The California Museum of Science and Industry will create a 3,000 square foot permanent exhibition of hands-on participatory exhibits on chemistry and chemical phenomena that will allow visitors to manipulate the variables of chemical systems. Forty exhibit units will be organized in clusters in that represent the basic concepts of properties of atoms and molecules, molecular structure and chemical reactions, stability of molecules and rates of reactions, forces between atoms and molecules and energy of atoms and molecules. The exhibition will use state-of-the-art technology to present chemical experiments previously left to the lab bench or the demonstration table. Interactive computers and videodiscs will be used where danger or complexity prevents the visitor from using "the real thing." Exhibit content will be proved in prototype form and tested on museum staff, visitors, and school groups prior to final design and construction. NSF support will be used in the design and prototype phases, and an "exhibit cookbook" of exhibit technologies for use by other museums will be created. The project has already attracted more than $175,000 of matching funds towards a total of $800,000 in non-NSF matching funds to support its $1,100,000 budget.
The evolution of language, perhaps two hundred thousand years ago, led to our ability to think abstractly, invent logic, store and exchange ideas and to create culture. What language is, how it works and how it distinguishes us from others is the subject of a four part public television series produced by Equinox Films, Inc., New York, N.Y. To examine language, the series will be filmed in laboratories and universities throughout the United States and on the streetcorners to capture the everyday life and language of Americans. Additionally, parts of the film will be shot in Japan, a sophisticated culture with a completely different language type from ours and in North Central Australia and Papua, New Guinea, where two exotic languages of special interest are spoken. Language is so taken for granted that most of us do not question its nature. Most educated people are unaware even of the revolution that took place in the study of language about 30 years ago. The intriguing interplay between language as a grammatical system and, conversely, as a living changing part of human expression is a complicated and fascinating journey. Exploring the development of language is a challenging project and one that has been imaginatively conceived and developed. The P.I. is highly respected with a number of credits and awards in television production. The co-P.I. is a noted linguist and scholar. The list of linguistic experts who are advisors to the project represents some of the top scholars in the field. All reviewers were extremely enthusiastic about the series and recommended funding. An award of $400,000 with $200,000 in FY'87 and $200,000 in FY'88 is recommended.