WENDY LOVELADY

 

I use data to create impactful experiences for everyone who visits our cultural institution.

Beyond Curie exhibit, NC Museum of Natural Sciences, 2019

As exhibit developer at a science museum, I have an amazing job. I learn about new topics and fascinating people every day, and I work with a talented and dedicated crew. It’s an honor and a privilege to play a role in creating exhibits that are not just informative, but transformative.

In this photo, I am posing with one of those fascinating people, Grace Hopper, in the Beyond Curie exhibit.

Grace Hopper (a.k.a. Amazing Grace) was a computer scientist and U.S. Navy rear admiral who revolutionized programming with COBOL, a computer language based on simple commands. She also coined the phrase “debugging” after fixing a computer by removing a moth from the hardware.

What matters to me?

Visitor Experiences

Whether we are immersing a visitor in a time and place or joining the visitor on a collaborative journey, every exhibit should be an innovative experience that inspires awe and, hopefully, action.

 

Visitor Data

We can’t know the impact of our exhibits unless we evaluate them. Whether it comes from interviews, polls, or observations, data is key for making good decisions.

 

Visitor Outcomes

What impact are we trying to achieve? More than a goal, an impact statement describes the changes our project hopes to achieve—and changes are measurable.

Inclusivity + Empathy + Accuracy = Outcomes

“The best science writers learn that science is not a procession of facts and breakthroughs, but an erratic stumble toward gradually diminished uncertainty.” —Ed Yong