Kudos to these Affiliates on their recent accomplishments! Do you have kudos to share? Please send potential entries to Aaron Glavas, GlavasC@si.edu.

FUNDING

Union Station, Kansas City, Inc. (Kansas City, MO) is teaming up with BOK Financial to raise money for the Ramón Murguía Hispanic Education Fund, aimed towards benefiting the underserved Hispanic and Latino community. BOK Financial began the financial contributions for this initiative with a generous lead gift. Union Station will match the amount and continue working to grow the fund with the hopes to expand accessibility to Science City and the empowering world of STEM experiences.

The Association of Science and Technology Centers awarded ten science centers and museums, including Space Center Houston (Houston, TX) and Putnam Museum and Science Center (Davenport, IA), $15,000 each in support of STEM-career engagement for youth in grades 4-8 through Voya STEM Futures. Each will use the awards to serve their communities by developing, enhancing, or adapting programs or resources, to support STEM learning for children in grades 4-8.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

The Long Island Museum (Stony Brook, NY) has been awarded the prestigious Engaging Communities Award of Distinction for its groundbreaking exhibition SOMOS/WE ARE: Latinx Artists of Long Island. The Engaging Communities Award of Distinction recognizes organizations that demonstrate exceptional and resourceful methods in engaging their communities and cultivating new audiences. On view during the fall of 2023, SOMOS/WE ARE was guest-curated by Mexican-American artist Kelynn Alder and curator Nina Sangimino, featured 82 regional artists and explored their diverse styles, media, personal stories, and familial national origins.

The Zooniverse platform, created by the Adler Planetarium (Chicago, IL), has been named a winner of the Year of Open Science Recognition Challenge by the White House. Adler’s Zooniverse allows volunteers from across the web to participate in collaborative scientific research. More than 2.7 million people use Zooniverse to contribute to data collection and research on new planets, historical artifacts, and other projects. The platform was honored for its efforts to engage the public in scientific research and development.

The American Alliance of Museums announced two first time accreditations and 31 reaccreditation awards made at the February 2024 meeting of the Accreditation Commission and included the following Affiliates:

Reaccreditation:

Jennifer Rominiecki, President & CEO, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (Sarasota, FL) was honored with the “Voice of Sarasota” Award at Visit Sarasota County’s National Travel and Tourism Week Celebration. National Travel and Tourism Week is an annual hospitality and tourism industry tradition that celebrates the immense value travel brings to the nation. This award is presented to an individual whose exceptional efforts have significantly promoted and enhanced Sarasota County as a tourism destination.

LEADERSHIP

The American Alliance of Museums announced that six leading professionals from the museum field have been newly elected to the board of directors, serving three-year terms beginning this May. The incoming board members include:

Ellen Ferguson, Director of Community Relations at the Burke Museum of Natural and Cultural History (Seattle, WA). Ellen also currently serves as board co-chair of the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian American Experience (Seattle, WA).

In addition, the Alliance board announced:

Devon Akmon, Director, Michigan State University Museum (East Lansing, MI), as Vice Chair and Secretary (2024-2025)