Resources

The Implementation Manual is a practical guide for organizations planning to prepare scientists for public engagement and connect them with public audiences. In 2018, an updated Implementation Manual was released, with new professional development activities and other updates that reflect changes in the field over the last decade. To learn more or download the Manual as a PDF file, click here.

Portal to the Public has been supported by ongoing research and evaluation from external evaluators. The following reports share findings from various stages of the Portal to the Public project.

Summative Evaluation: Comparative Case Studies of Implementation at Five Sites (2011)

Portal to the Public Network: Summative Evaluation Report (2014)

The Impact of Portal to the Public: Creating an Infrastructure for Engaging Scientists in Informal Science Education (2017)

The original Portal to the Public project was bookended by two Synthesis Meetings, which brought together scientists and informal science educators to inform the work of the Portal to the Public project. The resulting reports include discussions from the meetings, lessons learned, and best practices and research results useful for the field.

Face-to-Face with Scientists: Exploring the Features of Face-to-Face Interactions between Scientists and Public Audiences (2008)

The Path Forward: Lessons Learned and Recommendations from the Portal to the Public Second Synthesis Meeting  (2010)