Research Roundup: October 9, 2009

Research Roundup
October 9, 2009

For more news from today and research you can use tomorrow, subscribe to CFM's new weekly briefing, Dispatches from the Future of Museums.

Tools for the Future
The Near Future
Social Trends, etc.
Refresh and Reflect

Tools for the Future

Social Technologies, a "global research and consulting firm specializing in the integration of foresight, strategy, and innovation," shares some of its research findings and analysis in ChangeWaves: observations on the future .

Futurity is "an online news source featuring the latest discoveries in science, engineering, the environment, health, and more from North America's leading research universities."

The Near Future

In the latest issue of his online newsletter What's Next, futurist Richard Watson addresses "The Future of Journalism" (reports of the death of print journalism are premature) and "Are we outsourcing the human mind?" (what's being lost when we "shift from paper to pixels"), among other topics.

Will the current economic downturn have a long-term impact on tourist behaviors? Travel experts say it's too early to tell -- but the medium-term impact is that "tourists [will] prefer to plan shorter and probably more" vacations, and they will "attach even more importance to the concept of value for money, something that will be a competitive advantage for those destinations able to offer it."

The Department of the Interior has released a long-awaited report on the future of the National Park System. The report, entitled "Advancing the National Park Idea," argues that "the National Park System is at a crossroads, facing challenges such as urgent environmental problems, a burgeoning population and critical needs in education. It call[s] for a new vision recognizing the interrelationships between human beings and the natural world and the need for a sustainable relationship between people and the planet."

Social Trends, etc.:

The U.S. Census Bureau has a new report on The Hispanic Origin Population in the United States: 2007 and 2008, with details on a wide range of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. For a closer look at Hispanic population trends over time, visit the Pew Hispanic Center.

"What's true cost of a Starbucks latte?" asks Temple University historian Bryant Simon. His answer: an impoverished civic life, with less interaction and less community.

Minorities in Higher Education: 2009 Supplement is a biennial report from the American Council on Education. This edition shows that education gaps among different racial/ethnic groups "remain substantial, and for some races/ethnicities the younger generation is less likely to attain college degrees than its predecessors. Other highlights include: the high school completion rate for young people has been at a standstill, while college enrollment gaps have widened among racial/ethnic groups during the past two decades."

Two new studies from the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance: "Research into Action: Pathways to New Opportunities" and "Paid Patronage in Philadelphia: Migratory Trends and Growth Factors: A Patron Behavior Study." The former report is especially compelling on the barriers to cultural participation (including museum attendance): "For many, the buildings that house arts and culture activities are intimidating and the events that go on inside are foreign. Our research also made it clear that an arts and culture experience begins when someone first thinks about trying something out, not from the time they enter the doors of the museum or concert hall. These two conditions -- that arts and culture venues can be intimidating and that planning and getting to a performance or exhibition is part of the artistic experience -- mean that increasing engagement requires improving access."

Refresh and Reflect:

Virtual collections of the air travel experience: flight attendant uniforms, in-flight meals, and air-sickness bags.

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