Bringing Current Research to the Public at Informal Science Institutions: Portal to the Public at Pacific Science Center

Pacific Science Center has created an initiative, called Portal to the Public, which aims to bring current science and technology research to the visitors at our hands-on science center. To further this goal, Pacific Science Center has partnered with researchers at institutions state-wide to identify and implement effective ways for sharing cutting edge research with public audiences.  Portal to the Public has developed multiple flexible, scalable and cost-effective platforms to enable researchers to readily partner with Pacific Science Center to fulfill their outreach interests.  These platforms include professional development workshops, the creation of interactive activities and exhibits, large-scale thematic research weekend, and local Science Café series. This presentation will share the efficacy of these platforms, provide examples of how local fisheries researchers have used these platforms for outreach, and allow for discussion of future collaborations.