Kudos Affiliates!! April 2019
Congratulations to these Affiliates on their recent accomplishments! Do you have kudos to share? Please send potential entries to Aaron Glavas, GlavasC@si.edu.
FUNDING
Science Museum Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, OK) announced that Schlumberger will provide a matching grant of $90,000 to help renovate the museum’s energy exhibit, Energy Quest. Energy Quest will feature more than 2,000 square feet of space and provide an immersive environment to explore the science, technology, engineering, and math associated with energy production in Oklahoma.
The Baltimore Orioles announced plans to honor the legacy of Hall of Famer Frank Robinson during the 2019 season by donating $20,000 to the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture (Baltimore, MD) to highlight the achievements of African Americans throughout our nation’s history.
Public Service Co. of Oklahoma announced a $250,000 grant from the American Electric Power Foundation to help the Stafford Air & Space Museum (Weatherford, OK) reach its Legacy Campaign goal. The money raised during the campaign will fund a planned 18,000-square-foot expansion of the museum. Plans include expanding existing exhibit galleries, the addition of new galleries, and renovations to STEM classrooms and work areas.
The Detroit Tigers and the Arab American National Museum (Dearborn, MI) announced a special event- Arab American Night. The special night will take place on Aug. 6 at Comerica Park in Detroit. The evening is sponsored by Tigers partner Saad Wholesale Meats and $3 from every ticket sold as part of the promotion will be used to support the museum.
Sunderland Foundation has awarded Union Station, Kansas City, Inc. (Kansas City, MO) a multi-year grant of $1.5 million in support of Science City’s Early Learning Expansion Project. The programmatic footprint will fill more than 35,000 square feet and include multiple exhibit zones and interactive experiences to spark curiosity and creativity in Kansas City’s youngest learners.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
A small yet mighty new dinosaur was recently discovered thanks to the work of Lindsay Zanno, head of paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and her team. The new dinosaur — Moros intrepidus, which means “harbinger of doom” after the Greek god Moros — is a relative of the much larger Tyrannosaurus rex, and is the oldest Cretaceous tyrannosaur species discovered in North America.
Warren Washington, a senior scientist from National Center for Atmospheric Research, managed by University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (Boulder, CO), won the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, considered the “Nobel Prize For The Environment.” He will share the honor and the $200,000 award, with climate scientist Michael Mann, director of the Earth Systems Science Center at Pennsylvania State University.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced 30 finalists for the 2019 National Medal for Museum and Library Service including two Affiliates-El Pueblo History Museum (Pueblo, CO), part of History Colorado, and Orange County Regional History Center (Orlando, FL). The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries for community service.
LEADERSHIP CHANGES
Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals (Hillsboro, OR) announced Board Member Garret Romaine will serve as interim director. Previous director Julian Gray stepped down and will continue at the museum as a curator and exhibition planner.
The Arab American National Museum announced Dr. Diana Abouali will become the new director of the museum in April. Dr. Abouali becomes the third director of AANM.
The Connecticut Historical Society, has named Robert Kret, former director of The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, as the museum’s new CEO. Robert will begin his position in May.
