Marianne Achiam

Marianne Achiam

M.Sc., biology

 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1701-2959

  • Universitetsparken 5, 2100 København Ø

20032020

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Short presentation

My research interest is the dissemination of the natural sciences, primarily biology, in out-of-school learning environments such as museums, science centers, aquariums, zoos, etc. I am interested in how communications media such as exhibits and exhibitions, objects, experiments, science shows and live animals disseminate science content to visitors.

My work so far has been based on research from science education research and has investigated how this research can be adapted to out-of-school learning contexts. I have well-established collaborations with the Natural History Museum of Denmark, Experimentarium, The Blue Planet and Geocenter Møns Klint, and welcome the oppportunity to serve as an advisor for research projects, including bachelor's, master's and ph.d. projects dealing with the design or analysis of informal learning situations.

My special interests are:
  • Immersion exhibits and exhibits
  • Design affordances: What do the exhibition/exhibit characteristics mean for the communication of content?
  • The link between the research programme ATD (the Anthropological Theory of Didactics) and informal learning environments
  • The development of design models for use in informal learning environments
  • School-industry partnerships
  • Object and artefact mediated learning
 

CV

Education

Ph.D. in the didactics of biology in informal contexts, 2010, University of Copenhagen
Dissertation: "Exhibit engineering: a new research perspective".

M.Sc. in Biology and Non-formal Science Education, 2002, University of Southern Denmark
Completed thesis Promoting knowledge about bird song as a communication system to museum visitors, a joint project between the Institute of Biology, SDU and Zoologisk Museum Svendborg (now Naturama). Project included a scientific research component as well as an exhibition development research component.

Autumn semester completed in Biological Sciences, 1997, King's College London
Spent a semester at King's College, University of London studying Biological Sciences, involving courses based at the Natural History Museum in London.

B.Sc. in Neurobiology, 1997, University of Southern Denmark
Conducted an eight week behavioral study on the behavior of elephants in captivity, a joint project between the Institute of Biology, SDU and Givskud Zoo, Denmark.

Employment

Science Education Specialist, self-employed, 2007
Research Assistant at Public Engagement with Science Conference, National Univ. Ireland
Logbook assessor for Discover Primary Science, Forfás
Discover Primary Science liaison for Galway Atlantaquaria
Develop outreach program for Galway Atlantaquaria

Education Officer, Galway Atlantaquaria, 2006-07
Develop children's science workshop series
Prepare and instruct all education programs
Liason for Discover Primary Science program
Develop worksheets for children
Aquatic species husbandry and record-keeping

Curriculum Coordinator, Honolulu Zoo Society, 2005-06
Prepare and instruct all education programs
Develop displays, signage, zoo map
Develop curriculum-linked activity guides for visiting school groups
Author articles for member's magazine
Responsible for kid's page in member's magazine

Laboratory Technician, UNC at Chapel Hill, 2003-04
Aquatic species husbandry and record keeping: sea turtles, lobsters, crabs, snails, octopuses
Construct 300 G sea water system, monitor and maintain sea and fresh water aquaria
Supervise volunteers and work study students

Research Assistant, University of Southern Denmark, 2002
Plan aspects of and implement experimental research on the behavior of honeybees
Supervise research students assisting with project

Biology Instructor, University of Southern Denmark, 2001
Present and discuss curriculum topics with undergraduate students, provide feedback to supervisors

Museum Interpreter, Zoologisk Museum (now Naturama), 1998-01
Perform literature research, creating written reports for other museum employees
Perform guided dialogue-form tours and supervise hands-on workshops for visitors
Develop and evaluate work sheets for visiting school groups

Volunteering

Judge, Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair (Apr 06)
Judged high school science projects in behavioral/social sciences category.

Aviary Interpreter, Honolulu Zoo (Jan-Jun 05)
Research, collect specimens, and author script in preparation to opening interpretation kiosk.
Man kiosk: present and interpret African aviary exhibit.

Volunteer, Waikiki Aquarium (Jan-Sep 05)
Present and interpret Hawai'ian reef exhibit, supervise visitors' hands-on interactions with live specimens.
Clean and maintain saltwater tanks in preparation for housing corals.

School Programs Volunteer, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (Apr 03-Jan 05)
Develop and statistically evaluate curriculum goal-linked work sheets for school groups.

Education/Academic qualification

Thesis: "Exhibit engineering: a new research perspective".

Award Date: 1 Aug 2010

Completed thesis Promoting knowledge about bird song as a communication system to museum visitors, a joint project between the Institute of Biology, SDU and Zoologisk Museum Svendborg (now Naturama). Project included a scientific research component as well as an exhibition development research component.

Award Date: 11 May 2002

External positions

European Science Education Research Association (ESERA)

2017 → 2021

Experimentarium

2014 → …

Keywords

  • Faculty of Science
  • Didatics of museum exhibitions on biology
  • Informal Science Education

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