Martin S. Fisher
Martin S. Fisher is the Executive Director of Science Central (Fort Wayne, IN), a position he has held since October 2007.
With over 40 years of experience in the science center and museum field, he has worked in positions ranging from frontline to executive management. In his current role at Science Central, Martin directs the operations, strategic planning, fundraising, community partnerships and staffing of one of the region’s premier cultural attractions.
He leads these activities at a 70,000-square-foot educational science center, with over 35,000-square feet of exhibit/classroom/office space. Science Central serves about 140,000 people per year through on-site visitation and outreach programming. He is responsible for a staff of 40-50 employees and a budget of more than $2 million.
During his first five years at Science Central, and for the first time in the museum’s history, Fisher successfully developed and promoted a Strategic Plan process, paid off long-term debt, invested funds, acquired a $1 million endowment, and guided a successful capital campaign raising $1.6 million. He is responsible for the implementation of the first major new exhibit expansion, Science On a Sphere, and replacing an entire level of original exhibits, since the center was started in 1995. Fisher also initiated new marketing campaigns, guided the creation of a new logo, successfully led the center’s 20th and 25th year anniversary events, and installed numerous new permanent exhibits and temporary exhibitions. He recently completed $3.2 million in fundraising and will soon begin the installation of the region’s only public planetarium.
Prior to directing Science Central, Fisher served on the teams of COSI, Ohio’s Center of Science & Industry (Columbus, OH); Miami University Zoology Museum (Oxford, OH); Omaha Children’s Museum (Omaha, NE); and Nauticus, The National Maritime Center (Norfolk, VA). While at these cultural attractions he always focused on the educational missions. Throughout his career, Fisher developed educational programs, produced exhibits, created a variety of marketing and public relations components, wrote grants, guided development and fundraising projects, and coordinated numerous community partnerships.
Fisher holds a B.S. degree in Zoology from Miami University (Oxford, OH), with an emphasis in vertebrate ecology and geography, and a M.A. degree in Science Education from The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH), with an emphasis in environmental education and educational psychology.
In addition to his work responsibilities, Fisher has participated on a number of professional organizations, committees and boards in the museum, cultural, education, and economic fields. These include the Association of Science-Technology Centers, Greater Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce), Northeast Indiana Hospitality Association, Indiana Space Grant Consortium, Northeast Indiana Public Radio, Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne Quest Club, and Fort Wayne Youtheatre. Martin has also served on a Mayoral-appointed task force and a City-appointed urban planning committee.
Fisher is the host of weekly educational science segments on the local ABC/NBC television affiliate and on the region’s NPR public radio station, and bi-weekly segments on the local CBS affiliate.
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