, The Chedd-Angier-Lewis Production Company
Barbara Flagg, Evaluator, Multimedia Research

Funders

Funding Source: NSF
Funding Program: ISE/AISL
Award Number: 0515489
Funding Amount: 1226551

Tags

Access and Inclusion: English Language Learners | Ethnic | Racial | Hispanic | Latinx Communities
Audience: General Public | Museum | ISE Professionals
Discipline: Computing and information science | Life science | Social science and psychology | Technology
Resource Type: Project Descriptions
Environment Type: Broadcast Media | Media and Technology