Contributors

Greg Albers is a technologist and digital literacy advocate. He is interested in the intersection of websites and books, the development of open source software and open, digital culture, and tugboats as a metaphor for museum work. He is currently the digital publications manager at the J. Paul Getty Trust, and serves on the MCN Board of Directors.

Jason Alderman is an experience designer / creative technologist / jack of all trades in San Diego who consults with museums and small companies on both physical interactives and digital infrastructure projects. He gets excited! about! too many things.

Chapter 17. Exquisite Empathy

Suse Anderson, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor, Museum Studies at The George Washington University and host of Museopunks—the podcast for the progressive museum (presented by the American Alliance of Museums). Anderson is currently a Visiting Technologist at the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage in Philadelphia. In 2017/18, she was President of MCN (Museum Computer Network) and was Program Co-Chair for its annual conference in 2015/16. She holds a PhD and BFA from The University of Newcastle, Australia, and a BArts from Charles Sturt University, Australia.

Elizabeth Bouton is the Exhibits Associate at George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida and curator for the Albert H. Nahmad Panama Canal Gallery. She received a Master’s in Museum Studies from UF concentrating in Anthropology, and continues her research of empathy in physical, online, and traveling library spaces.

Chapter 17. Exquisite Empathy

Jessica BrodeFrank is the Digital Collections Access Manager at the Adler Planetarium. She holds a Master’s degree in Museum Studies from George Washington University. In conjunction with her work, she is conducting research into heavy-edit metadata, digital curation and the impact digital technology can have on inclusive and diverse narratives

Chapter 9. Talking Inclusion with the 2018 MCN Scholars

Clare Brown is the Chief of Design for the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Clare is a human-centered designer with degrees in Cultural Anthropology, Museology, and over 20 years experience designing exhibitions for large-scale history museums. She is currently working on a doctoral degree in the topic of “Exhibition Design as Experience Design.”

Chapter 11. Slow Change

Isabella Bruno is an experience/exhibition designer at National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution and previously, The National September 11 Memorial & Museum. She is guided by the belief that museums offer a public service and should be designed for staff and visitor well-being in order to guarantee their perpetuity.

Chapter 11. Slow Change

Alli is an Executive Designer at ThinkPlace, a global consultancy applying human-centered design and systems thinking for public value. Bringing over 12 years of museum experience, she leads a portfolio of cultural sector projects, applying academic and design research, strategic communications and design expertise. She is Co-Chair of Sydney Arts Management Advisory Group, a not-for-profit organisation providing professional development tailored to arts workers, and regularly publishes and presents on the value of creative digital expression.

Chapter 7. Performing the Museum: Applying a Visitor-Centered Approach to Strategy, Experience and Interactions

Lori Byrd-McDevitt is the Manager of Digital Content and Social Media at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the largest children’s museum in the world. Lori holds an MA in museum studies from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Day to day, Lori coordinates content across the museum’s blog and numerous social media platforms. She is most proud of her experience managing and nurturing online communities, from Wikipedia and #musesocial to the Mommy and Daddy blogosphere. Her research centers on the concept of Open Authority, a term she developed to describe the integration of open, collaborative digital communities with museum dialogue and interpretation.

Chapter 3. Reimagining Social Influencers through an Invitation Culture

Megan DiRienzo is an Interpretive Planner at the Detroit Institute of Arts. She developed successful interpretive engagements for major exhibitions at the Detroit Institute of Arts including Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in Detroit (2014), Dance! American Art 1830—1960 (2015), and Samurai: Beyond the Sword (2013).

Chapter 6. Humanizing Augmented Reality with Lumin

Meagan Estep believes deeply in the power of online tools to create conversation. An experienced educator and technologist, she crafts inventive social media strategy and content for an art museum in Washington, DC.

Chapter 5. Cultural Spaces After the Internet

Max Evjen work at Michigan State University (MSU) in the Department of Theatre, is core faculty in the Arts & Cultural Management and Museum Studies, and Digital Humanities programs, and is Performing and Digital Engagement Specialist at the Michigan State University Museum.

Chapter 10. Closer Than They Appear: Drawing Lessons from Development Processes for Museum Technology, Exhibitions, and Theatrical Productions

Jim is an Assistant Curator at ACMI, where he designs experiences and develops exhibitions, and other stuff about the relationship between visitors and narrative. In the theatre world, Jim specialises in interactive, intimate and immersive performance, and is the General Manager of the award-winning Jetpack Theatre Collective.

Chapter 7. Performing the Museum: Applying a Visitor-Centered Approach to Strategy, Experience and Interactions

Ariana French is the Director of Digital Technology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. She leads delivery of digital products and helps create compelling strategies for technology at AMNH.

Chapter 13. AI, Visitor Experience, and Museum Operations: A Closer Look at the Possible

Amy Hetherington holds an MA and a PhD in museum studies from the University of Leicester. She has worked in the museum sector for 10 years and is currently the managing director of North American operations for Surface Impression.

Chapter 12. “Virtual Accessibility”: Interpreting a Virtual Reality Art History Experience for Blind and Partially Sighted Users

Hannah Hethmon is a consultant and producer specializing in all things podcasting for museums and cultural nonprofits. She is the creator and host of the AAM award-winning podcast, Museums in Strange Places, and the author of the book Your Museum Needs a Podcast: A Step-By-Step Guide to Podcasting on a Budget for Museums, History Organizations, and Cultural Nonprofits. Hannah holds an MA in Viking and Medieval Norse Studies from the University of Iceland and is a Fulbright alumni.

Castle Kim is a Ph.D. student at Florida State University School of Information. Castle’s study interest is in art integration into STEM experiences (STEAM). Castle has also been involved with emerging and maker technology, such as 3D printers and laser cutters, by closely working with the FSU Innovation Hub.

Chapter 15. When a Summer Camp, Innovation Hub and an Herbarium Meet: How Steam Collaboration Can Build a Humanized Experience with Technology

Andrew Mandinach is a media producer who uses social media as a platform to facilitate conversations through emotion and wonder. Formerly of Balboa Park, Drew is the Social Content Manager for the UCLA Anderson School of Management. He credits MCN for enabling him to bridge the gap between video production and social media management.

Chapter 4. Humanizing the Video: A Reflection on MCN’s Media Production Process

David McKenzie works as Associate Director for Interpretive Resources - broadly defined as exhibitions and digital history - at Ford’s Theatre Society, a theatrical company that serves as the partner of the National Park Service at Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site, particularly in creating exhibitions and museum technology.

Chapter 10. Closer Than They Appear: Drawing Lessons from Development Processes for Museum Technology, Exhibitions, and Theatrical Productions

Darren Milligan is the director of the Smithsonian Learning Lab and the senior digital strategist for the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Learning and Digital Access in Washington, D.C. He specializes in user-centered and research-based development of tools and services for making online cultural and scientific heritage resources accessible and useful to educators and learners.

Chapter 14. Teachers Gonna Teach Teach Teach Teach Teach: Capturing the Now-Visible Meaning Making of Users of Digital Museum Collections

Andrea Montiel de Shuman is a Digital Experience Designer at the Detroit Institute of Arts where she leads public-digital experiences. Andrea is involved in collaborations with AAM, MCN, Smithsonian Latino Center and Knight Foundation. She is interested in exploring how digital tools can serve traditionally underrepresented audiences, especially indigenous communities.

Chapter 6. Humanizing Augmented Reality with Lumin

Peter Pavement is the director of Surface Impression, a digital design and development agency that specialises in work for the cultural sector. Peter has been working with museums and heritage organisations for over 17 years, helping them to create engaging digital interfaces and has a PhD from the University of Leicester. www.surfaceimpression.digital

Chapter 12. “Virtual Accessibility”: Interpreting a Virtual Reality Art History Experience for Blind and Partially Sighted Users

Matt Popke is a software developer and designer at the Denver Art Museum.

Chapter 16. We’ve Been Bought by the Digital Revolution

Seema Rao is the principal for Brilliant Idea Studio. Seema has worked in museums for nearly 20 years at the interstices of visitor experience, education, and technology. She heads Brilliant Idea Studio, a firm that helps museums develop the best experiences for their visitors. Additionally, she employs her drawing and teaching skills to develop books that blend meaning-making, creativity, and visual appeal. Her third book, Self-Care for Museum Workers, was released in November 2017.

Chapter 7. Performing the Museum: Applying a Visitor-Centered Approach to Strategy, Experience and Interactions

Ed Rodley is an experience designer who has worked in museums for over twenty-five years. He is currently the Associate Director of Integrated Media at the Peabody Essex Museum. He manages a wide range of media projects, with an emphasis on temporary exhibitions and the reinterpretation and reinstallation of PEM’s collections.

Rachel Ropeik is a museum educator and museum adventurer currently serving as Manager of Public Engagement at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. She is always in pursuit of the unexpected museum experience and wants museums to be places that inspire change and wonder.

Chapter 8. Abandon Your Recipes: Three Keys to Building Experience Sessions and Why You Should Try It

Chapter 17. Exquisite Empathy

Mimosa Shah is curious about many things, and that curiosity continues to inspire her to work in libraries and museums where informal lifelong learning is championed. She’s currently the Adult Program Coordinator at Skokie Public Library, and when she’s not working, she’s an avid amateur photographer.

Chapter 17. Exquisite Empathy

Cathy Sigmond is a Research Associate at RK&A, Inc., where she works with museums across the country to help them understand their audiences through strategic planning, research, and evaluation. Her approach blends traditional social science and design-based practices. Cathy is based in Washington, DC and can be reached at sigmond@rka-learnwithus.com.

Chapter 2. Calm Technology in Museums

Marty Spellerberg is the founder of Spellerberg Projects, a contemporary art space in Lockhart, Texas. A digital media consultant, Spellerberg has worked internationally with art museums, film festivals, and artists.

Chapter 5. Cultural Spaces After the Internet

Beck Tench is a wife, daughter, friend, teacher, gardener, cyclist, kind stranger, and PhD student at the University of Washington Information School. She has deep and abiding curiosities about contemplative practice, technology, and public space. Specifically, she’s interested in how space and technology can be designed to facilitate contemplative experience.

Chapter 17. Exquisite Empathy

Alicia Viera is an Interpretive Planner at the Detroit Institute of Arts where she facilitates meaningful connections with art. She holds a Ph.D. in Art Education/Arts Administration from Florida State University. Her research interests include edu-curation, visitor-centered and multilingual exhibitions, supported interpretation, multiculturalism, and inclusivity in art museums.

Chapter 6. Humanizing Augmented Reality with Lumin

Elena Villaespesa works as an Assistant Professor at the School of Information, Pratt Institute. Her research areas of interest include user research and evaluation, digital strategy, and data visualization in the museum sector.

Chapter 13. AI, Visitor Experience, and Museum Operations: A Closer Look at the Possible

Sarah Wambold is the director of digital media at the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver where she leads digital strategy and initiatives. Her diverse portfolio of projects includes web design and development, storytelling and video/audio production, digital publishing, and UX research. Her education includes graphic design, journalism, and arts management.

Chapter 16. We’ve Been Bought by the Digital Revolution

Chad Weinard is a technologist and strategist for museums. His recent work explores collections, data, infrastructures, creative technology and digital cultures. Chad’s background is in fine arts, art history, design, and web development. He currently leads digital initiatives at the Williams College Museum of Art.

Chapter 1. A Theme for Museum Technology