January 08, 2009
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New MIT Museum Director Aims High | |||
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Source: http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2005/02/16/mit_on_display?mode=PF Boston Globe News ArticleMIT on displayNew museum director plans a visitor ‘gateway’ to boost institute’s profileBy Robert Weisman, Globe Staff February 16, 2005 | |||
CAMBRIDGE -- When John Robert Durant was a professor at London’s Imperial College in the 1990s, he and his colleagues often boasted that their institution was the "MIT of Europe. " | |||
| But in visits to the United States, Durant was surprised to discover that many on this side of the Atlantic were unaware of MIT’s contributions to science and technology. Even in the Boston area, few had ventured into MIT’s research labs, wellsprings of innovation in fields ranging from robotics to molecular science. | |||
| "I sometimes wonder if MIT is more famous everywhere else than it is in Cambridge, " Durant said. | |||
| Now Durant, 54, has a chance to raise the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s profile in its hometown and beyond. He’s accepted a job as director of the MIT Museum and will arrive July 1 with an ambitious plan to expand it and make it a community"gateway " into MIT. If he succeeds, Durant could establish a revitalized science center down the road from Boston’s Museum of Science. He could also create an alternative destination for visitors to Harvard Yard who, if they stop at MIT at all today, just take a peek under its dome or walk down its "infinite corridor " toward Kendall Square. | |||
| MIT officials concede the museum is limited today and acknowledge the school falls short in presenting a welcoming face to the community. | |||
| "When we give tours here for prospective students or for visitors, we show them buildings, " said Alan Brody, associate provost for the arts. Brody sees the museum as the key to a larger effort to make MIT a destination for technology-oriented visitors from around the world and develop"a program in public engagement with science. " | |||
Durant’s new post at the MIT Museum has been vacant since May 2002, when the previous director, Jane Pickering, departed. The museum today occupies 35,000 square feet at 265 Massachusetts Ave., an aging and cramped industrial building outside Central Square. It runs a pair of satellite sites, the Compton Gallery and the Hart Nautical Gallery, on MIT’s campus. Among current offerings at the MIT Museum are prize-winning inventions of MIT students, MIT-designed robots,Arthur Ganson’s mechanical sculptures, a holography display, and an exhibit called "Mind and Hand, " which traces the history of MIT. It also contains a model of the Saturn V moon rocket, which was used in the early 1960s to brief President John F. Kennedy on the Apollo program. |
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 John Robert Durant |
Among current offerings at the MIT Museum are prize-winning inventions of MIT students, MIT-designed robots,Arthur Ganson’s mechanical sculptures, a holography display, and an exhibit called "Mind and Hand, " which traces the history of MIT. It also contains a model of the Saturn V moon rocket, which was used in the early 1960s to brief President John F. Kennedy on the Apollo program. Mary Leen, the acting museum director, said it averages 70,000 visitors a year -- less than half the visitors to Harvard’s Museum of Natural History and less than 5 percent of those to the Museum of Science. The museum fields about 2,000 research requests a year. Durant’s ultimate goal is a new and larger facility closer to the heart of campus. But that will hinge on his ability to raise money in an environment where museum funding has been drying up in recent years. | ||
"Anyone coming from the UK to run a museum here will discover this is the only country that believes culture should be the product of a free marketplace, "said Bob Rogers, chairman of BRC Imagination Arts, a Burbank, California, company that designs and produces museum content. "Government doesn't’t want to spend any money on it. " Museums continue to tap wealthy patrons,foundations, and corporations, Rogers said. And local and state governments will pony up funds if museums demonstrate they can boost tourism by putting "heads in beds, " he said. In the case of the MIT Museum, most operating costs will be covered by the school,though Durant will have to seek outside partners to underwrite much of his expansion plans. | |||
| Currently the chief executive of At-Bristol, a science and natural history center in Bristol, England, Durant previously was director of science communications at the Science Museum of London. He is married to Anne Harrington, an American who was his doctoral student at Oxford University in the 1980s, and they have a 6-month-old son. Harrington has been on sabbatical in England but is returning to Harvard University, where she is a history of science professor. | |||
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Durant, who will also teach at MIT, envisions the MIT Museum pioneering a new model of public engagement with science, showcasing technology research,inviting technologists and researchers to make public presentations on their work, and hosting forums on the scientific and ethical aspects of such issues as aging,climate change, and stem-cell research. | |||
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"All of my professional career I’ve been interested in the relationship between technology and the wider community, " Durant said in a telephone interview from England."MIT wants to use its museum to reposition its relationship with the community. "
Rosalind H. Williams, director of the science, technology, and society program, where Durant will teach "science community," said the United States trails European countries in bringing the public into discussion of science issues. Unlike Boston’s Museum of Science and other US museums geared toward children and families, the MIT Museum will try to gear itself to students, prospective students, and adults interested in science. 
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| With the Museum of Science building up its own current science and technology program -- it will open an exhibition on medical imaging this year -- there is bound to be overlap. But David Ellis, a former Museum of Science director who sat on the MIT search committee that hired Durant, said the much smaller MIT Museum has the opportunity to go into more depth on MIT’s research breakthroughs. | |||
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"We have parallel plans that are overcompensate what MIT is doing, " said Ioannis N.Miaoulis, the current Museum of Science director. "They would be showcasing MIT technology. We would be showcasing MIT technology and other technology developed in the region and worldwide. I look forward to collaborating with them. " | ||
Robert Weisman can be reached at weisman@globe.com.
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Source:http://web.mit.edu/news office/2005/durant-0216.html MIT News ReleaseDurant appointed head of MIT Museum | |||
| Patti Richards, News Office February 16, 2005 | |||
| John Durant, a museum director and academic researcher with extensive experience at some of England’s leading science museums, has been selected as the new director of the MIT Museum. | |||
| Currently the head of At-Bristol, a science and natural history center in Bristol, England, Durant has focused much of his career on promoting public engagement with science and technology. He served as the world’s first Professor of Public Understanding of Science while at Imperial College, London. | |||
| "John Durant’s appointment represents a major development for the MIT Museum, " said Alan Brody, associate provost for the Arts. "John has a vision that will bring a vibrant new focus and energy to the museum and make it a centerpiece of a much larger program in the public engagement with science. " | |||
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Durant will assume his new responsibilities on July 1.He will also have an appointment as adjunct professor in the MIT Program in Science, Technology and Society (STS). "I am excited about working with my colleagues at the MIT Museum and in STS, " said Durant. "Ideas and innovations produced out of MIT will have a huge impact on the way we and our children live in the 21stcentury, and I hope to explore some groundbreaking ways of making MIT research more accessible to the wider community. " Durant’s appointment represents a significant step in the evolution of the MIT Museum, which was founded in 1971 with the mission of showcasing the creativity and achievements of MIT’s faculty, students and staff to the broader community. The museum presents changing and ongoing exhibitions and public programs and is home to renowned collections in science and technology, holography, architecture and design, and the history of nautical engineering. Durant’s stated goals include "a radically re-conceived " museum that will help facilitate informed public debate about the place of scientific and technological innovation in the wider culture."The MIT Museum should be a living place where the public not only enjoys exhibitions but also engages with scientists and technologists doing cutting-edge work in the here and now, " Durant said. He hopes to give the museum a higher public profile and a greater community presence in Cambridge and Boston; to create smaller, faster and more flexible ways of exhibiting; and to develop museum programming within the larger context of contemporary issues. And unlike most science museums that cater largely to families with young children, Durant aims to focus much of his efforts on programs that will appeal to audiences of all ages. Durant’s academic appointment within STS will provide opportunities for ongoing interactions with MIT faculty and research projects. "We anticipate that John’s new museum and faculty appointments will help create a robust network of activities at MIT involving public engagement in science and technology, " said Rosalind Williams, the Metcalfe Professor of Writing and Director of the STS Program. | |||
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Durant, a native of Norwich, England,received the M. A. in natural science in 1972 and the Ph.D. in history and philosophy of science in 1977 from Queens’College at the University of Cambridge.
From 1989 to 2000, he was director of science communications at the Science Museum in London,one of the oldest and largest museums of science and technology in the world. Appointed in 1989 by Imperial College, London, to the first professorship of Public Understanding of Science, he devoted the next 11 years to galvanizing the new field nationally and internationally, and also founded the first peer-reviewed international academic journal devoted to research in the public dimensions of science and technology. | ||
| Most recently, as chief executive officer of At-Bristol, he helped establish the independent, not-for-profit science and natural history center as the largest science-based visitor attraction in the U.K. outside London. At-Bristol has won 12 national awards and was selected as England’s "Family Attraction of the Year " in 2002.
As a member of the House of Lords Select Committee of Science and Technology from 1999-2000, Durant assisted in the drafting and editing of one of the most influential and widely cited policy documents on science and society in Europe. He has held several government consulting posts, and is a frequent lecturer and public speaker. Durant is replacing previous museum director Jane Pickering, who left MIT in 2002 to become assistant director for public programs at the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University. "Science and technology have never been more important for everyday life than they are today, " said Philip S. Khoury, Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. "We are most fortunate to be able to attract Durant to our shores and we look forward to developing new programs designed to bridge the gap between science and the public. " | |||
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MIT Museum News ReleaseContact: Jack Curtis (617) 253-4422 jcurtis@mit.edu Durant Appointed Director Of MIT Museum Looks to boost MIT profile and public understanding of science and technology | |||
| Cambridge, MA (April 2005) — MIT announced today that John Durant, a museum director and academic researcher with extensive experience at some of England’s leading science museums, has been selected as the new director of the MIT Museum.
Currently the head of At-Bristol, a science and natural history center in Bristol, England, Durant has focused much of his career on promoting public engagement with science and technology. He served as the world’s first Professor of Public Understanding of Science while at Imperial College, London. "John Durant’s appointment represents a major development for the MIT Museum, " said Alan Brody, Associate Provost for the Arts. "John has a vision that will bring a vibrant new focus and energy to the museum and make it a centerpiece of a much larger program in the Public Engagement with Science. " | |||
| Durant will assume his new responsibilities on July1, 2005. He will also have an appointment as adjunct professor in the MIT Program in Science, Technology, and Society (STS).
"I am excited about working with my colleagues at the MIT Museum and in STS, " said Durant. "Ideas and innovations produced out of MIT will have a huge impact on the way we and our children live in the 21stcentury, and I hope to explore some ground-breaking ways of making MIT research more accessible to the wider community. " Durant’s appointment represents a significant step in the evolution of the MIT Museum, which was founded in 1971 with the mission of showcasing the creativity and achievements of MIT’s faculty, students, and staff to the broader community. Located at 265 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge, the museum presents changing and ongoing exhibitions and public programs and is home to renowned collections in science and technology, holography, architecture and design, and the history of nautical engineering. Durant’s stated goals include "a radically reconceived " museum that will help facilitate informed public debate about the place of scientific and technological innovation in the wider culture: "The MIT Museum should be a living place where the public not only enjoys exhibitions but also engages with scientists and technologists doing cutting-edge work in the here-and-now, " Durant said. | |||
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Durant hopes to give the museum a higher public profile and a greater community presence in Cambridge and Boston; to create smaller, faster and more flexible ways of exhibiting; and to develop museum programming within the larger context of contemporary issues. And unlike most science museums that cater largely to families with young children, Durant aims to focus much of his efforts on programs that will appeal to audiences of all ages.
Duran’s academic appointment within STS will provide opportunities for ongoing interactions with MIT faculty and research projects. "We anticipate that John’s new museum and faculty appointments will help create a robust network of activities at MIT involving public engagement in science and technology, " said Rosalind Williams, the Metcalfe Professor of Writing and Director of the STS Program. Durant, a native of Norwich, England, received the MA degree in Natural Science in 1972 and the PhD degree in History and Philosophy of Science in 1977,from Queens’ College at the University of Cambridge. From 1989 to 2000, he was Director of Science Communications at the Science Museum in London,one of the oldest and largest museums of science and technology in the world. Appointed in 1989 by Imperial College, London, to the first professorship of Public Understanding of Science, he devoted the next 11 years to galvanizing the new field nationally and internationally, and also founded the first peer reviewed international academic journal devoted to research in the public dimensions of science and technology. Most recently, as chief executive officer of At-Bristol, he helped establish the independent, not-for-profit science and natural history center as the largest science-based visitor attraction in the UK outside London. At-Bristol has won 12 national awards and was selected as England’s "Family Attraction of the Year " in 2002. As a member of the House of Lords Select Committee of Science and Technology from 1999-2000, Durant assisted in the drafting and editing of one of the most influential and widely cited policy documents on science and society in Europe. He has held several government consulting posts, and is a frequent lecturer and public speaker. Durant is replacing previous museum director Jane Pickering, who left MIT in 2002 to become assistant director for public programs at the Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University. "Science and technology have never been more important for everyday life than they are today, " said Philip S. Khoury, Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. "We are most fortunate to be able to attract Durant to our shores and we look forward to developing new programs designed to bridge the gap between science and the public. " | |||
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Source: http://web.mit.edu/museum/about/mission.html Mission Statement(From museum website)To document, interpret, and communicate to a diverse audience, the activities and achievements of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the worldwide impact of its innovation, particularly in the fields of science and technology; and to enhance the spirit of community inside the Institute through the promotion of dialog both at MIT and between the Institute and the wider world. To accomplish this mission the MIT Museum will:
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Source: http://web.mit.edu/museum/visiting/hours.html Hours and Buildings(from MIT Museum Website)MIT Museum265 Massachusetts Avenue, MIT Bldg N52 Cambridge, MA 02139 (617) 253-4444 Hours: Tues - Fri 10am - 5pm; Sat & Sun Noon - 5 pm Closed Mondays and holidays Admission: Adults $5; youth (ages 5 – 18), students, and seniors $2 children under 5 & MIT ID holders (plus one guest) free Free the third Sunday of each month MIT Museum’s Compton GalleryMIT Museum Building 10, Room 150, Bldg 1077 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 Hours: Mon – Fri 9:30 – 5pm Sat noon – 5pm - special extended hours Admission: Free Wheelchair accessible MIT Museum’s Hart Nautical Gallery55 Massachusetts Avenue, MIT Bldg 5 Cambridge, MA 02139 Hours: Daily 9am – 8pm Admission: Free Source: http://web.mit.edu/museum/about/directory.html Museum Staff
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Source: http://web.mit.edu">/newsoffice/2005/durantqa-0216.html Tearing down metaphoric walls to expand museum’s programmingPatti Richards, senior communications officer in the News Office, asked incoming museum director John Durant to discuss his views on the role of the museum in the community. Q. How would you describe the relationship between the MIT Museum and the larger Boston community? A. The relationship between a university and its local community is vitally important. Ideas and innovations produced at MIT will have a huge impact on the way we live in the 21st century. We have a responsibility to explain current scientific developments and to engage interested citizens in informed debate about their wider social implications. I would like the museum to provide exhibitions and a new kind of public forum where scientists, students and citizens can meet to discuss some of the most important questions we face in common--locally, nationally and globally. Q. How would this new public forum work? A. We need to literally think out of the box. People talk a lot these days about "museums without walls, "and it’s time we made them happen. For example, we could bring scientists and citizens together, sometimes physically, by inviting scientists to come and talk about their work, and sometimes virtually, by connecting scientists and citizens remotely with the help of new communication technologies. People in Cambridge can be linked by web cam, web cast or video-conference with the scientists and scientific events, wherever these may happen to be. Q. Will the MIT Museum launch programs to reach adults in addition to children? A. MIT is an ideal base from which to engage older students and adults. Science museums in the U.K. have already launched such programs. AT-Bristol, the science center which I directed, ran highly successful public lecture programs, including live link events where audiences in Bristol interacted with a gorilla being trained in sign language in California. Q. How do you compare the U.K. and the U.S. in terms of public engagement in science? A. Both the U.K. and the United States are generally very interested in science, and both are also pretty positive about the role of science in society. But each culture has distinct sensitivities about particular areas of science. In recent years, many Brits have been reluctant to accept new genetic technologies in agriculture (so-called "GM foods "), whereas many Americans have been reluctant to accept human stem cell research. Also, at present, the British government seems more concerned about global climate change than does the American government. Q. You will serve both as museum director and as a lecturer in the Program in Science, Technology and Society. How will you link the two roles? A. I’ll be teaching some courses in STS on public understanding of science, and I will encourage my students to apply what they learn by undertaking communications projects in the museum. The MIT Museum might serve as a kind of laboratory in which students can hone their skills as science communicators. A version of this article appeared in the February 16, 2005 issue of MIT Tech Talk (Volume 49, Number 18). | |||