Dr. Perry Roth-Johnson, Assistant Curator, Aerospace Science, California Science Museum and Exhibit Development Program Coordinator Brittany Oats shared an enlightening presentation that covered the history and development of drones to the impact in today’s world and our daily lives. Many groups (including law enforcement, tech firms, farmers, and researchers) have already found new applications, and seek to increase drone use in the future. However, this technology raises many concerns, especially around privacy and safety. As with any new technology with the potential to transform daily life, the public should be a part of a conversation about how drones are used. Science centers are a good venue for this, but how do we design an exhibit to facilitate a productive conversation? To inform the design of a new exhibit at the California Science Center, they presented data collected from 7 focus groups with Science Center staff to explore the social issues around 3 possible uses of drones. As might be expected for a controversial topic, they found that many staff members held many different views about the benefits and challenges of drones. Drones in the museum
Dr. Perry Roth-Johnson, Assistant Curator, Aerospace Science, California Science Museum and Exhibit Development Program Coordinator Brittany Oats shared an enlightening presentation that covered the history and development of drones to the impact in today’s world and our daily lives. Many groups (including law enforcement, tech firms, farmers, and researchers) have already found new applications, and seek to increase drone use in the future. However, this technology raises many concerns, especially around privacy and safety. As with any new technology with the potential to transform daily life, the public should be a part of a conversation about how drones are used. Science centers are a good venue for this, but how do we design an exhibit to facilitate a productive conversation? To inform the design of a new exhibit at the California Science Center, they presented data collected from 7 focus groups with Science Center staff to explore the social issues around 3 possible uses of drones. As might be expected for a controversial topic, they found that many staff members held many different views about the benefits and challenges of drones.