November 26, 2012
Shop Talk
Q&A With Joseph P. Cox of EcoTarium, Worcester
Rick Saia
Joseph P. Cox, President,
EcoTarium,
Worcester
By Rick Saia
Joseph Cox knows what draws people — and donations — to museums, especially museums that draw children and that address science themes. Before taking over recently at Worcester's EcoTarium, he was the founding executive director at the Golisano Children's Museum of Naples, Fla., and the nature center director for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, where he ran award-winning environmental education programs.
EcoTarium recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation that focuses on delivering STEM education. How important is that to EcoTarium's mission?
It's taking STEM one step further into STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics), so it's integrating art into STEM education. STEM, and the appreciation of nature and the environment, is so increasingly important. Being able to have a grant positions us nationally.
How does that dovetail with the needs of business in Central Massachusetts?
I knew coming up here that biotech was really a huge industry. But how can you have biotech careers if you don't start out with STEM education in preschool? So every kid that comes through here that falls in love with science, technology, engineering and math may go on into a career in biotech — or may not — may end up being a teacher or scientist, or musician. One thing that this NSF grant is really going to look at doing is (help us say) "Let's not forget that art can have a huge impact on STEM as well."
How different is this role from the one you came from in Naples, Fla.?
Coming from Naples, the children's museum, start to finish, was an eight-year project and we raised $26.5 million. We started off the campaign in May of '07 — not necessarily the best time to start a fundraising campaign — but it was very much a tight timeline. Everything moved very, very quickly. EcoTarium has been around since 1825, so you have an opportunity here, as the museum has done, to take a little bit more time in thinking through processes.
How is it similar?
The reason the EcoTarium position appealed to me so much is because it really was a perfect blend between the two institutions that I had run previously. I ran a nature center for a number of years, and that had the wildlife, the trails, the natural history aspect. And then the children's museum had the early childhood education, the STEM aspects. The EcoTarium really is, for Worcester … all of those things rolled into one.
Where can K-12 science education improve the most?
I think you have to have a continuous stream of opportunity, and a lot of research has shown that, particularly in middle school, is where science education falters, or for some reason, particularly for girls, the attraction to science falls off. So (a place) like the EcoTarium has the ability to keep that interest going through pre-K programs, through school field trips, for some of the more engaging programs. You've got to keep the enthusiasm going all the way through.
What's the biggest challenge in running a non-profit organization such as this one?
We're an institution that has almost 200 years of history. I think it's very important to remind people of what that history is. Keep people engaged. The engagement is critical. We have programs that cater to preschool and all the way on up. Fundraising, of course, is always a challenge, so we're always looking for different streams of revenue.
What is one thing about the EcoTarium that the average person may find intriguing that few people know?
I think a lot of people ... think of the EcoTarium as being just this place on Harrington (Way) that's been here since they were kids. The fact that we were founded in 1825, that predates the American Museum of Natural History. We were founded, I believe, the year before Charles Darwin went on an expedition to the Galapagos. We have objects from Thomas Edison. I think that most people — even here in Worcester — may not even realize that EcoTarium's history goes back that far.
Video
Joseph P. Cox, president of EcoTarium, Worcester
Read more
Walking The Plant Floor Again: Q&A With Curtis Industries President And CEO Scott Nelson
Juggling Priorities, 'Selling' Worcester
Q&A With Beth Folcarelli Of YOU Inc.
The Experts Behind The Stretchers: Q&A With Steve DiOrio Of Vital EMS
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments