Alison Rempel Brown assumed the top job at the Science Museum of Minnesota in 2016 in a very different political climate. In 2026, she says one of her priorities is “ensuring the museum’s long-term sustainability through a period of extreme uncertainty.” Federal and state budget cuts prompted Brown to cut museum staff in July, but the museum still serves people from all backgrounds and ages. “We strive to reach populations traditionally underserved by STEM education”—girls, LGBTQ+ students, and Black and Indigenous students, she says. She’s committed to out-of-school programs that prepare students for STEM careers.