2025-12-12 Chat and AI-Generated Summary

People Management for the Planetarium

with Mary Holt

Video LINK

This seminar was based on a paper Mary recently gave at the 2025 GLPA-WAC Conference. Below you can find a list of attendees, a copy of the chat, and an AI summary.

To see a description and schedule of all upcoming Planetarians' Zoom Seminars, visit https://www.ppadomes.org/events/online-seminars/pzs-schedule

Date and time for the next seminar:

The Cosmos Must Be Searchable: Advertising Planetarium Programming in the Age of AI and Algorithms with Shanil Virani, 2026 Jan 30 at 11am PST (2pm EST, 19:00 UTC).

Below

• Attendees

• Chat

• AI-generated Summary

Attendees

1. Rosemary Walling (co-host), Marie Drake Planetarium, Juneau, AK

2. Alan Gould (co-host), Berkeley California USA

3. Amie Gallagher, Raritan Valley Community College, Branchburg, NJ

4. Andrew Buckingham, Auckland, New Zealand

5. Dave Hostetter, Louisiana

6. Romee Gaoiran, Bishop Museum, Honolulu, HI

7. Omega Smith - Museum of the North Babula Planetarium - Fairbanks, Alaska

8. Karl von Ahnen, Santa Cruz Mountains

9. Dário Fonseca, Hemispherium @ Exploratório - Coimbra, Portugal

10. April Whitt, Atlanta, Georgia

11. Jeff Nee, Pasadena, CA

12. Jon Elvert, Richmond, VA

13. Drew Gilmore, Nashville TN

14. Michael McConville, Philadelphia

Chat

(The timestamps below are roughly 20 minutes ahead of the corresponding times in the video. )

0:44:17 Omega Smith: A great resource for burnout, emotional intellegence and managing people is Brene Brown

0:49:20 Omega Smith: O good peice of advice I got from the Griffith Observator is to have a separate Friends of - group for planetariums. They have their own discretionary funds and can use them as they with without institutional blocks.

0:59:45 April Whitt: To Mary’s point - knowing what the question is is helpful. When I was first giving star talks in the planetarium in undergraduate school, one gentleman asked,” Are all the stars planets, or are only some of the stars planets?”

1:00:54 April Whitt: With my usual “what?” reply I said, “None of the stars are planets.” When I was relating the story to my mother, she said, “You do know what he was asking, don’t you? He wanted to know which of those little lights in the sky are planets.”

Mary Holt: Reacted to "With my usual “what?..." with ❤️

1:01:33 April Whitt: I didn’t know that. Asking for more information before answering the question is a skill to hone.

1:02:21 Romee Wizza Gaoiran: We just ran a round of hiring. Was hoping to reduce strain team-wise especially as a lot of presenters are alone on their shift. Looked for their ability/willingness to troubleshoot and problem-solve.

Mary Holt: Reacted to "We just ran a round ..." with 💯

1:03:55 April Whitt: And look for good story tellers.

Amie Gallagher: Reacted to "And look for good st..." with 👍

1:06:53 April Whitt: Find some resources for training the managers?

1:08:13 Omega Smith: It would be great to have industry recognized certificates!

1:11:51 Karl von Ahnen: Very Nice, Mary. My connection is getting flaky. I’l probably disappear soon.

Reacted to "Very Nice, Mary. My ..." with ❤️

1:15:48 April Whitt: Good points, Jon - I was usually delighted with the projects that Adler interns completed.

1:23:27 April Whitt: Thank you for your leadership, Mary, Rosemary and Alan. Well done!

1:23:55 Dave: I have to leave.  Thanks to all of you—this has been interesting!

1:25:11 Drew Gilmore: ‘Night, all! Thanks Mary 🙂

1:26:01 Amie Gallagher: I pass out clipboards, pencils, and worksheets in the lobby before they enter. That way the kids can sit next to their partners.  I hand out flashlights when it's time for the activity.

1:27:18 Amie Gallagher: I have to get ready for a show.  It was good to see you all!

1:39:48 Omega Smith: I have to go check on the SSIA guys. I'll tell Martin and George you said Hi, Jeff.

1:40:03 Omega Smith: This was great, thank you!

AI-generated Summary

This AI-generated summary has not been edited for accuracy nor does not replace watching the full video. If you find any incorrect or misleading information in the AI summaries, you can let us know. Our contact information is here.

Overview

The meeting began with Mary's presentation on people management in the planetarium field based on her research with 23 managers. The group explored various management challenges and practices, including communication strategies, mentorship relationships, and feedback approaches in planetarium settings. The discussion concluded with conversations about hiring practices, technical requirements for planetarium staff, and the management of both paid employees and volunteers in the field.

Summary

Planetarium Management Training Insights

Mary presented her research on people management in the planetarium field, based on interviews with 23 managers. She found that formal training for management roles is rare in the field, with most managers learning on the job. The presentation highlighted common themes in management experiences, such as the importance of communication and adaptability. Mary also discussed her own experience transitioning to a management role at Lawrence Hall of Science and her current job search.

Effective Management and Leadership Insights

Mary shared her insights on effective management practices, emphasizing the importance of seeking learning opportunities, developing emotional intelligence, maintaining transparent communication, and fostering trust with staff. She highlighted the role of mentors and the responsibility of managers to advocate for their teams. Mary concluded by encouraging further discussion on how to continue this work scientifically and expressed gratitude for the supportive community.

Planetarium Management and Collaboration Strategies

The discussion focused on managing collaboration with non-employees and managing up in planetarium settings. Mary emphasized the importance of clear communication to establish expertise and suggested that managers reach out for help when needed, while Jeff highlighted the challenges of demanding respect when managers may not feel qualified. The conversation also touched on the lack of resources for planetarium managers and the need for mentorship in the field. Mary shared her experiences with a poor course on burnout and a more informative presentation on the topic, emphasizing the importance of science-backed information in professional development.

Planetarium Management Challenges Discussed

The group discussed challenges in planetarium management, with Dave sharing his experience as a Planetarium curator and highlighting the importance of frequent communication with upper management to build trust and demonstrate expertise. They discussed how some institutions undervalue planetariums, with Dave describing how his Lafayette facility is being underutilized due to lack of support from upper management, while Mary mentioned similar issues at Lawrence Hall where all full-time planetarium staff were laid off. The conversation concluded with Alan noting the importance of emotional intelligence in professional settings and the two-way nature of mentorship relationships.

Customized Feedback in Supervisory Relationships

The discussion focused on feedback practices in supervisory relationships, with Mary and Alan agreeing that effective feedback should be customized to individual employees while acknowledging that practical constraints sometimes require simplified approaches. Jeff shared his experience with a high-turnover Planetarium environment, emphasizing that while customized feedback is worth the effort, it's important to consider the specific circumstances and bandwidth of both the supervisor and the employee. The conversation concluded with Mary noting that people often take feedback personally and emphasizing the importance of not being perfectionistic in feedback delivery, while also highlighting how sensitive employees can be about personal details and potential retaliation.

Planetarium Worker Skills and Diversity

The group discussed key traits for planetarium workers, emphasizing the importance of comfort with not knowing answers, technical skills, and strong communication abilities. They explored diverse backgrounds for presenters, including theater and law, and discussed the benefits of hiring a diverse workforce for a modern planetarium. Omega shared plans for their new planetarium, including interactive components, research uses, and the potential for student content creators. The conversation concluded with a brief discussion about programming languages used in planetariums.

Planetarium Management and Staff Development

The meeting focused on managing planetariums and their staff, with discussions on training resources, volunteer management, and technical skills needed for the field. Participants shared experiences and challenges, including the importance of finding the right balance between encouraging diversity and ensuring job security for new hires. The conversation also touched on the need for technical proficiency, such as computer skills and spatial thinking, and highlighted the differences in management styles and organizational structures across various institutions.