General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation Outreach Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Patricia S.

1997-11-01

Scientific literacy for all students is a national goal. The General Atomics (GA) Foundation Outreach Program is committed to playing a major role in enhancing pre-college education in science, engineering and new technologies. GA has received wide recognition for its Sciences Education Program, a volunteer effort of GA employees and San Diego science teachers. GA teacher/scientist teams have developed inquiry-based education modules and associated workshops based on areas of core competency at GA: Fusion -- Energy of the Stars; Explorations in Materials Science; Portrait of an Atom; DNA Technology. [http://www.sci-ed-ga.org]. Workshops [teachers receive printed materials and laboratory kits for ``hands-on" modules] have been presented for 700+ teachers from 200+ area schools. Additional workshops include: University of Denver for Denver Public Schools; National Educators Workshop; Standard Experiments in Engineering Materials; Update '96 in Los Alamos; Newspapers in Education Workshop (LA Times); American Chemical Society Regional/National meetings, and California Science Teachers Association Conference. Other outreach includes High School Science Day, school partnerships, teacher and student mentoring and the San Diego Science Alliance [http://www.sdsa.org].

What Do Subject Matter Experts Have to Say about Participating in Education and Outreach?

Science.gov (United States)

Manning, Colleen; NASA's Universe of Learning Team

2018-01-01

NASA’s Universe of Learning partners wish to actively engage with Subject Matter Experts (scientists and engineers) throughout the design, development, and delivery of products, programs, and professional development. In order to ensure these engagement efforts aligned with the needs of Subject Matter Experts, the external evaluators conducted an online survey. The subject pool included the scientists and engineers employed at the partner organizations as well as other scientists and engineers affiliated with NASA’s Astrophysics missions and research programs. This presentation will describe scientists’/engineers’ interest in various types of education/outreach, their availability to participate in education/outreach, factors that would encourage their participation in education/outreach, and the preparation and support they have for participation in education/outreach.

Communicating with the business community. A hospital launches two outreach efforts to educate community leaders.

Science.gov (United States)

Lofgren, C; Schieffer, T

1994-10-01

Several years ago the management of Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, IL, decided that, with healthcare issues becoming increasingly complex, the hospital needed to find ways to share information with its community. Saint Francis's outreach effort began in 1991 with the launching of a Leadership Roundtable. Under its auspices, local leaders in business, finance, government, education, religion, and the media gather once a month to hear hospital staff members outline some aspect of healthcare or healthcare reform. A question-and-answer period follows. In 1993 James Moore, a Saint Francis administrator, began writing a monthly column on healthcare reform for a business publication that serves central Illinois. Moore's column explains to businesspeople how various healthcare reform proposals could affect them. With the column, as with the Leadership Roundtable, Saint Francis has strengthened its communication with the community.

The Education and Outreach Program of ATLAS

CERN Multimedia

Barnett, M.

2006-01-01

The ATLAS Education and Outreach (E&O) program began in 1997, but the advent of LHC has placed a new urgency in our efforts. Even a year away, we can feel the approaching impact of starting an experiment that could make revolutionary discoveries. The public and teachers are beginning to turn their attention our way, and the newsmedia are showing growing interest in ATLAS. When datataking begins, the interest will peak, and the demands on us are likely to be substantial. The collaboration is responding to this challenge in a number of ways. ATLAS management has begun consultation with experts. The official budget for the E&O group has been growing as have the contributions of many ATLAS institutions. The number of collaboration members joining these efforts has grown, and their time and effort is increasing. We are in ongoing consultation with the CERN Public Affairs Office, as well as the other LHC experiments and the European Particle Physics Outreach Group. The E&O group has expanded the scope...

Training Informal Educators Provides Leverage for Space Science Education and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, J. S.; Tobola, K. W.; Betrue, R.

2004-01-01

How do we reach the public with the exciting story of Solar System Exploration? How do we encourage girls to think about careers in science, math, engineering and technology? Why should NASA scientists make an effort to reach the public and informal education settings to tell the Solar System Exploration story? These are questions that the Solar System Exploration Forum, a part of the NASA Office of Space Science Education (SSE) and Public Outreach network, has tackled over the past few years. The SSE Forum is a group of education teams and scientists who work to share the excitement of solar system exploration with colleagues, formal educators, and informal educators like museums and youth groups. One major area of the SSE Forum outreach supports the training of Girl Scouts of the USA (GS) leaders and trainers in a suite of activities that reflect NASA missions and science research. Youth groups like Girl Scouts structure their activities as informal education.

Best Practices in NASA's Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, H.; Smith, D.

2015-11-01

NASA's Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program has partnered scientists and educators since its inception almost twenty years ago, leading to authentic STEM experiences and products widely used by the education and outreach community. We present examples of best practices and representative projects. Keys to success include effective use of unique mission science/technology, attention to audience needs, coordination of effort, robust partnerships and publicly accessible repositories of EPO products. Projects are broadly targeted towards audiences in formal education, informal education, and community engagement. All NASA programs are evaluated for quality and impact. New technology is incorporated to engage young students being raised in the digital age. All projects focus on conveying the excitement of scientific discoveries from NASA's Astrophysics missions, advancing scientific literacy, and engaging students in science and technology careers.

Fourteen Years of Education and Public Outreach for the Swift Gamma-ray Burst Explorer Mission

OpenAIRE

Cominsky, Lynn; McLin, Kevin; Simonnet, Aurore; Team, the Swift E/PO

2014-01-01

The Sonoma State University (SSU) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) group leads the Swift Education and Public Outreach program. For Swift, we have previously implemented broad efforts that have contributed to NASA's Science Mission Directorate E/PO portfolio across many outcome areas. Our current focus is on highly-leveraged and demonstrably successful activities, including the wide-reaching Astrophysics Educator Ambassador program, and our popular websites: Epo's Chronicles and the Gamma...

The American nuclear Society's educational outreach programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zacha, N.J.

1994-01-01

The American Nuclear Society has an extensive program of public educational outreach in the area of nuclear science and technology. A teacher workshop program provides up to five days of hands-on experiments, lectures, field trips, and lesson plan development for grades 6-12 educators. Curriculum materials have been developed for students in grades kindergarten through grade 12. A textbook review effort provides reviews of existing textbooks as well as draft manuscripts and textbook proposals, to ensure that the information covered on nuclear science and technology is accurate and scientifically sound

Opportunities and Resources for Scientist Participation in Education and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Buxner, Sanlyn; CoBabe-Ammann, E.; Shipp, S.; Hsu, B.

2012-10-01

Active engagement of scientists in Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) activities results in benefits for both the audience and scientists. Most scientists are trained in research but have little formal training in education. The Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forum helps the Science Mission Directorate support scientists currently involved in E/PO and to help scientists who are interested in becoming involved in E/PO efforts find ways to do so through a variety of avenues. We will present current and future opportunities and resources for scientists to become engaged in education and public outreach. These include upcoming NASA SMD E/PO funding opportunities, professional development resources for writing NASA SMD E/PO proposals (webinars and other online tools), toolkits for scientists interested in best practices in E/PO (online guides for K-12 education and public outreach), EarthSpace (a community web space where instructors can find and share about teaching space and earth sciences in the undergraduate classroom, including class materials news and funding opportunities, and the latest education research), thematic resources for teaching about the solar system (archived resources from Year of the Solar System), and an online database of scientists interested in connecting with education programs. Learn more about the Forum and find resources at http://smdepo.org/.

Technical Education Outreach in Materials Science and Technology Based on NASA's Materials Research

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, James A.

2003-01-01

The grant NAG-1 -2125, Technical Education Outreach in Materials Science and Technology, based on NASA s Materials Research, involves collaborative effort among the National Aeronautics and Space Administration s Langley Research Center (NASA-LaRC), Norfolk State University (NSU), national research centers, private industry, technical societies, colleges and universities. The collaboration aims to strengthen math, science and technology education by providing outreach related to materials science and technology (MST). The goal of the project is to transfer new developments from LaRC s Center for Excellence for Structures and Materials and other NASA materials research into technical education across the nation to provide educational outreach and strengthen technical education. To achieve this goal we are employing two main strategies: 1) development of the gateway website and 2) using the National Educators Workshop: Update in Engineering Materials, Science and Technology (NEW:Updates). We have also participated in a number of national projects, presented talks at technical meetings and published articles aimed at improving k-12 technical education. Through the three years of this project the NSU team developed the successful MST-Online site and continued to upgrade and update it as our limited resources permitted. Three annual NEW:Updates conducted from 2000 though 2002 overcame the challenges presented first by the September 11,2001 terrorist attacks and the slow U.S. economy and still managed to conduct very effective workshops and expand our outreach efforts. Plans began on NEW:Update 2003 to be hosted by NASA Langley as a part of the celebration of the Centennial of Controlled Flight.

24 CFR 125.301 - Education and Outreach Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Education and Outreach Initiative... FAIR HOUSING FAIR HOUSING INITIATIVES PROGRAM § 125.301 Education and Outreach Initiative. (a) The Education and Outreach Initiative provides funding for the purpose of developing, implementing, carrying out...

Paired Peer Learning through Engineering Education Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Fogg-Rogers, Laura; Lewis, Fay; Edmonds, Juliet

2017-01-01

Undergraduate education incorporating active learning and vicarious experience through education outreach presents a critical opportunity to influence future engineering teaching and practice capabilities. Engineering education outreach activities have been shown to have multiple benefits; increasing interest and engagement with science and…

Avenues for Scientist Involvement in Earth and Space Science Education and Public Outreach (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Peticolas, L. M.; Gross, N. A.; Hsu, B. C.; Shipp, S. S.; Buxner, S.; Schwerin, T. G.; Smith, D.; Meinke, B. K.

2013-12-01

NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forums are charged with engaging, extending, supporting, and coordinating the community of E/PO professionals and scientists involved in Earth and space science education activities. This work is undertaken to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the overall national NASA science education and outreach effort made up of individual efforts run by these education professionals. This includes facilitating scientist engagement in education and outreach. A number of resources and opportunities for involvement are available for scientists involved in - or interested in being involved in - education or outreach. The Forums provide opportunities for earth and space scientists to stay informed, communicate, collaborate, leverage existing programs and partnerships, and become more skilled education practitioners. Interested scientists can receive newsletters, participate in monthly calls, interact through an online community workspace, and attend E/PO strategic meetings. The Forums also provide professional development opportunities on a myriad of topics, from common pre-conceptions in science, to program evaluation, to delivering effective workshops. Thematic approaches, such as Earth Science Week (http://www.earthsciweek.org), and the Year of the Solar System (http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/yss) are coordinated by the Forums; through these efforts resources are presented topically, in a manner that can be easily ported into diverse learning environments. Information about the needs of audiences with which scientists interact - higher education, K-12 education, informal education, and public - are provided by SMD's Audience-Based Working Groups. Their findings and recommendations are made available to inform the activities and products of E/PO providers so they are able to better serve these audiences. Also available is a 'one-stop shop' of SMD E/PO products and resources that can be

STEM Education Efforts in the Ares Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Doreswamy, Rajiv; Armstrong, Robert C.

2010-01-01

According to the National Science Foundation, of the more than 4 million first university degrees awarded in science and engineering in 2006, students in China earned about 21%, those in the European Union earned about 19%, and those in the United States earned about 11%. Statistics like these are of great interest to NASA's Ares Projects, which are responsible for building the rockets for the U.S. Constellation Program to send humans beyond low-Earth orbit. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students are essential for the long-term sustainability of any space program. Since the Projects creation, the Ares Outreach Team has used a variety of STEM-related media, methods, and materials to engage students, educators, and the general public in Constellation's mission. Like Project Apollo, the nation s exploration destinations and the vehicles used to get there can inspire students to learn more about STEM. Ares has been particularly active in public outreach to schools in Northern Alabama; on the Internet via outreach and grade-specific educational materials; and in more informal social media settings such as YouTube and Facebook. These combined efforts remain integral to America s space program, regardless of its future direction.

Building Community: A 2005 Conference for Education and Public Outreach Professionals

Science.gov (United States)

Slater, T. F.; Bennett, M.; Garmany, K.

2004-12-01

In support of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific's (ASP) mission to increase the understanding and appreciation of astronomy, the ASP will host an international meeting in September 14-16, 2005 in Tucson focused on building and supporting a vibrant and connected community of individuals and groups engaged in educational and public outreach (EPO) in the disciplines of astronomy, astrobiology, space, and earth science. This conference is specially designed for individuals who are bringing the excitement of astronomy to non-astronomers. This community of science communicators includes: NASA and NSF-funded EPO program managers, developers, evaluators, PIOs, and others who support outreach efforts by government agencies and commercial industries; Scientists working with or assigned to EPO programs or efforts; Individuals working in formal science education: K-14 schools/colleges and minority-serving institutions as faculty or curriculum developers; Informal educators working in widely diverse settings including science centers, planetariums, museums, parks, and youth programs; Amateur astronomers involved in or interested in engaging children and adults in the excitement of astronomy; Public outreach specialists working in observatories, visitor centers, public information offices, and in multimedia broadcasting and journalism. The conference goals are to improve the quality and increase the effective dissemination of EPO materials, products, and programs through a multi-tiered professional development conference utilizing: Visionary plenary talks; Highly interactive panel discussions; Small group workshops and clinics focused on a wide range of EPO topics including evaluation and dissemination, with separate sessions for varying experience levels; Poster and project exhibition segments; Opportunities to increase program leveraging through structured and unstructured networking sessions; and Individual program action planning sessions. There will both separate and

The ATLAS Education and Outreach Group

CERN Multimedia

M. Barnett

With the unprecedented scale and duration of ATLAS and the unique possibilities to make groundbreaking discoveries in physics, ATLAS has special opportunities to communicate the importance and role of our accomplishments. We want to participate in educating the next generation of scientific and other leaders in our society by involving students of many levels in our research. The Education and Outreach Group has focused on producing informational material of various sorts - like brochures, posters, a film, animations and a public website - to assist the members of the collaboration in their contacts with students, teachers and the general public. Another aim is to facilitate the teaching of particle physics and particularly the role of the ATLAS Experiment by providing ideas and educational material. The Education and Outreach Group meets every ATLAS week, with an attendance of between 25 and 40 people. The meetings have become an interesting forum for education and outreach projects and new ideas. The comi...

Engaging Scientists in NASA Education and Public Outreach: Tools for Scientist Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Buxner, Sanlyn; Meinke, B. K.; Hsu, B.; Shupla, C.; Grier, J. A.; E/PO Community, SMD

2014-01-01

The NASA Science Education and Public Outreach Forums support the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and its education and public outreach (E/PO) community through a coordinated effort to enhance the coherence and efficiency of SMD-funded E/PO programs. The Forums foster collaboration between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise. We present tools and resources to support astronomers’ engagement in E/PO efforts. Among the tools designed specifically for scientists are a series of one-page E/PO-engagement Tips and Tricks guides, a sampler of electromagnetic-spectrum-related activities, and NASA SMD Scientist Speaker’s Bureau (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/speaker). Scientists can also locate resources for interacting with diverse audiences through a number of online clearinghouses, including: NASA Wavelength, a digital collection of peer-reviewed Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels (http://nasawavelength.org), and EarthSpace (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace), a community website where faculty can find and share teaching resources for the undergraduate Earth and space sciences classroom. Learn more about the opportunities to become involved in E/PO and to share your science with students, educators, and the general public at http://smdepo.org.

Paired peer learning through engineering education outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Fogg-Rogers, Laura; Lewis, Fay; Edmonds, Juliet

2017-01-01

Undergraduate education incorporating active learning and vicarious experience through education outreach presents a critical opportunity to influence future engineering teaching and practice capabilities. Engineering education outreach activities have been shown to have multiple benefits; increasing interest and engagement with science and engineering for school children, providing teachers with expert contributions to engineering subject knowledge, and developing professional generic skills for engineers such as communication and teamwork. This pilot intervention paired 10 pre-service teachers and 11 student engineers to enact engineering outreach in primary schools, reaching 269 children. A longitudinal mixed methods design was employed to measure change in attitudes and Education Outreach Self-Efficacy in student engineers; alongside attitudes, Teaching Engineering Self-Efficacy and Engineering Subject Knowledge Confidence in pre-service teachers. Highly significant improvements were noted in the pre-service teachers' confidence and self-efficacy, while both the teachers and engineers qualitatively described benefits arising from the paired peer mentor model.

Train Like an Astronaut Educational Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Yamil L.; Lloyd, Charles; Reeves, Katherine M.; Abadie, Laurie J.

2012-01-01

In an effort to reduce the incidence of childhood obesity, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), capitalizing on the theme of human spaceflight developed two educational outreach programs for children ages 8-12. To motivate young "fit explorers," the Train Like an Astronaut National (TLA) program and the Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut International Fitness Challenge (MX) were created. Based on the astronauts' physical training, these programs consist of activities developed by educators and experts in the areas of space life sciences and fitness. These Activities address components of physical fitness. The educational content hopes to promote students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. At the national level, in partnership with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let?s Move! Initiative, the TLA program consists of 10 physical and 2 educational activities. The program encourages families, schools, and communities to work collaboratively in order to reinforce in children and their families the importance of healthy lifestyle habits In contrast, the MX challenge is a cooperative outreach program involving numerous space agencies and other international partner institutions. During the six-week period, teams of students from around the world are challenged to improve their physical fitness and collectively accumulate points by completing 18 core activities. During the 2011 pilot year, a t otal of 137 teams and more than 4,000 students from 12 countries participated in the event. MX will be implemented within 24 countries during the 2012 challenge. It is projected that 7,000 children will "train like an astronaut".

Science Educational Outreach Programs That Benefit Students and Scientists.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Greg Clark

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Both scientists and the public would benefit from improved communication of basic scientific research and from integrating scientists into education outreach, but opportunities to support these efforts are limited. We have developed two low-cost programs--"Present Your PhD Thesis to a 12-Year-Old" and "Shadow a Scientist"--that combine training in science communication with outreach to area middle schools. We assessed the outcomes of these programs and found a 2-fold benefit: scientists improve their communication skills by explaining basic science research to a general audience, and students' enthusiasm for science and their scientific knowledge are increased. Here we present details about both programs, along with our assessment of them, and discuss the feasibility of exporting these programs to other universities.

Science Educational Outreach Programs That Benefit Students and Scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Enyeart, Peter; Gracia, Brant; Wessel, Aimee; Jarmoskaite, Inga; Polioudakis, Damon; Stuart, Yoel; Gonzalez, Tony; MacKrell, Al; Rodenbusch, Stacia; Stovall, Gwendolyn M.; Beckham, Josh T.; Montgomery, Michael; Tasneem, Tania; Jones, Jack; Simmons, Sarah; Roux, Stanley

2016-01-01

Both scientists and the public would benefit from improved communication of basic scientific research and from integrating scientists into education outreach, but opportunities to support these efforts are limited. We have developed two low-cost programs—"Present Your PhD Thesis to a 12-Year-Old" and "Shadow a Scientist”—that combine training in science communication with outreach to area middle schools. We assessed the outcomes of these programs and found a 2-fold benefit: scientists improve their communication skills by explaining basic science research to a general audience, and students' enthusiasm for science and their scientific knowledge are increased. Here we present details about both programs, along with our assessment of them, and discuss the feasibility of exporting these programs to other universities. PMID:26844991

Globalizing Space and Earth Science - the International Heliophysical Year Education and Outreach Program

Science.gov (United States)

Rabello-Soares, M. C.; Morrow, C.; Thompson, B. J.

2006-08-01

The International Heliophysical Year (IHY) in 2007 & 2008 will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) and, following its tradition of international research collaboration, will focus on the cross-disciplinary studies of universal processes in the heliosphere. The main goal of IHY Education and Outreach Program is to create more global access to exemplary resources in space and earth science education and public outreach. By taking advantage of the IHY organization with representatives in every nation and in the partnership with the United Nations Basic Space Science Initiative (UNBSSI), we aim to promote new international partnerships. Our goal is to assist in increasing the visibility and accessibility of exemplary programs and in the identification of formal or informal educational products that would be beneficial to improve the space and earth science knowledge in a given country; leaving a legacy of enhanced global access to resources and of world-wide connectivity between those engaged in education and public outreach efforts that are related to IHY science. Here we describe how to participate in the IHY Education and Outreach Program and the benefits in doing so. Emphasis will be given to the role played by developing countries; not only in selecting useful resources and helping in their translation and adaptation, but also in providing different approaches and techniques in teaching.

NASA Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach: The Impact of the Space Telescope Science Institute Office of Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Denise Anne; Jirdeh, Hussein; Eisenhamer, Bonnie; Villard, Ray; Green, Joel David

2015-08-01

As the science operations center for the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) is uniquely positioned to captivate the imagination and inspire learners of all ages in humanity’s quest to understand fundamental questions about our universe and our place in it. This presentation will provide an overview of the impact of the STScI’s Office of Public Outreach’s efforts to engage students, educators, and the public in exploring the universe through audience-based news, education, and outreach programs.At the heart of our programs lies a tight coupling of scientific, education, and communications expertise. By partnering scientists and educators, we assure current, accurate science content and education products and programs that are classroom-ready and held to the highest pedagogical standards. Likewise, news and outreach programs accurately convey cutting-edge science and technology in a way that is attuned to audience needs. The combination of Hubble’s scientific capabilities, majestic imagery, and our deep commitment to create effective programs to share Hubble science with the education community and the public, has enabled the STScI Office of Public Outreach programs to engage 6 million students and ½ million educators per year, and 24 million online viewers per year. Hubble press releases generate approximately 5,000 online news articles per year with an average circulation of 125 million potential readers per press release news story. We will also share how best practices and lessons learned from this long-lived program are already being applied to engage a new generation of explorers in the science and technology of the James Webb Space Telescope.

Science Education and Public Outreach Forums (SEPOF): Providing Coordination and Support for NASA's Science Mission Directorate Education and Outreach Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Mendez, B. J.; Smith, D.; Shipp, S. S.; Schwerin, T. G.; Stockman, S. A.; Cooper, L. P.; Peticolas, L. M.

2009-12-01

NASA is working with four newly-formed Science Education and Public Outreach Forums (SEPOFs) to increase the overall coherence of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program. SEPOFs support the astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary and Earth science divisions of NASA SMD in three core areas: * E/PO Community Engagement and Development * E/PO Product and Project Activity Analysis * Science Education and Public Outreach Forum Coordination Committee Service. SEPOFs are collaborating with NASA and external science and education and outreach communities in E/PO on multiple levels ranging from the mission and non-mission E/PO project activity managers, project activity partners, and scientists and researchers, to front line agents such as naturalists/interpreters, teachers, and higher education faculty, to high level agents such as leadership at state education offices, local schools, higher education institutions, and professional societies. The overall goal for the SEPOFs is increased awareness, knowledge, and understanding of scientists, researchers, engineers, technologists, educators, product developers, and dissemination agents of best practices, existing NASA resources, and community expertise applicable to E/PO. By coordinating and supporting the NASA E/PO Community, the NASA/SEPOF partnerships will lead to more effective, sustainable, and efficient utilization of NASA science discoveries and learning experiences.

Meeting Classroom Needs: Designing Space Physics Educational Outreach for Science Education Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Urquhart, M. L.; Hairston, M.

2008-12-01

As with all NASA missions, the Coupled Ion Neutral Dynamics Investigation (CINDI) is required to have an education and public outreach program (E/PO). Through our partnership between the University of Texas at Dallas William B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences and Department of Science/Mathematics Education, the decision was made early on to design our educational outreach around the needs of teachers. In the era of high-stakes testing and No Child Left Behind, materials that do not meet the content and process standards teachers must teach cannot be expected to be integrated into classroom instruction. Science standards, both state and National, were the fundamental drivers behind the designs of our curricular materials, professional development opportunities for teachers, our target grade levels, and even our popular informal educational resource, the "Cindi in Space" comic book. The National Science Education Standards include much more than content standards, and our E/PO program was designed with this knowledge in mind as well. In our presentation we will describe how we came to our approach for CINDI E/PO, and how we have been successful in our efforts to have CINDI materials and key concepts make the transition into middle school classrooms. We will also present on our newest materials and high school physics students and professional development for their teachers.

Education and Outreach | State, Local, and Tribal Governments | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Education & Outreach Education and Outreach With support from the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative, NREL's Solar Technical Assistance Team (STAT) develops a range of education and addressing solar market barriers. Past presentations are available for the following topics: Solar 101-This

A Modern Explorer's Journey - using events for innovative multipurpose educational outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Lilja Bye, Bente

2014-05-01

Earth observations are important across the specter of geo-sciences. The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is coordinating efforts to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems, or GEOSS. The lack of dedicated funding to support specific Science &Technology activities in support of GEOSS is one of the most important obstacles to engaging the Science &Technology communities in its implementation. Finding resources to outreach and capacity building is likewise a challenge. The continuation of GEO and GEOSS rely on political support which again is influenced by public opinions. The GEO Ministerial Summit in 2014 was an event that both needed visibility and represented an opportunity to mobilize the GEO community in producing outreach and educational material. Through the combined resources from two of GEO tasks in the GEO work plan, a multipurpose educational outreach project was planned and executed. This project addressed the following issues: How can the GEO community mobilize resources for its work plan projects in the Societal Benefit Area Water? How can we produce more educational and capacity building material? How can the GEO community support the GEO secretariat related to public relations (material and otherwise) Based on activities described in the GEO work plan, a showcase video and online campaign consisting on a series of webinars were developed and produced. The video and webinars were linked through a common reference: the water cycle. Various aspects of the water cycle ranging from general to more technical and scientific education were covered in the webinars, while the video called A Modern Explorer's Journey focused on story telling with a more emotional appeal. The video was presented to the Ministers at the GEO Ministerial Summit and distributed widely to the GEO community and through social media and articles (as embedded YouTube and more). A discussion of challenges and successes of this event-based educational outreach project will be

APS Education and Diversity Efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Prestridge, Katherine; Hodapp, Theodore

2015-11-01

American Physical Society (APS) has a wide range of education and diversity programs and activities, including programs that improve physics education, increase diversity, provide outreach to the public, and impact public policy. We present the latest programs spearheaded by the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics (CSWP), with highlights from other diversity and education efforts. The CSWP is working to increase the fraction of women in physics, understand and implement solutions for gender-specific issues, enhance professional development opportunities for women in physics, and remedy issues that impact gender inequality in physics. The Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics, Professional Skills Development Workshops, and our new Professional Skills program for students and postdocs are all working towards meeting these goals. The CSWP also has site visit and conversation visit programs, where department chairs request that the APS assess the climate for women in their departments or facilitate climate discussions. APS also has two significant programs to increase participation by underrepresented minorities (URM). The newest program, the APS National Mentoring Community, is working to provide mentoring to URM undergraduates, and the APS Bridge Program is an established effort that is dramatically increasing the number of URM PhDs in physics.

Bringing Terra Science to the People: 10 years of education and public outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Riebeek, H.; Chambers, L. H.; Yuen, K.; Herring, D.

2009-12-01

The default image on Apple's iPhone is a blue, white, green and tan globe: the Blue Marble. The iconic image was produced using Terra data as part of the mission's education and public outreach efforts. As far-reaching and innovative as Terra science has been over the past decade, Terra education and public outreach efforts have been equally successful. This talk will provide an overview of Terra's crosscutting education and public outreach projects, which have reached into educational facilities—classrooms, museums, and science centers, across the Internet, and into everyday life. The Earth Observatory web site was the first web site designed for the public that told the unified story of what we can learn about our planet from all space-based platforms. Initially conceived as part of Terra mission outreach in 1999, the web site has won five Webby awards, the highest recognition a web site can receive. The Visible Earth image gallery is a catalogue of NASA Earth imagery that receives more than one million page views per month. The NEO (NASA Earth Observations) web site and WMS (web mapping service) tool serves global data sets to museums and science centers across the world. Terra educational products, including the My NASA Data web service and the Students' Cloud Observations Online (S'COOL) project, bring Terra data into the classroom. Both projects target multiple grade levels, ranging from elementary school to graduate school. S'COOL uses student observations of clouds to help validate Terra data. Students and their parents have puzzled over weekly "Where on Earth" geography quizzes published on line. Perhaps the most difficult group to reach is the large segment of the public that does not seek out science information online or in a science museum or classroom. To reach these people, EarthSky produced a series of podcasts and radio broadcasts that brought Terra science to more than 30 million people in 2009. Terra imagery, including the Blue Marble, have

Outreach/education interface for Cryosphere models using the Virtual Ice Sheet Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Larour, E. Y.; Halkides, D. J.; Romero, V.; Cheng, D. L.; Perez, G.

2014-12-01

In the past decade, great strides have been made in the development of models capable of projecting the future evolution of glaciers and the polar ice sheets in a changing climate. These models are now capable of replicating some of the trends apparent in satellite observations. However, because this field is just now maturing, very few efforts have been dedicated to adapting these capabilities to education. Technologies that have been used in outreach efforts in Atmospheric and Oceanic sciences still have not been extended to Cryospheric Science. We present a cutting-edge, technologically driven virtual laboratory, geared towards outreach and k-12 education, dedicated to the polar ice sheets on Antarctica and Greenland, and their role as major contributors to sea level rise in coming decades. VISL (Virtual Ice Sheet Laboratory) relies on state-of-the art Web GL rendering of polar ice sheets, Android/iPhone and web portability using Javascript, as well as C++ simulations (back-end) based on the Ice Sheet System Model, the NASA model for simulating the evolution of polar ice sheets. Using VISL, educators and students can have an immersive experience into the world of polar ice sheets, while at the same exercising the capabilities of a state-of-the-art climate model, all of it embedded into an education experience that follows the new STEM standards for education.This work was performed at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Cryosphere Science Program.

Dialectical dividends: fostering hybridity of new pedagogical practices and partnerships in science education and outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Martins Gomes, Diogo; McCauley, Veronica

2016-09-01

Science literacy has become socially and economically very important. European countries stress that science graduates are fundamental for economic growth. Nevertheless, there is a declining student participation in science. In response, there has been a call to change the way science is taught in schools, which focuses on inquiry methods rooted in constructivism. Universities and other organisations have responded by developing outreach programmes to improve student engagement in science. Given this context, there is a necessity for research to ascertain if this new relationship between outreach and education is worthwhile. This study examines and compares primary teachers and outreach practitioners understanding and perceptions of constructivist science pedagogy, in an effort to understand the potential of a teacher-outreach partnership. For this, qualitative and quantitative methods were employed, taking a dialectic pragmatic stance. Contradicting the recurrent view, teachers and outreach providers revealed favourable views in relation to constructivism, despite recognising barriers to its implementation. These results support a partnership between teachers and outreach practitioners and the realisation of the hybrid role of each participant. The results also reveal an important dynamic in outreach access to schools. Specifically, the outreach connected teachers acted as gatekeepers by negotiating access into their colleagues classrooms.

Overview of the Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program of the Caltech Tectonics Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Kovalenko, L.; Jain, K.; Maloney, J.

2009-12-01

The Caltech Tectonics Observatory (TO) is an interdisciplinary center, focused on geological processes occurring at the boundaries of Earth's tectonic plates (http://www.tectonics.caltech.edu). Over the past year, the TO has made a major effort to develop an Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program. Our goals are to (1) stimulate the interest of students and the general public in Earth Sciences, particularly in the study of tectonic processes, (2) inform and educate the general public about science in the context of TO discoveries and advancements, and (3) provide opportunities for graduate students, postdocs, and faculty to do outreach in the local K-12 schools. We have hosted local high school students and teachers to provide them with research experience (as part of Caltech’s “Summer Research Connection”); participated in teacher training workshops (organized by the local school district); hosted tours for local elementary school students; and brought hands-on activities into local elementary and middle school classrooms, science clubs, and science nights. We have also led local school students and teachers on geology field trips through nearby parks. In addition, we have developed education modules for undergraduate classes (as part of MARGINS program), and have written educational web articles on TO research (http://www.tectonics.caltech.edu/outreach). The presentation will give an overview of these activities and their impact on our educational program.

Overview of nuclear education and outreach program among Malaysian school students

Science.gov (United States)

Sahar, Haizum Ruzanna; Masngut, Nasaai; Yusof, Mohd Hafizal; Ngadiron, Norzehan; Adnan, Habibah

2017-01-01

This paper gives an overview of nuclear education and outreach program conducted by Agensi Nuklear Malaysia (Nuklear Malaysia) throughout its operation and establishment. Since its foundation in 1972, Nuklear Malaysia has been the pioneer and is competent in the application of nuclear science and technology. Today, Nuklear Malaysia has ventured and eventually contributed into the development of various socio-economic sectors which include but not limited to medical, industry, manufacturing, agriculture, health, radiation safety and environment. This paper accentuates on the history of education and outreach program by Nuklear Malaysia, which include its timeline and evolution; as well as a brief on education and outreach program management, involvement of knowledge management as part of its approach and later the future of Nuklear Malaysia education and outreach program.

State of Global Pediatric Neurosurgery Outreach: Survey by the International Education Subcommittee

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Matthew C.; Rocque, Brandon G.; Singhal, Ash; Ridder, Tom; Pattisapu, Jogi V.; Johnston, James M.

2017-01-01

Object Neurosurgical services are increasingly recognized as essential components of surgical care worldwide. Degree of interest among neurosurgeons regarding international work, and barriers to involvement in global neurosurgical outreach, are largely unexplored. We distributed a survey to members of the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Pediatric Neurosurgery to assess the state of global outreach among its members and identify barriers to involvement. Methods An internet-based questionnaire was developed by the International Education Subcommittee of the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Pediatric Neurosurgery, and distributed to pediatric neurosurgeons via the AANS/CNS Joint Section email contact list. Participants were surveyed on involvement in global neurosurgical outreach, geographic location, nature of participation, and barriers to further involvement. Results A 35.3% response rate was obtained, with 116 respondents completed the survey. 61% performed or taught neurosurgery in a developing country, 49% traveling at least annually. Africa was the most common region (54%), followed by South America (30%), through 29 separate organizing entities. Hydrocephalus was the most commonly treated condition (88%), followed by spinal dysraphism (74%) and tumor (68%). Most respondents obtained follow-up through communication from local surgeons (77%). 71% believed the international experience improved their practice, and 74% were very or extremely interested in working elsewhere. Interference with current practice (61%), cost (44%), and difficulty identifying international partners (43%) were the most commonly cited barriers to participation. Conclusion Any coordinated effort to expand global neurosurgical capacity begins with appreciation for the current state of outreach efforts. Increasing participation in global outreach will require addressing both real and perceived barriers to involvement. Creation and curation of a centralized online database of ongoing projects to facilitate

Fostering Outreach, Education and Exploration of the Moon Using the Lunar Mapping & Modeling Portal

Science.gov (United States)

Dodge, K.; Law, E.; Malhotra, S.; Chang, G.; Kim, R. M.; Bui, B.; Sadaqathullah, S.; Day, B. H.

2014-12-01

The Lunar Mapping and Modeling Portal (LMMP)[1], is a web-based Portal and a suite of interactive visualization and analysis tools for users to access mapped lunar data products (including image mosaics, digital elevation models, etc.) from past and current lunar missions (e.g., Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Apollo, etc.). Originally designed as a mission planning tool for the Constellation Program, LMMP has grown into a generalized suite of tools facilitating a wide range of activities in support of lunar exploration including public outreach, education, lunar mission planning and scientific research. LMMP fosters outreach, education, and exploration of the Moon by educators, students, amateur astronomers, and the general public. These efforts are enhanced by Moon Tours, LMMP's mobile application, which makes LMMP's information accessible to people of all ages, putting opportunities for real lunar exploration in the palms of their hands. Our talk will include an overview of LMMP and a demonstration of its technologies (web portals, mobile apps), to show how it serves NASA data as commodities for use by advanced visualization facilities (e.g., planetariums) and how it contributes to improving teaching and learning, increasing scientific literacy of the general public, and enriching STEM efforts. References:[1] http://www.lmmp.nasa.gov

Perceptions of STEM-based outreach activities in secondary education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vennix, J.; den Brok, P.J.; Taconis, R.

2017-01-01

We investigated and compared the learning environment perceptions of students, teachers and guides who participated in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-based outreach activities in secondary education. In outreach activities, schools and teachers work together with companies

The Engagement of Engineers in Education and Public Outreach: Beginning the Conversation

Science.gov (United States)

Grier, J.; Buxner, S.; Vezino, B.; Shipp, S. S.

2014-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are a new set of K-12 science standards that have been developed through a collaborative, state-led process. Based on the National Research Council (NRC) 'Framework for K-12 Education,' the NGSS are designed to provide all students with a coherent education possessing both robust content and rigorous practice. Within these standards is an enhanced emphasis on the intersection between science and engineering. The focus is not only on asking questions and finding answers (science) but also in identifying and designing solution to problems (engineering.) The NASA SMD (Science Mission Directorate) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forums have been working with space scientists for many years to assist with their engagement in E/PO efforts, thus supporting the needs of previous science standards. In order to properly address the needs of NGSS, this conversation is being expanded to include engineers. Our initial efforts include a series of semi-structured interviews with a dozen engineers involved in different aspects of space science and mission development. We will present the responses from the survey and compare this information to our knowledge base about space scientists, their needs, attitudes, and understandings of E/PO. In addition to a new emphasis on engineering in the NGSS, we also consider engineering habits of mind such as systems thinking, creativity, optimism, collaboration, communication, and attention to ethical considerations as described by an NRC policy document for engineering education. Using the overall results, we will consider strategies, further ideas for investigation, and possible steps for going forward with this important aspect of including engineering in education and outreach programming.

The National Climate Assessment: A Treasure Trove for Education, Communications and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

McCaffrey, M.; Berbeco, M.; Connolly, R.; Niepold, F., III; Poppleton, K. L. I.; Cloyd, E.; Ledley, T. S.

2014-12-01

Required by Congress under the Global Change Act of 1990 to inform the nation on the findings of current climate research, the Third U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA), released in May 2014, is a rich resource for climate change education, communications and outreach (ECO). Using a website design with mobile applications in mind, NCA takes advantage of mobile learning technology which is revolutionizing how, when and where learning occurs. In an effort to maximize the "teachable moments" inherent in the assessment, a community of experts from the National Center for Science Education and the CLEAN Network, working under the auspices of the National Climate Assessment Network (NCAnet) Education Affinity Group, have developed a series of NCA Learning Pathways that match key NCA messages and resources with reviewed educational materials and trusted online information sources, thereby adding pedagogical depth to the assessment. The NCA Learning Pathways, which focus on the regional chapters of the report, are designed make climate change science more local, human, relevant and, if properly framed by educators and communicators, hopeful for learners. This paper touches on the challenges and opportunities of infusing climate education, communications and outreach into curriculum and society, and details the development and content of NCA Learning Pathways, which are available online through NOAA's Climate.gov website: http://www.climate.gov/teaching

Using Outreach and Engagement Efforts to Inform the Makah Tribe's Climate Adaptation Plan

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, L. K.; Chang, M.; Howk, F.

2017-12-01

The Makah Tribe views climate change as one of the biggest challenges to their natural resource management, threatening their livelihoods, economy, and culture. As part of their work towards climate adaptation planning, the Makah Tribal Council and tribal natural resource managers prioritized early community outreach and engagement efforts in order to accomplish three goals: continually update and inform the tribal community about the Tribe's climate adaptation efforts; gather community input and priorities for the Makah Climate Adaptation Plan; and provide a series of targeted educational events to inform the tribal community about projected climate change impacts to our resources. Our first community climate event, the Makah Climate Change Awareness Dinner, was held on February 8, 2017. At this event, we provided an overview of the Makah Tribe's Climate Vulnerability Assessment and administered an initial climate survey that gathered information regarding community members' observed environmental changes, knowledge about climate change and impacts, and any concerns and priorities to include in the Tribe's adaptation plan. We developed a framework for incorporating community engagement into climate adaptation planning and used results of our community survey to ensure community concerns were being addressed in the plan in addition to risks identified in western science. We also used survey results to inform a series of educational events to address knowledge gaps in the community and requested topics. These are two of next steps that the Makah Tribe is pursuing towards climate adaptation planning.

Public Science Education and Outreach as a Modality for Teaching Science Communication Skills to Undergraduates

Science.gov (United States)

Arion, Douglas; OConnell, Christine; Lowenthal, James; Hickox, Ryan C.; Lyons, Daniel

2018-01-01

The Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University is working with Carthage College, Dartmouth College, and Smith College, in partnership with the Appalachian Mountain Club, to develop and disseminate curriculum to incorporate science communication education into undergraduate science programs. The public science education and outreach program operating since 2012 as a partnership between Carthage and the Appalachian Mountain Club is being used as the testbed for evaluating the training methods. This talk will review the processes that have been developed and the results from the first cohort of students trained in these methods and tested during the summer 2017 education and outreach efforts, which reached some 12,000 members of the public. A variety of evaluation and assessment tools were utilized, including surveys of public participants and video recording of the interactions of the students with the public. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number 1625316.

Soak Up the Rain Customizable Outreach Tools

Science.gov (United States)

Get customizable Soak Up the Rain business card, posters, & a banner that can be downloaded & copied for use by citizens, municipalities, watershed & planning organizations & others in their stormwater/green infrastructure education & outreach efforts.

Developing an Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program for Caltech's Tectonics Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Kovalenko, L.; Jain, K.; Maloney, J.

2012-12-01

The Caltech Tectonics Observatory (TO) is an interdisciplinary center, focused on geological processes occurring at the boundaries of Earth's tectonic plates (http://www.tectonics.caltech.edu). Over the past four years, the TO has made a major effort to develop an Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program. Our goals are to (1) inspire students to learn Earth Sciences, particularly tectonic processes, (2) inform and educate the general public about science in the context of TO discoveries, and (3) provide opportunities for graduate students, postdocs, and faculty to do outreach in the local K-12 schools and community colleges. Our work toward these goals includes hosting local high school teachers and students each summer for six weeks of research experience (as part of Caltech's "Summer Research Connection"); organizing and hosting an NAGT conference aimed at Geoscience teachers at community colleges; participating in teacher training workshops (organized by the local school district); hosting tours for K-12 students from local schools as well as from China; and bringing hands-on activities into local elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. We also lead local school students and teachers on geology field trips through nearby canyons; develop education modules for undergraduate classes (as part of MARGINS program); write educational web articles on TO research (http://www.tectonics.caltech.edu/outreach/highlights/), and regularly give presentations to the general public. This year, we started providing content expertise for the development of video games to teach Earth Science, being created by GameDesk Institute. And we have just formed a scientist/educator partnership with a 6th grade teacher, to help in the school district's pilot program to incorporate new national science standards (NSTA's Next Generation Science Standards, current draft), as well as use Project-Based Learning. This presentation gives an overview of these activities.

Outreach Science Education: Evidence-Based Studies in a Gene Technology Lab

Science.gov (United States)

Scharfenberg, Franz-Josef; Bogner, Franz X.

2014-01-01

Nowadays, outreach labs are important informal learning environments in science education. After summarizing research to goals outreach labs focus on, we describe our evidence-based gene technology lab as a model of a research-driven outreach program. Evaluation-based optimizations of hands-on teaching based on cognitive load theory (additional…

NASA's SMD Cross-Forum Resources for Supporting Scientist Engagement in Education and Public Outreach Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Buxner, S.; Cobabe-Ammann, E. A.; Hsu, B. C.; Sharma, M.; Peticolas, L. M.; Schwerin, T. G.; Shipp, S. S.; Smith, D.

2012-12-01

Sharing the excitement of ongoing scientific discoveries is an important aspect of scientific activity for researchers. Directly engaging scientists in education and public outreach (E/PO) activities has the benefit of directly connecting the public to those who engage in scientific activities. A shortage of training in education methods, public speaking, and working with various public audiences increases barriers to engaging scientists in these types in E/PO activities. NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public forums (astrophysics, earth science, heliophysics, and planetary science) support scientists currently involved in E/PO and who are interested in becoming involved in E/PO through a variety of avenues. Over the past three years, the forums have developed a variety of resources to help engage scientists in education and public outreach. We will showcase the following resources developed through the SMD E/PO cross-forum efforts: Professional development resources for writing NASA SMD E/PO proposals (webinars and other online tools), ongoing professional development at scientific conferences to increase scientist engagement in E/PO activities, toolkits for scientists interested in best practices in E/PO (online guides for K-12 education and public outreach), toolkits to inform scientists of science education resources developed within each scientific thematic community, EarthSpace (a community web space where instructors can find and share about teaching space and earth sciences in the undergraduate classroom, including class materials news and funding opportunities, and the latest education research, http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace/), thematic resources for teaching about SMD science topics, and an online database of scientists interested in connecting with education programs. Learn more about the Forum and find resources at http://smdepo.org/.

Educational Outreach at the M.I.T. Plasma Fusion Center

Science.gov (United States)

Censabella, V.

1996-11-01

Educational outreach at the MIT Plasma Fusion Center consists of volunteers working together to increase the public's knowledge of fusion and plasma-related experiments. Seeking to generate excitement about science, engineering and mathematics, the PFC holds a number of outreach activities throughout the year, such as Middle and High School Outreach Days. Outreach also includes the Mr. Magnet Program, which uses an interactive strategy to engage elementary school children. Included in this year's presentation will be a new and improved C-MOD Jr, a confinement video game which helps students to discover how computers manipulate magnetic pulses to keep a plasma confined for as long as possible. Also on display will be an educational toy created by the Cambridge Physics Outlet, a PFC spin-off company. The PFC maintains a Home Page on the World Wide Web, which can be reached at http://cmod2.pfc.mit.edu/.

Bringing You the Moon: Lunar Education Efforts of the Center for Lunar Science and Education

Science.gov (United States)

Shaner, A. J.; Shupla, C.; Shipp, S.; Allen, J.; Kring, D. A.; Halligan, E.; LaConte, K.

2012-01-01

The Center for Lunar Science and Exploration (CLSE), a collaboration between the Lunar and Planetary Institute and NASA's Johnson Space Center, is one of seven member teams of the NASA Lunar Science Institute. In addition to research and exploration activities, the CLSE team is deeply invested in education and public outreach. Overarching goals of CLSE education are to strengthen the future science workforce, attract and retain students in STEM disciplines, and develop advocates for lunar exploration. The team's efforts have resulted in a variety of programs and products, including the creation of a variety of Lunar Traveling Exhibits and the High School Lunar Research Project, featured at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/nlsi/education/.

Scientists: Get Involved in Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach! Here’s How!

Science.gov (United States)

Buxner, Sanlyn; Dalton, H.; Shipp, S.; CoBabe-Ammann, E.; Scalice, D.; Bleacher, L.; Wessen, A.

2013-10-01

The Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forum is a team of educators, scientists, and outreach professionals funded by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) that supports SMD scientists currently involved in E/PO - or interested in becoming involved in E/PO efforts - to find ways to do so through a variety of avenues. There are many current and future opportunities and resources for scientists to become engaged in E/PO. The Forum provides tools for responding to NASA SMD E/PO funding opportunities (webinars and online proposal guides), a one-page Tips and Tricks guide for scientists to engage in education and public outreach, and a sampler of activities organized by thematic topic and NASA’s Big Questions in planetary science. Scientists can also locate resources for interacting with diverse audiences through a number of online clearinghouses, including: NASA Wavelength, a digital collection of peer-reviewed Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels (http://nasawavelength.org); the Year of the Solar System website (http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/yss), a presentation of thematic resources that includes background information, missions, the latest in planetary science news, and educational products, for use in the classroom and out, for teaching about the solar system organized by topic - volcanism, ice, astrobiology, etc.; and EarthSpace (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace), a community website where faculty can find and share resources and information about teaching Earth and space sciences in the undergraduate classroom, including class materials, news, funding opportunities, and the latest education research. Also recently developed, the NASA SMD Scientist Speaker’s Bureau (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/speaker) offers an online portal to connect scientists interested in getting involved in E/PO projects - giving public talks, classroom visits, and virtual connections - with audiences. Learn more about the

Outreach to Future Hispanic Educational Leaders.

Science.gov (United States)

Serafin, Ana Gil

This paper discusses issues related to the recruitment of Hispanic-American educational leaders, focusing on the El Centro de Recursos Educativos outreach center at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, which began operation in Fall 1997. It examines the characteristics of successful programs for Hispanic recruitment and retention and the…

Using Authentic Science in the Classroom: NASA's Coordinated Efforts to Enhance STEM Education

Science.gov (United States)

Lawton, B.; Schwerin, T.; Low, R.

2015-11-01

A key NASA education goal is to attract and retain students in science, technology engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. When teachers engage students in the examination of authentic data derived from NASA satellite missions, they simultaneously build 21st century technology skills as well as core content knowledge about the Earth and space. In this session, we highlight coordinated efforts by NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public Outreach (EPO) programs to enhance educator accessibility to data resources, distribute state-of -the-art data tools and expand pathways for educators to find and use data resources. The group discussion explores how NASA SMD EPO efforts can further improve teacher access to authentic NASA data, identifies the types of tools and lessons most requested by the community, and explores how communication and collaboration between product developers and classroom educators using data tools and products can be enhanced.

Developing Smartphone Apps for Education, Outreach, Science, and Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Weatherwax, A. T.; Fitzsimmons, Z.; Czajkowski, J.; Breimer, E.; Hellman, S. B.; Hunter, S.; Dematteo, J.; Savery, T.; Melsert, K.; Sneeringer, J.

2010-12-01

The increased popularity of mobile phone apps provide scientists with a new avenue for sharing and distributing data and knowledge with colleagues, while also providing meaningful education and outreach products for consumption by the general public. Our initial development of iPhone and Android apps centered on the distribution of exciting auroral images taken at the South Pole for education and outreach purposes. These portable platforms, with limited resources when compared to computers, presented a unique set of design and implementation challenges that we will discuss in this presentation. For example, the design must account for limited memory; screen size; processing power; battery life; and potentially high data transport costs. Some of these unique requirements created an environment that enabled undergraduate and high-school students to participate in the creation of these apps. Additionally, during development it became apparent that these apps could also serve as data analysis and engineering tools. Our presentation will further discuss our plans to use apps not only for Education and Public Outreach, but for teaching, science and engineering.

Outcomes for engineering students delivering a STEM education and outreach programme

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzallen, Noleine; Brown, Natalie Ruth

2017-11-01

University science outreach programmes are used to encourage more school students to select science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects in further education and pursue science-related careers. The benefits of science outreach programmes are often espoused from the perspective of programme participants. Little attention, however, is given to what university students delivering the programmes gain from the experience. This paper seeks to illustrate the benefits of engineering students delivering STEM outreach programmes in schools. It reports on a qualitative case study of the experiences of two STEM Education and Outreach team members from a regional university in Australia. Content analysis of interview data highlighted not only the participants' motivations and perceived benefits of being involved in the STEM programme but also revealed the skills and attributes honed throughout the experience. Involvement in the STEM outreach programme resulted in the development of social and personal responsibility generic graduate attribute skills, evidenced through their motivations to be involved, the demonstration of understanding of teaching and learning, and application of science communication skills. This study demonstrates that designing and delivering STEM outreach programmes assists in the development of skills that will be beneficial when pursuing careers in engineering in the future.

Nuclear Science Outreach in the World Year of Physics

Science.gov (United States)

McMahan, Margaret

2006-04-01

The ability of scientists to articulate the importance and value of their research has become increasingly important in the present climate of declining budgets, and this is most critical in the field of nuclear science ,where researchers must fight an uphill battle against negative public perception. Yet nuclear science encompasses important technical and societal issues that should be of primary interest to informed citizens, and the need for scientists trained in nuclear techniques are important for many applications in nuclear medicine, national security and future energy sources. The NSAC Education Subcommittee Report [1] identified the need for a nationally coordinated effort in nuclear science outreach, naming as its first recommendation that `the highest priority for new investment in education be the creation by the DOE and NSF of a Center for Nuclear Science Outreach'. This talk will review the present status of public outreach in nuclear science and highlight some specific efforts that have taken place during the World Year of Physics. [1] Education in Nuclear Science: A Status Report and Recommendations for the Beginning of the 21^st Century, A Report of the DOE/NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee Subcommittee on Education, November 2004, http://www.sc.doe.gov/henp/np/nsac/docs/NSACCReducationreportfinal.pdf.

Community Involvement - Outreach / Development

OpenAIRE

2004-01-01

Tonya Aiken: Horse Program Success. Kyle Cecil: Natural Resources and the Extension Educator. Karol Dyson: Building Strong Communities through Empowerment. Lisa Dennis: "Food Smart". Theresa M. Ferrari: Community Service Experiences & 4-H Teens. t. Stacey Harper: Connecting the Youth with the Community. Joseph G. Hiller: Extension Work in Indian Country. Alice P. Kersey: Outreach to the NR Community. Carla M. Sousa: Learning from Latino Community Efforts.

Evolving Perspectives on Astronomy Education and Public Outreach in Hawai'i

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Ka'iu; Slater, T.; Hamilton, J.; Takata, V.

2012-01-01

For the last several decades, well meaning astronomers and educators have worked diligently to provide astronomy education experiences to Native Hawaiians and visitors across all the islands. Much of the early education and public outreach (EPO) work was based on a philosophical perspective based on the notion of, "if we just make them aware of how wonderful astronomy is, then everyone will naturally support the development of astronomy in the islands.” In support of this goal, numerous teacher workshops were delivered and the first generation of the Maunakea Observatories Visitors’ Center was developed and funded. These projects were most frequently developed using Mainland thinking, in a Mainland style, with a Mainland agenda. Consequently, these efforts often failed to create even moderate impacts, whether in educational settings, or in terms of public outreach. In recent years, our understanding of effective EPO has evolved. This evolution has led to a shift in the locus of control, from the Mainland to the Islands; and in content, from "astronomy only” to "astronomy as part of the whole.” We have come to understand that successfully transformative EPO requires intertwining astronomy with teaching about culture, language and context. In response, the `Imiloa Astronomy Center was expanded to convolve historical and modern astronomy with Hawaiian culture and language. Moreover, the most successful astronomy EPO programs in the islands have been redesigned to reflect meaningful collaborations of schools, businesses, and the larger community that situate astronomy as part of a larger educational work of honoring the traditions of the past while simultaneously transforming the future. This evolution in thinking may serve as a model for the astronomy community's interaction with other regional communities.

Transportation Engineering Education and Outreach Program Designed for the Collegiate Level. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuhn, Beverly T.

The Transportation Engineering Education and Outreach Program was organized to develop and disseminate educational and outreach materials that would encourage students in colleges, universities, and technical schools to select transportation as a career path and to attract more students into transportation graduate programs. The research…

Program Spotlight: National Outreach Network's Community Health Educators

Science.gov (United States)

National Outreach Network of Community Health Educators located at Community Network Program Centers, Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity, and NCI-designated cancer centers help patients and their families receive survivorship support.

Space Scientists in Education and Public Outreach: A Summary of NASA Resources for Effective Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Grier, Jennifer A.; Buxner, Sanlyn; Schneider, Nick; Meinke, Bonnie; Shipp, Stephanie

2015-11-01

The NASA Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forums developed and provided resources for scientists through a five-year cooperative agreement. Through this work, the Fourms have supported scientists who are involved in E/PO and who wish to become involved. Forums have conducted interviews, facilitated education oral and poster sessions, provided ‘Help Desks’ for more information, curated activities, as well as produced guides, pamphlets, and tips sheets. Our interviews with over 30 planetary scientists allowed us to identify needs and target gaps in resources, ensuring we could provide scientists with effective support and products. Interviews were conducted in collaboration with the AAS Division of Planetary Sciences, with the goal of better understanding scientists’ requirements, barriers, attitudes, and perception of education and outreach work. We collected information about how scientists were engaged in E/PO activities (or not), what support they did or did not have, what resources they used in their efforts, and what resources they would like to have to support and improve their E/PO engagement. The Forums have convened and/or supported E/PO oral and poster sessions at a variety of annual meetings. These sessions allowed scientists to network, share lessons learned, and become aware of new resources and products. These meetings included the DPS, AAS, LPSC, AGU, ASP, IAU, and more. ‘Help Desks’ were offered to allow scientists the chance to have extended one-on-one conversations with E/PO providers in order to share their programs, and learn how to become involved. These have been particularly popular with early career scientists looking to extend their E/PO efforts. A host of education activities developed by the space science community have been archived at the NASA site “Wavelength” (nasawavelength.org). Special lists have been curated to allow scientists to easily target those activities that fit their particular needs, from engineering to

The Education and Outreach Project of ATLAS - A New Participant in Physics Education

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnett, R. Michael; Johansson, K. Erik

2006-01-01

The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN has a substantial collaborative Education and Outreach project. This article describes its activities and how it promotes physics to students around the world. With the extraordinary possibility to make groundbreaking discoveries, the ATLAS Experiment [1] at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN can play an important role in promoting contemporary physics at school. For many years ATLAS has had a substantial collaborative Education and Outreach (E and O) project in which physicists from various parts of the world take part. When the experiment begins in 2007, students from around the world will be analyzing data using cutting-edge technology. The unprecedented collision energies of the Large Hadron Collider allow ATLAS to decode the 'events' that unfold after the head-on collisions of protons (Fig. 1). The scientific results from these events will reveal much about the basic nature of matter, energy, space, and time. Students and others will be excited as they try to find events that may be signs for dark matter, extra dimensions of space, mini-black holes, string theory, and other fundamental discoveries. Science education and outreach and the promotion of awareness and appreciation of physics research have become important tasks for the research community and should be recognized as a natural and logical part of science research and as an important link between research and society. To be successful these activities have to be done in a systematic and professional way. Leading scientists together with multimedia experts can form a powerful team with teachers and educators in disseminating physics information to school and universities. The ATLAS collaboration has fully recognized the importance of education and outreach. The ATLAS E and O project can be a model for today's large science experiments in promoting science at schools and universities

The Education and Outreach Project of ATLAS - A New Participant inPhysics Education

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnett, R. Michael; Johansson, K. Erik

2006-04-15

The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN has a substantial collaborative Education and Outreach project. This article describes its activities and how it promotes physics to students around the world. With the extraordinary possibility to make groundbreaking discoveries, the ATLAS Experiment [1] at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN can play an important role in promoting contemporary physics at school. For many years ATLAS has had a substantial collaborative Education and Outreach (E&O) project in which physicists from various parts of the world take part. When the experiment begins in 2007, students from around the world will be analyzing data using cutting-edge technology. The unprecedented collision energies of the Large Hadron Collider allow ATLAS to decode the 'events' that unfold after the head-on collisions of protons (Fig. 1). The scientific results from these events will reveal much about the basic nature of matter, energy, space, and time. Students and others will be excited as they try to find events that may be signs for dark matter, extra dimensions of space, mini-black holes, string theory, and other fundamental discoveries. Science education and outreach and the promotion of awareness and appreciation of physics research have become important tasks for the research community and should be recognized as a natural and logical part of science research and as an important link between research and society. To be successful these activities have to be done in a systematic and professional way. Leading scientists together with multimedia experts can form a powerful team with teachers and educators in disseminating physics information to school and universities. The ATLAS collaboration has fully recognized the importance of education and outreach. The ATLAS E&O project can be a model for today's large science experiments in promoting science at schools and universities.

The UMR reactor outreach program for expanded educational utilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, D.; Bolon, A.

1992-01-01

In recent years, the University of Missouri-Rolla Reactor (UMRR) facility has been under intense financial scrutiny by the university administration; primarily due to ever-tightening budgets and declines in nuclear engineering (NE) enrollment. In response to criticisms of low utilization, the reactor staff has developed and implemented a dynamic outreach program designed to significantly increase the educational role of the facility on campus. The outreach program is based on the principle that the potential to provide service to the UMR community is far in excess of the present level of service. The program is designed to identify and inform potential users of how their courses or programs can be augmented through use of the reactor facility. The net effect of the outreach program is greater campus communication and awareness of the unique capabilities as applied to each discipline. A natural product of the outreach program should be increased research

Expanding Outreach Efforts by Developing Community Advisory Councils - 12233

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hess, Susan M. [AREVA Inc., 4800 Hampden Lane, Suite 1100, Bethesda, MD 20814 (United States); Phillips, Janice H. [REVA Federal Services, LLC, 7207 IBM Drive, CLT-1D, Charlotte, NC 28262 (United States)

2012-07-01

Nuclear energy generates significant reliable baseload electricity, yet many citizens in countries with nuclear power do not know the facts and benefits this clean energy source provides. For much of its history, the nuclear energy industry has been perceived as secretive and protective. Anti-nuclear activists use this general lack of public knowledge to sensationalise events, spread misinformation, and play on people's emotions. Yet, the nuclear energy industry has done little to combat these falsehoods imposed on the general public. Support for nuclear energy, or lack thereof, is even more pronounced after the extraordinary natural disasters and ensuing nuclear incident in Japan earlier this year, making proactive outreach to restore public trust even more important than before. The industry must inform and educate at all levels to dispel the falsehoods and enable clear, rational decision-making by government officials, business leaders and the general public, if it wants to grow and provide clean energy for the future. AREVA understands that this community outreach and education are just the first steps toward helping clean energy sources grow. We know that energy demand and security means we need to utilize every clean energy source available. We must start the education process from pre-school age to encourage children to enter science, technology, engineering and math curriculums. We must maintain regular community dialog and open discussions and operate in a safe manner, because in the long run, it is these community members who will help ensure energy security for the country. These stakeholders have a strong voice, a voice that can be heard locally, and if necessary, a voice that can impact the future of nuclear energy worldwide. As always, our industry is committed to the relentless pursuit of ever safer nuclear power. The nuclear industry as a whole must restore and win back trust. But the only way to restore this trust is by working together as an

Promoting Strategic STEM Education Outreach Programming Using a Systems-Based STEM-EO Model

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Annmarie R.

2015-01-01

In this paper a STEM Education Outreach (STEM-EO) Model for promoting strategic university outreach programming at Penn State University to the benefit of university, school district and community stakeholders is described. The model considers STEM-EO as a complex system involving overarching learning goals addressed within four outreach domains…

Alliance for Sequestration Training, Outreach, Research & Education

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olson, Hilary [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Inst. for Geophysics Jackson School of Geosciences

2013-12-31

The Sequestration Training, Outreach, Research and Education (STORE) Alliance at The University of Texas at Austin completed its activity under Department of Energy Funding (DE-FE0002254) on September 1, 2013. The program began as a partnership between the Institute for Geophysics, the Bureau of Economic Geology and the Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering Department at UT. The initial vision of the program was to promote better understanding of CO₂ utilization and storage science and engineering technology through programs and opportunities centered on training, outreach, research and technology transfer, and education. With over 8,000 hrs of formal training and education (and almost 4,500 of those hours awarded as continuing education credits) to almost 1,100 people, STORE programs and activities have provided benefits to the Carbon Storage Program of the Department of Energy by helping to build a skilled workforce for the future CCS and larger energy industry, and fostering scientific public literacy needed to continue the U.S. leadership position in climate change mitigation and energy technologies and application. Now in sustaining mode, the program is housed at the Center for Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, and benefits from partnerships with the Gulf Coast Carbon Center, TOPCORP and other programs at the university receiving industry funding.

Climate Change Community Outreach Initiative (CCCOI)--A Gulf of Mexico Education Partnership

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, S. H.; Stone, D.; Schultz, T.; LeBlanc, T.; Miller-Way, T.; Estrada, P.

2012-12-01

This five-year, Gulf of Mexico regional collaborative is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-Office of Education and represents a successful grant submitted by the FL Aquarium as a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This climate change effort focuses on enhanced content knowledge and the manner in which personal actions and behaviors contribute to sustainability and stewardship. Diverse audiences—represented by visitors at the informal centers listed above—have been and are involved in the following activities: social networking via responses to climate change surveys; an "ocean and climate change defender" computer game, specifically designed for this project; an average of 10 annual outreach events implemented by these facilities at community festivals; climate change lectures provided to family audiences; and professional development workshops for informal and formal educators. This presentation will provide opportunities and challenges encountered during the first two years of implementation. This regional effort is also aligned with both the Ocean Literacy: Essential Principles and the Climate Literacy: Essential Principles. Additional partners include: Normandeau Associates, Conservation Enterprises, Unlimited, and Mindclay Creative.

Virginia Bioinformatics Institute to expand cyberinfrastructure education and outreach project

OpenAIRE

Whyte, Barry James

2008-01-01

The National Science Foundation has awarded the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech $918,000 to expand its education and outreach program in Cyberinfrastructure - Training, Education, Advancement and Mentoring, commonly known as the CI-TEAM.

Extreme Urban Stargazing: Outreach in New York City

Science.gov (United States)

Kendall, Jason S.

2013-01-01

There is a fundamental need for the professional community to cultivate and nurture active relationships with amateur organizations. The rewards of such work are highly beneficial to general public education and town-gown relations, but are time-consuming and hard-won. New York City and the surrounding area is both ideally suited and unambiguously ill-suited for astronomy public outreach. I will detail the results of three major outreach efforts in coordination with the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York. I will highlight large public-space observing in the context of the Transit of Venus and star parties at other locations. I will also outline outreach efforts at William Paterson University, where two public nights and a Curiosity EDL event created a clear impact in Northern New Jersey. I will detail methods for encouraging and bringing out amateur observers to events, urban crowd management, publicity issues, and the benefits and pitfalls of social media in the promotion and execution of large-scale and moderate events.

Outreach and educational activities in Russia

Science.gov (United States)

Gritsevich, M.; Kartashova, A.

2012-09-01

We present an overview of the major internal as well as international meetings and events held in Russia and dedicated to the integration, development and expanding of knowledge in Planetary Research. The report is complemented by the Europlanet activities in Russia over the last year, achieved goals and lessons learned. Additionally, we highlight current problems and possible future improvements to the present educational and outreach techniques.

Young Researchers Engaged in Educational Outreach to Increase Polar Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Raymond, M.; Baeseman, J.; Xavier, J.; Kaiser, B.; Vendrell-Simon, B.

2008-12-01

The Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) grew out of the 4th International Polar Year (IPY-4) 2007-08 and is an international and interdisciplinary organization of over 1200 undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, early faculty members, educators and others with interests in Polar Regions and the wider cryosphere from more than 40 countries. Our aims are to stimulate interdisciplinary and international research collaborations, and develop effective future leaders in polar research, education and outreach. As potentially one of the major legacies of IPY-4, APECS members have been at the forefront of increasing scientific knowledge and public interest in the polar regions, centered around global climate change, and enhancing scientific understanding, media attention, primary and secondary school (K-12) educational programs, undergraduate institutions, and public literacy campaigns. Research and Educational Outreach activities by APECS members during IPY-4 have improved both our understanding and the communication of all aspects of the Polar Regions and the importance of their broader global connections. APECS National Committees have run Polar Contests where young researchers partnered with teachers and students to develop curriculum and activities to share their research, have participated in many field based communication exchanges and are mentoring youth to pursue careers in science, and enhancing the public perception of scientists through photo, video and museum exhibits. In cooperation with the IPY Teachers Network and the IPY IPO, APECS is developing a polar education resource book that will feature education and outreach activities by young researchers, as well as provide examples of classroom activities for teachers to incorporate polar literacy into their curriculum and a How-To guide for researchers interested in conducting education and outreach. As young researchers interactively share their excitement and

NASA SMD Science Education and Public Outreach Forums: A Five-Year Retrospective

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Denise A.; Peticolas, Laura; Schwerin, Theresa; Shipp, Stephanie

2014-06-01

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) created four competitively awarded Science Education and Public Outreach Forums (Astrophysics, Heliophysics, Planetary Science, Earth Science) in 2009. The objective is to enhance the overall coherence of SMD education and public outreach (E/PO), leading to more effective, efficient, and sustainable use of SMD science discoveries and learning experiences. We summarize progress and next steps towards achieving this goal with examples drawn from Astrophysics and cross-Forum efforts. Over the past five years, the Forums have enabled leaders of individual SMD mission and grant-funded E/PO programs to work together to place individual science discoveries and learning resources into context for audiences, conveying the big picture of scientific discovery based on audience needs. Forum-organized collaborations and partnerships extend the impact of individual programs to new audiences and provide resources and opportunities for educators to engage their audiences in NASA science. Similarly, Forum resources support scientists and faculty in utilizing SMD E/PO resources. Through Forum activities, mission E/PO teams and grantees have worked together to define common goals and provide unified professional development for educators (NASA’s Multiwavelength Universe); build partnerships with libraries to engage underserved/underrepresented audiences (NASA Science4Girls and Their Families); strengthen use of best practices; provide thematic, audience-based entry points to SMD learning experiences; support scientists in participating in E/PO; and, convey the impact of the SMD E/PO program. The Forums have created a single online digital library (NASA Wavelength, http://nasawavelength.org) that hosts all peer-reviewed SMD-funded education materials and worked with the SMD E/PO community to compile E/PO program metrics (http://nasamissionepometrics.org/). External evaluation shows the Forums are meeting their objectives. Specific examples

A Tale of Two scientists and their Involvement in Education & Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

McDonnell, J.

2004-12-01

Many scientists, when faced with developing an education and outreach plan for their research proposals, are unclear on what kinds of impacts they can have on broader non scientist audiences. Many scientists feel their only options are to develop a website or invite a teacher to get involved in their sampling or research cruises. Scientists, who are constrained by time and resources, are not aware of the range of education and outreach options available to them and of the great value their involvement can bring to the public. In an recent survey at the National Science Foundation sponsored ORION conference (January 2004), respondents stated that the greatest public benefits to having scientists involved in public education are (1) that they can present the benefits and relevance of research (26%), (2) focus awareness on environmental issues (26%), (3) serve as models for teachers and motivators for children (25%) and (4) increase public understanding, awareness and appreciation of science (about 22%). As a member of the Mid-Atlantic Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (MACOSEE), the Institute of Marine & Coastal Sciences (IMCS) at Rutgers University is dedicated to helping scientists and educators realize the benefits of working together to advance ocean discovery and make known the vital role of the ocean in our lives. A website called "Scientist Connection" (www.macosee.net) was developed to help busy scientists choose a role in education and outreach that will make the most of their talent and time. The goal of the web site is to help scientists produce a worthwhile education project that complements and enriches their research. In this session, the author will present two case studies that demonstrate very different but effective approaches to scientist's involvement in education and outreach projects. In the first case, we will chronicle how a team of biologists and oceanographers in the Rutgers University, Coastal Ocean Observation Laboratory (or

Education and public outreach in astronomy and beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Cominsky, Lynn R.

2018-01-01

Education and public outreach has evolved from being part of a scientist's duties into a distinct career path that is well-suited for astronomers. The ideal professional in this field has strong communication skills coupled with a broad research background.

Attributable effects from information and outreach programs: Net to gross, NEBs, and beyond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freeman, David Juri; Skumatz, Lisa A. [Skumatz Economic Research Associates, Inc. (SERA) (United States)

2007-07-01

Education, outreach, advertising, and training programs provide particular difficulties in evaluation, as they focus on modifying behaviors and purchases rather than directly installing measures. This paper summarizes the results of a literature review of more than 80 studies evaluating strengths and weaknesses of evaluation work on outreach and education programs. Then, the paper presents the results of several applications of advanced evaluation techniques that are being applied to outreach, education, and training programs. This paper provides the results from detailed net-to-gross (NTG) and non-energy benefits (NEB) evaluations of outreach, training, and education programs, including:A training and education geared toward commercial architects and engineers; Two similar programs geared toward residential builders and remodelers; Residential appliance-related education and outreach programs (Energy Star); and An information-based university program.We provide information from detailed evaluations of the share of energy savings and attributable effects that are due to the program's efforts (net-to-gross ratio), and the non-energy benefits (NEBs) recognized by participants. These results augment the usual evaluation studies, and provide insights that can guide informational, outreach, and training programs to maximize their effectiveness. The attribution and NEB results provide a fuller picture of the benefits from the program, support more sophisticated benefit-cost analysis, provide direction for maximizing program 'bang for the buck', and help support program decision-making and marketing.

Science and students: Yucca Mountain project's education outreach program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gil, A.V.; Larkin, E.L.; Reilly, B.; Austin, P.

1992-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is very concerned about the lack of understanding of basic science. Increasingly, critical decisions regarding the use of energy, technology, and the environment are being made. A well-educated and science-literate public is vital to the success of these decisions. Science education and school instruction are integral parts of the DOE's public outreach program on the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP). Project staff and scientists speak to elementary, junior high, high school, and university students, accepting all speaking invitations. The objectives of this outreach program include the following: (1) educating Nevada students about the concept of a high-level nuclear waste repository; (2) increasing awareness of energy and environmental issues; (3) helping students understand basic concepts of earth science and geology in relation to siting a potential repository; and (4) giving students information about careers in science and engineering

Innovation in NASA's Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, H.; Smith, D.

2014-07-01

New technology and media are being rapidly incorporated in NASA's Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach (EPO) portfolio. In addition to web pages that provide basic information on missions and links to educational sites, missions have developed Facebook and Twitter followers. Recent highlights are presented about the innovative techniques used in presenting NASA science to the public, educators and students, together with representative examples. The immense treasure trove of electronic NASA EPO material is available to the public.

Particle Physics Outreach to Secondary Education

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bardeen, Marjorie G.; Johansson, K. Erik; Young, M. Jean

2011-01-01

This review summarizes exemplary secondary education and outreach programs of the particle physics community. We examine programs from the following areas: research experiences, high-energy physics data for students, informal learning for students, instructional resources, and professional development. We report findings about these programs' impact on students and teachers and provide suggestions for practices that create effective programs from those findings. We also include some methods for assessing programs.

Particle Physics Outreach to Secondary Education

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bardeen, Marjorie G.; /Fermilab; Johansson, K.Erik; /Stockholm U.; Young, M.Jean

2011-11-21

This review summarizes exemplary secondary education and outreach programs of the particle physics community. We examine programs from the following areas: research experiences, high-energy physics data for students, informal learning for students, instructional resources, and professional development. We report findings about these programs' impact on students and teachers and provide suggestions for practices that create effective programs from those findings. We also include some methods for assessing programs.

Get Involved in Education and Public Outreach! The Science Mission Directorate Science E/PO Forums Are Here to Help

Science.gov (United States)

Shipp, S. S.; Buxner, S.; Schwerin, T. G.; Hsu, B. C.; Peticolas, L. M.; Smith, D.; Meinke, B. K.

2013-12-01

NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forums help to engage, extend, support, and coordinate the efforts of the community of E/PO professionals and scientists involved in Earth and space science education activities. This work is undertaken to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the overall national NASA science education and outreach effort made up of individual efforts run by these education professionals. This includes facilitating scientist engagement in education and outreach. The Forums have been developing toolkits and pathways to support planetary, Earth, astrophysics, and heliophysics scientists who are - or who are interested in becoming - involved in E/PO. These tools include: 1) Pathways to learn about SMD and E/PO community announcements and opportunities, share news about E/PO programs, let the E/PO community know you are interested in becoming involved, and discover education programs needing scientist input and/or support. These pathways include weekly e-news, the SMD E/PO online community workspace, monthly community calls, conferences and meetings of opportunity. 2) Portals to help you find out what education resources already exist, obtain resources to share with students of all levels - from K-12 to graduate students, - and disseminate your materials. These include E/PO samplers and toolkits (sampling of resources selected for scientists who work with students, teachers, and the public), the one-stop shop of reviewed resources from the NASA Earth and space science education portfolio NASAWavelength.org, and the online clearinghouse of Earth and space science higher education materials EarthSpace (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace). 3) Connections to education specialists who can help you design and implement meaningful E/PO programs - small to large. Education specialists can help you understand what research says about how people learn and effective practices for achieving your goals, place your

Surgical Outreach for Children by International Humanitarian Organizations: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kynes, J Matthew; Zeigler, Laura; McQueen, Kelly

2017-06-28

Low- and middle-income countries carry a disproportionate share of the global burden of pediatric surgical disease and have limited local healthcare infrastructure and human resources to address this burden. Humanitarian efforts that have improved or provided access to necessary basic or emergency surgery for children in these settings have included humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, short-term surgical missions, and long-term projects such as building pediatric specialty hospitals and provider networks. Each of these efforts may also include educational initiatives designed to increase local capacity. This article will provide an overview of pediatric humanitarian surgical outreach including reference to available evidence-based analyses of these platforms and make recommendations for surgical outreach initiatives for children.

Optical aurora detectors: using natural optics to motivate education and outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Joseph A.; Way, Jesse M.; Pust, Nathan J.; Nugent, Paul W.; Coate, Hans; Balster, Daniel

2009-06-01

Natural optical phenomena enjoy a level of interest sufficiently high among a wide array of people to provide ideal education and outreach opportunities. The aurora promotes particularly high interest, perhaps because of its relative rarity in the areas of the world where most people live. A project is being conducted at Montana State University to use common interest and curiosity about auroras to motivate learning and outreach through the design and deployment of optical sensor systems that detect the presence of an auroral display and send cell phone messages to alert interested people. Project participants learn about the physics and optics of the aurora, basic principles of optical system design, radiometric calculations and calibrations, electro-optical detectors, electronics, embedded computer systems, and computer software. The project is moving into a stage where it will provide greatly expanded outreach and education opportunities as optical aurora detector kits are created and disbursed to colleges around our region.

ANDRILL Education and Public Outreach: A Legacy of the IPY

Science.gov (United States)

Rack, F. R.; Huffman, L. T.; Reed, J.; Harwood, D. M.; Berg, M.; Diamond, J.; Fox, A.; Dahlman, L. E.; Levy, R. H.

2009-12-01

ANDRILL field projects during the IPY included the McMurdo Ice Shelf (MIS) and Southern McMurdo Sound (SMS) drilling projects, and the Mackay Sea Valley (MSV) and Offshore New Harbor (ONH) seismic surveys. ANDRILL's international network of scientists, engineers, students and educators work together to convey an understanding of geoscience research and the process of science to non-technical audiences. ANDRILL education and public outreach (EPO) program goals are to: (1) promote environmental and polar science literacy for all audiences; (2) develop and disseminate engaging resources for formal and informal education; (3) develop and nurture a network of polar science educators; (4) spark the curiosity of students and the general public; (5) encourage students to pursue careers in science; (6) challenge misconceptions about scientific research; (7) provide professional development opportunities for educators; and, (8) encourage inquiry teaching in science education. During the IPY, ANDRILL established partnerships with several IPY projects to enhance science literacy and promote the IPY in formal and informal education and outreach venues. ANDRILL-led initiatives include the ARISE (ANDRILL Research Immersion for Science Educators) Program, Project Iceberg, the FLEXHIBIT (FLEXible exHIBIT; in partnership with Antarctica’s Climate Secrets/IPY Engaging Antarctica), and the Project Circle. ANDRILL partnerships developed with several museums and school districts for teacher professional development workshops and a variety of public events. A polar learning community was created from the ARISE participants and their many contacts, the Project Circle participants, and interested educators who contacted ANDRILL. EPO activities are continuing in the post-IPY period with additional funding. The ARISE program has been successful in building a team of educators and a network of international collaborations across grade levels and cultures. The ANDRILL website has expanded to

The Delicate Balance between Research, Teaching and Outreach: A Case Study of Physicists in K-12 Education

Science.gov (United States)

Leslie-Pelecky, Diandra

2003-04-01

Recent calls from a variety of sectors including some funding agencies and professional societies encourage physicists to take a more active interest in the education of K-12 students and their teachers. Although there are a broad range of possible activities, finding time to participate is always a challenge for the researcher. How does the busy physicist ensure that the time devoted to education or outreach activities produces meaningful results without adversely affecting his or her research program? Project Fulcrum, a NSF-funded program that teams science and math graduate students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with 4th -8th grade teachers in the Lincoln Public Schools, presents a case study of how research scientists can be meaningfully involved with K-12 education. Project Fulcrum's preliminary results indicate that the impact scientists have in the classroom goes far beyond providing expertise in physics, and turns out to be very different than originally anticipated. There are a wide variety of models for involvement in education and outreach that cover a broad span of time and energy commitments. Careful project choice, establishing administrative infrastructure, collaborating with other departments and colleges, and involving colleagues can optimize the impact-made-to-time-spent ratio. Challenges such as project evaluation, overcoming the negative attitudes of some physicists towards anything not related to research, and ensuring that participants get appropriate credit for their efforts will also be discussed. The conclusion will address the personal and professional rewards of involvement in education and outreach. This work is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF-DGE0086358). The author wishes to acknowledge the contributions of co-PIs G. Buck, S. Kirby, R. Kirby and P. Dussault, and all of the Project Fulcrum Fellows and Teachers.

The Nautilus Exploration Program: Utilizing Live Ocean Exploration as a Platform for STEM Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Fundis, A.; Cook, M.; Sutton, K.; Garson, S.; Poulton, S.; Munro, S.

2016-02-01

By sparking interest in scientific inquiry and engineering design at a young age through exposure to ocean exploration and innovative technologies, and building on that interest throughout students' educational careers, the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) aims to motivate more students to be lifelong learners and pursue careers in STEM fields. Utilizing research conducted aboard Exploration Vessel Nautilus, the ship's associated technologies, and shore-based facilities at the University of Rhode Island — including the Graduate School of Oceanography and the Inner Space Center — we guide students to early career professionals through a series of educational programs focused on STEM disciplines and vocational skills. OET also raises public awareness of ocean exploration and research through a growing online presence, live streaming video, and interactions with the team aboard the ship 24 hours a day via the Nautilus Live website (www.nautiluslive.org). Annually, our outreach efforts bring research launched from Nautilus to tens of millions worldwide and allow the public, students, and scientists to participate in expeditions virtually from shore. We share the Nautilus Exploration Program's strategies, successes, and lessons learned for a variety of our education and outreach efforts including: 1) enabling global audiences access to live ocean exploration online and via social media; 2) engaging onshore audiences in live and interactive conversations with scientists and engineers on board; 3) engaging young K-12 learners in current oceanographic research via newly developed lessons and curricula; 4) onshore and offshore professional development opportunities for formal and informal educators; 5) programs and authentic research opportunities for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students onshore and aboard Nautilus; and 6) collaborative opportunities for early career and seasoned researchers to participate virtually in telepresence-enabled, interdisciplinary

Helping Scientists Become Effective Partners in Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Laursen, Sandra L.; Smith, Lesley K.

2009-01-01

How does a scientist find herself standing before a group of lively third-graders? She may be personally motivated-seeking to improve public understanding of scientific issues and the nature of science, or to see her own children receive a good science education-or perhaps she simply enjoys this kind of work [Andrews et al., 2005; Kim and Fortner, 2008]. In addition to internal motivating factors, federal funding agencies have begun to encourage scientists to participate in education and outreach (E/O) related to their research, through NASA program requirements for such activities (see ``Implementing the Office of Space Science Education/Public Outreach Strategy,'' at http://spacescience.nasa.gov/admin/pubs/edu/imp_plan.htm) and the U.S. National Science Foundation's increased emphasis on ``broader impacts'' in merit review of research proposals (see http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2003/nsf032/bicexamples.pdf). Universities, laboratories, and large collaboratives have responded by developing E/O programs that include interaction between students, teachers, and the public in schools; after-school and summer programs; and work through science centers, planetaria, aquaria, and museums.

Outreach is Serious Fun!

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larsen, W.

2005-01-01

This paper outlines the planning and effort that goes into a successful, inexpensive outreach project. Since 1996, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has had an educational exhibit booth and has also presented workshops on renewable energy at the two-week-long National Western Stock Show held each January in Denver, Colorado. In our exhibit booth and workshops, farmers, ranchers, and homeowners learn how solar, wind, and biomass energy systems can provide economical electricity for the agricultural community. We show how this outreach has grown to include the presentation of renewable energy exhibits at events in South Dakota and Illinois at the request of the Deputy Secretary for Energy of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and our support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Kansas and Nebraska on the issuance of the 2004 Farm Bill.

NCRP Program Area Committee 7: Radiation Education, Risk Communication, Outreach, and Policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, S M; Locke, P A

2016-02-01

Recognizing the central importance of effective communication, education, and policy across all of the domains of radiation safety and radiation protection, the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) established a new committee in 2013. Program Area Committee 7 (PAC 7) was created to develop projects and provide guidance on "Radiation Education, Risk Communication, Outreach, and Policy." After identifying individuals with relevant expertise who were willing to serve, the Committee held its inaugural meeting in 2014. In 2015, the Committee increased its membership and began carrying out an expanded program of activities. One area of activity has involved providing input and feedback on risk communication issues to NCRP and other agencies. Another area of work has involved liaising with other NCRP committees (e.g., Council Committee 1 and PAC 3) to help incorporate psychosocial and risk communication issues into projects. Future efforts of NCRP's newest PAC are expected to include the development of authoritative reports and commentaries dealing with critical issues and challenges in radiation risk communication, education, and policy.

Photonics outreach and education through partnerships in Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Jonathan S.; Diaz, Andres; Saltares, Roger; Luciano, Sarah; Molina, Nerivette; Martinez, Smailyn; Hernandez, Alejandro; de Jesus, Johan; Rivera, Yesenia; Capeles, Antonio; Alvear, Felipe; Lopez, Jesus; Rivera, Miguel; Saurez, Rey; Trujillo, Elsa

2015-10-01

As the only photonics center in Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Photonics Institute (PRPI) has developed education and outreach projects, partnering with other institutions and private companies to optimize the use of available resources. We present our experience, challenges, rewards, and results for the following projects: - Tours: K-12 students visit our facilities in a science tour including a presentation on the Arecibo Observatory (AO) and the Digital Planet Geodome. We present optics demonstrations and other information. In the first three months we hosted fifteen schools impacting over 1,400 students. - Outreach: We have newly active outreach and recruiting activities for Puerto Rico (PR) schools. - Teachers: With the PR Math-Science Partnership (MSP) Program, we have given a full-day workshop on optics and photonics experiments for 5th-12th grade teachers, and a master class at the annual MSP Congress. We have impacted over 500 teachers through these initiatives. - Continuing Education: We have given continuing education courses in addition to the MSP workshops. - General Public: We partner with museums in PR, the University of Turabo, and the AO Visitor Center to build optics exhibits, many developed by students. - Video: PRPI is promoting the 2015 International Year of Light, creating: 1. A short video with students and faculty from the Universidad Metropolitana (UMET) Schools of Communication and Business Administration; 2. A longer video with the production company Geoambiente. - Apps: Our website will include ray tracing and wave propagation applications, developed by UMET Computer Science students. - Capstone: Engineering students at the School of Engineering at Universidad del Turabo are developing laser pattern generators.

Particle Physics Outreach

CERN Document Server

Goldfarb, Steven; The ATLAS collaboration

2018-01-01

Outreach activities by the LHC experiments are reported. The importance of public support for the LHC programme is highlighted, and possibilities for scientists to be actively involved in outreach and educational programmes are presented.

Community outreach and education: key components of the Salix consortium's willow biomass project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volk, T.A.; Edick, S.; Brown, S.; Downing, M.

1999-01-01

This project facilitates the commercialization of willow biomass crops as a locally grown source of renewable energy. The challenge is to simultaneously optimize production and utilization technology, develop farmer interest and crop acreage, and establish stable and reliable markets. The participation of farmers and landowners, businesses, and local and regional governments in the process is essential for success. A three-phased approach elicits this participation: focused outreach and education, active involvement of potential producers of willow biomass crops, and the development of a user-friendly economic and business model that can be used by a variety of stakeholders. Barriers to commercialization have been identified, such as misconceptions about the production system and crop, assurances of a stable and reliable market for the material, and indications that the equipment and infrastructure to grow and process willow biomass crops are in place. Outreach efforts have specifically addressed these issues. As a result target audiences' responses have changed from passive observation to inquiries and suggestions for active participation. This shift represents a significant step towards the goal of making willow biomass crops a viable source of locally produced fuel. (author)

Education and Outreach Programs at the Reagan Library.

Science.gov (United States)

Cumming, Gregory G.

This exploration of the need and potential for education and outreach programs at the Reagan Library begins by examining factors that make the Reagan library unique, i.e., its proximity to Los Angeles and a small town setting, closeness to the Nixon Library and birthplace, and Ronald Reagan's popularity. It is noted that, since the Reagan Library…

Geoscience Education and Public Outreach AND CRITERION 2: MAKING A BROADER IMPACT

Science.gov (United States)

Marlino, M.; Scotchmoor, J. G.

2005-12-01

The geosciences influence our daily lives and yet often go unnoticed by the general public. From the moment we listen to the weather report and fill-up our cars for the daily commute, until we return to our homes constructed from natural resources, we rely on years of scientific research. The challenge facing the geosciences is to make explicit to the public not only the criticality of the research whose benefits they enjoy, but also to actively engage them as partners in the research effort, by providing them with sufficient understanding of the scientific enterprise so that they become thoughtful and proactive when making decisions in the polling booth. Today, there is broad recognition within the science and policy community that communication needs to be more effective, more visible, and that the public communication of the scientific enterprise is critical not only to its taxpayer support, but also to maintenance of a skilled workforce and the standard of living expected by many Americans. In 1997, the National Science Board took the first critical step in creating a cultural change in the scientific community by requiring explicit consideration of the broader impacts of research in every research proposal. The so-called Criterion 2 has catalyzed a dramatic shift in expectations within the geoscience community and an incentive for finding ways to encourage the science research community to select education and public outreach as a venue for responding to Criterion 2. In response, a workshop organized by the University of California Museum of Paleontology and the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) was held on the Berkeley campus May 11-13, 2005. The Geoscience EPO Workshop purposefully narrowed its focus to that of education and public outreach. This workshop was based on the premise that there are proven models and best practices for effective outreach strategies that need to be identified and shared with research scientists. Workshop

Education and Professional Outreach as an Integrated Component of Science and Graduate Education

Science.gov (United States)

Staudigel, H.; Koppers, A. A.

2007-12-01

Education and Professional Outreach (EPO) is increasingly becoming a substantive and much needed activity for scientists. Significant efforts are expended to satisfy funding agency requirements, but such requirements may also develop into a mutually beneficial collaboration between scientists and K-16 educators with a minimal impact on science productivity. We focus here on two particularly high impact EPO opportunities, hosting of high school interns and the inclusion of an educational component to a graduate student's&pthesis work. We emphasize the importance of hands-on collaboration with teachers and teacher-educators, and the substantive benefits of highly leveraged customized internet-distribution. We will present two examples for how we integrated this K-12 EPO into our university-based science and education efforts, what types of products emerged from these activities, and how such products may be widely produced by any scientist and disseminated to the educational community. High school seniors offer a unique resource to university EPO because some of them can substantively contribute to the science, and they can be very effective peer-mentors for high and middle schools. Extended internships may be built easily into the schedule of many senior high school student programs, and we were able to involve such interns into a three-week seagoing expedition. The seniors were responsible for our EPO by maintaining a cruise website and video conferencing with their high school. They added substantially to the science outcome, through programming and participating in a range of shipboard science chores. Graduate theses may be augmented with an educational component that places the main theme of the thesis into an educational setting. We designed and supervised such a Master's graduate thesis with an educational component on the geochronology of hot spot volcanoes, including a high school lesson plan, enactment in the classroom and preparation of a wide range of web

Extravehicular Activity Systems Education and Public Outreach in Support of NASA's STEM Initiatives in Fiscal Year 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Heather; Jennings, Mallory A.; Lamberth, Erika Guillory

2012-01-01

NASA's goals to send humans beyond low Earth orbit will involve the need for a strong engineering workforce. Research indicates that student interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) areas is on the decline. According to the Department of Education, the United States President has mandated that 100,000 educators be trained in STEM over the next decade to reduce this trend. NASA has aligned its Education and Public Outreach (EPO) initiatives to include emphasis in promoting STEM. The Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Systems Project Office at the NASA Johnson Space Center actively supports this NASA initiative by providing subject matter experts and hands-on, interactive presentations to educate students, educators, and the general public about the design challenges encountered as NASA develops EVA hardware for exploration missions. This paper summarizes the EVA Systems EPO efforts and metrics from fiscal year 2011.

Optical Science Discovery Program: Pre-College Outreach and So Much More

Science.gov (United States)

Deutsch, Miriam

2010-03-01

Recruiting and retaining women into the physical sciences is an ongoing struggle for universities, with the gap between men and women in physics remaining strong. Research shows a precipitous drop in female participation in the physical sciences around the 7th grade year of primary education, where girls begin losing interest during middle school, the drain continuing throughout high school with another significant drop at the bachelors level. To combat the loss of women in the physical sciences, the Oregon Center for Optics at the University of Oregon has created the Optical Science Discovery Program (OSDP), a precollege outreach program that targets girls in middle and high school. This program uses optical sciences as the medium through which girls explore experimental science. The program consists of a one-week intensive summer camp, a mentored monthly science club, summer internships and mentoring opportunities for camp alumni. By utilizing media often at the core of teenage life (e.g. Facebook, MySpace) we also aim to interact with program participants in a familiar and informal environment. Mentoring of OSDP activities is carried out by faculty and students of all levels. This in turn allows other education and outreach efforts at the University of Oregon to incorporate OSDP activities into their own, contributing to our broader university goals of surmounting barriers to higher education and creating a more scientifically literate populace. This talk will describe the OSDP program and its incorporation into the broader spectrum of outreach and education efforts.

Outreach Programmes for Education and Training: Contributions from the International Cartographic Association

Science.gov (United States)

Cartwright, W. E.; Fairbairn, D.

2012-07-01

Organisations like the International Cartographic Association champion programmes that develop and deliver education and training to cartographers and geospatial scientists, globally. This can be in the form of traditional university and training college programmes, short courses for professional and technical members of mapping agencies and as outreach initiatives to transfer knowledge about the discipline and its contemporary practices. Through its international community, the ICA undertakes the transfer of knowledge about cartography and GI Science by publishing books and special editions of journals and running workshops. Colleagues from the ICA community conduct these workshops on a volunteer basis, generally with the support of the national member organisation of ICA or the national mapping body. For example, the ICA promotes the generation of extensive publications, generally through its Commissions and Working Groups. The publications include books, journals and the ICA Newsletter. Outreach activities are especially pertinent to up skill colleagues from developing countries. Specialist programmes can be offered for professional and 'everyday' map users (from adults to children). The ICA can assist with its current programmes, designed to embrace professional and non-professional cartographers alike. This paper will address how education and outreach programmes can be supported by international associations, by offering programmes independently, or in partnership with sister associations and national and regional organisations and societies. As well, the paper will address the need to deliver education and outreach programmes not to just the professional international community, but also to map users and citizen map publishers.

Challenges and Opportunities for Using Crowd-Sourced Air Pollution Measurements for Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Stanier, C. O.; Dong, C.; Janechek, N. J.; Bryngelson, N.; Schultz, P.; Heimbinder, M.

2017-12-01

As part of the CLE4R air quality education project, the University of Iowa has been working with AirBeam low-cost consumer-grade fine particulate matter (PM2.5) sensors in educational and outreach settings, both in K-12 environments and in informal settings such as science days and technology fairs. Users are attracted to the AirBeam device, in part, because of the easy creation of crowd-sourced maps of air pollution. With over 1000 AirBeam devices in use, extensive measurements are now available at aircasting.org. The AirBeam sensor is a portable, low-cost sensor which measures light scattering due to aerosols as a single bin converting the detected signal to a particle count and uses a calibration fit to estimate particle mass. The AirBeam is able to detect particle sizes of 0.5 - 2.5 µm, concentrations up to 400 µg m-3, and with a time resolution of 1 s. A corresponding Android device is used to visualize, record, and upload measured data to a community website (aircasting.org) that maps the spatial and temporal resolved data. The non-profit vendor's website constructs crowdsourced maps of air quality, environmental, and meteorological variables. As of April 1st, 2017, through the CLE4R project, 109 people had used the AirBeam sensors for educational purposes, for a total of 271 person hours. In the poster, we will explain the outreach that was done, and share best practices for education and outreach using consumer-grade PM sensors. Strengths and needed improvements to the technology for these outreach, education, and classroom uses will also be detailed. Sources of particles that can be artificially generated for educational use, including authentic smoke, spray smoke, and various dust sources will be enumerated. For use in K-12 classrooms, requirements for robust startup, operation, and ease-of-use are high. Mapping of concentrations is a desirable attribute but adds additional sources of failure to the hardware-software system used for education/outreach.

Assessing the Impact of Peer Educator Outreach on the Likelihood and Acceleration of Clinic Utilization among Sex Workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnamurthy, Parthasarathy; Hui, Sam K; Shivkumar, Narayanan; Gowda, Chandrasekhar; Pushpalatha, R

2016-01-01

Peer-led outreach is a critical element of HIV and STI-reduction interventions aimed at sex workers. We study the association between peer-led outreach to sex workers and the time to utilize health facilities for timely STI syndromic-detection and treatment. Using data on the timing of peer-outreach interventions and clinic visits, we utilize an Extended Cox model to assess whether peer educator outreach intensity is associated with accelerated clinic utilization among sex workers. Our data comes from 2705 female sex workers registered into Pragati, a women-in-sex-work outreach program, and followed from 2008 through 2012. We analyze this data using an Extended Cox model with the density of peer educator visits in a 30-day rolling window as the key predictor, while controlling for the sex workers' age, client volume, location of sex work, and education level. The principal outcome of interest is the timing of the first voluntary clinic utilization. More frequent peer visit is associated with earlier first clinic visit (HR: 1.83, 95% CI, 1.75-1.91, p educator outreach. Peer outreach density is associated with increased likelihood of-and shortened duration to-clinic utilization among female sex workers, suggesting potential staff resourcing implications. Given the observational nature of our study, however, these findings should be interpreted as an association rather than as a causal relationship.

Space-Hotel Early Bird - An Educational and Public Outreach Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Amekrane, R.; Holze, C.

2002-01-01

education and public outreach can be combined and how a cooperation among an association, the industry and academia can work successfully. Representatives of the DGLR and the academia developed a method to spread space related knowledge in a short time to a motivated working group. The project was a great success in the sense to involve other disciplines in space related topics by interdisciplinary work and in the sense of public and educational outreach. With more than 2.3 million contacts the DGLR e.V. promoted space and the vision of living (in) space to the public. The task of the paper is mainly to describe the approach and the experience made related to the organization, lectures, financing and outreach efforts in respect to similar future international outreach activities, which are planned for the 54th International Astronautical Congress in Bremen/Germany. www.spacehotel.org

Space Suits and Crew Survival Systems Branch Education and Public Outreach Support of NASA's Strategic Goals in Fiscal Year 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Jennings, Mallory A.

2013-01-01

As NASA plans to send people beyond low Earth orbit, it is important to educate and inspire the next generation of astronauts, engineers, scientists, and the general public. This is so important to NASA s future that it is one of the agency s strategic goals. The Space Suits and Crew Survival Systems Branch at Johnson Space Center (JSC) is actively involved in achieving this goal by sharing our hardware and technical experts with students, educators, and the general public and educating them about the challenges of human space flight, with Education and Public Outreach (EPO). This paper summarizes the Space Suit and Crew Survival Systems Branch EPO efforts throughout fiscal year 2012.

Impact Through Outreach and Education with Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure

Science.gov (United States)

Heward, A.; Barrosa, M.; Miller, S.

2015-10-01

Since 2005, Europlanet has provided a framework to bring together Europe's fragmented planetary science community. The project has evolved through a number of phases into a self-sustaining membership organization. Now, Europlanet is launching a new Research Infrastructure (RI) funded through the European Commission's Horizon 2020 programme that, for the next four years, will provide support, services, access to facilities, new research tools and a virtual planetary observatory. Europlanet 2020 RI's Impact Through Outreach and Education (IOE) activities aim to ensure that the work of Europlanet and the community it supports is known, understood and used by stakeholders, and that their inputs are taken into account by the project. We will engage citizens, policy makers and potential industrial partners across Europe with planetary science and the opportunities that it provides for innovation, inspiration and job creation. We will reach out to educators and students, both directly and through partner networks, to provide an interactive showcase of Europlanet's activities e.g through live link-ups with scientists participating in planetary analogue field trips, educational video "shorts" and through using real planetary data from the virtual observatory in comparative planetology educational activities. We will support outreach providers within the planetary science community (e.g. schools liaison officers, press officers, social media managers and scientists active in communicating their work) through meetings and best practice workshops, communication training sessions, an annual prize for public engagement and a seed-funding scheme for outreach activities. We will use traditional and social media channels to communicate newsworthy results and activities to diverse audiences not just in Europe but also around the globe.

HTA educational outreach program and change the equation participation

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Robert

2013-05-01

In this presentation, Hitachi High Technologies America (HTA) introduces its Educational Outreach Program and explains it's involvement with Change The Equation (CTEq), a nonprofit, nonpartisan, CEO-led initiative that is mobilizing the business community to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning in the United States.

LSST: Education and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Amanda; Herrold, Ardis; LSST Education and Public Outreach Team

2018-01-01

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will conduct a 10-year wide, fast, and deep survey of the night sky starting in 2022. LSST Education and Public Outreach (EPO) will enable public access to a subset of LSST data so anyone can explore the universe and be part of the discovery process. LSST EPO aims to facilitate a pathway from entry-level exploration of astronomical imagery to more sophisticated interaction with LSST data using tools similar to what professional astronomers use. To deliver data to the public, LSST EPO is creating an online Portal to serve as the main hub to EPO activities. The Portal will host an interactive Skyviewer, access to LSST data for educators and the public through online Jupyter notebooks, original multimedia for informal science centers and planetariums, and feature citizen science projects that use LSST data. LSST EPO will engage with the Chilean community through Spanish-language components of the Portal and will partner with organizations serving underrepresented groups in STEM.

Undergraduates' Perceived Gains and Ideas about Teaching and Learning Science from Participating in Science Education Outreach Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, Stacey L.

2015-01-01

This study examined what undergraduate students gain and the ideas about science teaching and learning they develop from participating in K-12 science education outreach programs. Eleven undergraduates from seven outreach programs were interviewed individually about their experiences with outreach and what they learned about science teaching and…

Planning a New Education and Outreach Program Based on Past Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Prescott, W. H.; Eriksson, S. C.

2004-12-01

In 2004, UNAVCO, a geodetic research consortium, celebrated its 20th birthday and hired its first Education and Outreach Coordinator. UNAVCO has informally reached out to various constituents such as geodetic researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, and K-12 teachers through web-based mapping tools, short courses, and one-to-one training on research equipment. A strategically planned and implemented Education and Outreach Program will, by definition, depend on the organization's leadership and on the experience of the people leading such a program. Based on 39 years of combined experience, here are some lessons-learned that will inform UNAVCO's efforts. E & O should focus on what is special and unique to our organization. UNAVCO supports high precision, GPS, geodetic research as its primary mission. Define our audience. UNAVCO serves the research scientists at the member institutions. Do we have a broader goal of helping in the education of undergraduates? Is our work relevant in middle and secondary school? Include the audience in planning what we will do. A two-way dialogue to determine the most effective education and outreach products must balance what scientists think the audience needs and having the audience learn about a subject to help in making decisions. Involve the scientists and decision-makers in the process to develop ownership. Having people `buy in' from the beginning is important for participation, advocacy, and finding long term resources. Decide on quality and quantity. Is it important to serve large numbers of people? Would a small program that focuses on a few individuals over a long period of time serve the organization's goals better? What do we need from an E & O program? Being explicit about what an organization needs from E & O helps define what activities it will do. Does UNAVCO need visibility with members? Does the membership need help with `broader impacts'? Does UNAVCO see itself serving its members or being a `good citizen

Resources for Education and Outreach Activities discussion session

CERN Document Server

Barney, David; The ATLAS collaboration; Bourdarios, Claire; Kobel, Michael; Kourkoumelis, Christine; Melo, Ivan; Rangel-Smith, Camila; Alexopoulos, Angelos

2015-01-01

Over the past few years a variety of resources have been developed, by individuals and groups, to support Education & Outreach activities in particle physics. Following short (five-minute) presentations by six speakers, a discussion session allowed the audience to go further in depth in activities they found particularly interesting. This paper presents brief overviews from each of the six speakers, followed by a summary of the ensuing discussion

In-house training, formal education and public outreach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willis, Y.A.

1992-01-01

This paper assumes that a stronger national commitment to public education on nuclear energy and, most particularly radioactive waste management, it needed to overcome public resistance to nuclear projects. Effective public education must become the superordinate goal uniting industry, government, professional societies, national laboratories and the educational community. Since instruction is labor intensive, we must search for more cost effective ways of achieving results. Therefore, this paper proposes: Collaborative training and educational strategies involving as many of the stakeholders as possible; and Innovative tools to improve the credibility, quality and cost effectiveness of education. This win-win approach can reduce the collective expenditures through cost-sharing, as well as the sharing of resources and products. It can close gaps in both in-house training and formal education. Finally, in public outreach, the joint approach addresses the politics of sponsorship by providing checks and balances, and thus improving credibility and public acceptance

Reuniting the Solar System: Integrated Education and Public Outreach Projects for Solar System Exploration Missions and Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Lowes, Leslie; Lindstrom, Marilyn; Stockman, Stephanie; Scalice, Daniela; Klug, Sheri

2003-01-01

The Solar System Exploration Education Forum has worked for five years to foster Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) cooperation among missions and programs in order to leverage resources and better meet the needs of educators and the public. These efforts are coming together in a number of programs and products and in '2004 - The Year of the Solar System.' NASA's practice of having independent E/PO programs for each mission and its public affairs emphasis on uniqueness has led to a public perception of a fragmented solar system exploration program. By working to integrate solar system E/PO, the breadth and depth of the solar system exploration program is revealed. When emphasis is put on what missions have in common, as well as their differences, each mission is seen in the context of the whole program.

Enhancing the Impact of NASA Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach: Using Real NASA Data in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Lawton, Brandon L.; Smith, D. A.; SMD Astrophysics E/PO Community, NASA

2013-01-01

The NASA Science Education and Public Outreach Forums support the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and its education and public outreach (E/PO) community in enhancing the coherence, efficiency, and effectiveness of SMD-funded E/PO programs. As a part of this effort, the Astrophysics Forum is coordinating a collaborative project among the NASA SMD astrophysics missions and E/PO programs to create a broader impact for the use of real NASA data in classrooms. Among NASA's major education goals is the training of students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines. The use of real data, from some of the most sophisticated observatories in the world, provide educators an authentic opportunity to teach students basic science process skills, inquiry, and real-world applications of the STEM subjects. The goal of this NASA SMD astrophysics community collaboration is to find a way to maximize the reach of existing real data products produced by E/PO professionals working with NASA E/PO grants and missions in ways that enhance the teaching of the STEM subjects. We present an initial result of our collaboration: defining levels of basic science process skills that lie at the heart of authentic scientific research and national education standards (AAAS Benchmarks) and examples of NASA data products that align with those levels. Our results are the beginning of a larger goal of utilizing the new NASA education resource catalog, NASA Wavelength, for the creation of progressions that tie NASA education resources together. We aim to create an informational sampler that illustrates how an educator can use the NASA Wavelength resource catalog to connect NASA real-data resources that meet the educational goals of their class.

Catalysing progressive uptake of newer diagnostics by health care providers through outreach and education in four major cities of India.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neeraj Raizada

Full Text Available Unlike in adults, diagnosis of TB can be challenging in children, as signs and symptoms of paediatric TB can be very non-specific and similar to other common childhood chest infections, which may lead to under or delayed diagnosis of TB disease. In spite of the increasing availability of rapid high-sensitivity diagnostics in public and private sectors, majority of paediatric TB cases are empirically diagnosed, without laboratory confirmation. To address these diagnostic challenges, World Health Organization (WHO has recommended upfront Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert testing for the diagnosis of TB in paediatric presumptive pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB cases. However, in spite of the increasing availability of rapid high-sensitivity diagnostics, a significant gap exists in its application with Xpert being rarely used as an upfront diagnostic among patients presumed to have TB. Under an ongoing paediatric project since April 2014, which provided free-of-cost upfront Xpert testing, several low-cost outreach and education interventions were undertaken to increase the diagnostic uptake by different providers catering to the paediatric population, thereby increasing adherence to global guidance.Providers catering to paediatric population in the project cities were systematically mapped and contacted using different outreach strategies. The focus of outreach efforts was to increase provider literacy and increase their awareness of the availability of free rapid diagnostic services with the goal of changing their diagnostic approaches.From April 2014 to June 2016, more than 5,700 providers/facilities were mapped and 3,670 of them were approached. The number of providers/facilities engaged under the project increased more than 10-fold (43 in April, 2014 to 466 in June, 2016, with significant increase in project uptake, both from public and private sector. Overall 42,238 paediatric presumptive TB cases were enrolled in the project, across the four cities

NASA's Swift Education and Public Outreach Program

Science.gov (United States)

Cominsky, L. R.; Graves, T.; Plait, P.; Silva, S.; Simonnet, A.

2004-08-01

Few astronomical objects excite students more than big explosions and black holes. Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are both: powerful explosions that signal the births of black holes. NASA's Swift satellite mission, set for launch in Fall 2004, will detect hundreds of black holes over its two-year nominal mission timeline. The NASA Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) group at Sonoma State University is leading the Swift E/PO effort, using the Swift mission to engage students in science and math learning. We have partnered with the Lawrence Hall of Science to create a ``Great Explorations in Math and Science" guide entitled ``Invisible Universe: from Radio Waves to Gamma Rays," which uses GRBs to introduce students to the electromagnetic spectrum and the scale of energies in the Universe. We have also created new standards-based activities for grades 9-12 using GRBs: one activity puts the students in the place of astronomers 20 years ago, trying to sort out various types of stellar explosions that create high-energy radiation. Another mimics the use of the Interplanetary Network to let students figure out the direction to a GRB. Post-launch materials will include magazine articles about Swift and GRBs, and live updates of GRB information to the Swift E/PO website that will excite and inspire students to learn more about space science.

Three Dimensional Spherical Display Systems and McIDAS: Tools for Science, Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Kohrs, R.; Mooney, M. E.

2010-12-01

phenomena. Audience feedback fuels the collaborative efforts of outreach specialists and computer programmers which provides continuous evolution of the 3D displays and McIDAS. This iterative presentation strategy is proving to be beneficial to our outreach program as seen by the success of our workshops, educational lectures and temporary exhibits at high visibility venues such as Madison Children’s Museum, the Milwaukee Public Museum and EAA AirVenture Museum. 3D Spherical Display System and McIDAS-V depiction of Hurricane Wilma

OUTREACH

CERN Multimedia

Dave Barney

Planning for a new CMS exhibition centre, next to the CMS Centre (Meyrin), is progressing well. The two rooms that form the exhibition will be divided into an "outreach" room and an "education" room, with the main target audience for both rooms being high school students (about 80% of all visitors to CERN). A global scenario for the exhibition has been developed by the CMS Outreach team in close collaboration with Juliette Davenne (who produced the ATLAS exhibition centre). The aim is to start civil engineering work in the summer and to have the centre operational in early 2010. Preliminary plans for a second exhibition site, at point 5, are also evolving, though on a longer timescale. Recently it has become clear that there are many models of the CMS detector in various institutes around Europe and the world. If you know of such a model please let the outreach team know by dropping us a line at cms.outreach@cern.ch Indeed any ideas for exhibits and hands-on interactive de...

Assessing the Impact of Peer Educator Outreach on the Likelihood and Acceleration of Clinic Utilization among Sex Workers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parthasarathy Krishnamurthy

Full Text Available Peer-led outreach is a critical element of HIV and STI-reduction interventions aimed at sex workers. We study the association between peer-led outreach to sex workers and the time to utilize health facilities for timely STI syndromic-detection and treatment. Using data on the timing of peer-outreach interventions and clinic visits, we utilize an Extended Cox model to assess whether peer educator outreach intensity is associated with accelerated clinic utilization among sex workers.Our data comes from 2705 female sex workers registered into Pragati, a women-in-sex-work outreach program, and followed from 2008 through 2012. We analyze this data using an Extended Cox model with the density of peer educator visits in a 30-day rolling window as the key predictor, while controlling for the sex workers' age, client volume, location of sex work, and education level. The principal outcome of interest is the timing of the first voluntary clinic utilization.More frequent peer visit is associated with earlier first clinic visit (HR: 1.83, 95% CI, 1.75-1.91, p < .001. In addition, 18% of all syndrome-based STI detected come from clinic visits in which the sex worker reports no symptoms, underscoring the importance of inducing clinic visits in the detection of STI. Additional models to test the robustness of these findings indicate consistent beneficial effect of peer educator outreach.Peer outreach density is associated with increased likelihood of-and shortened duration to-clinic utilization among female sex workers, suggesting potential staff resourcing implications. Given the observational nature of our study, however, these findings should be interpreted as an association rather than as a causal relationship.

Partnering to Enhance Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Dalton, H.; Shipp, S. S.; Shupla, C. B.; Shaner, A. J.; LaConte, K.

2015-12-01

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) in Houston, Texas utilizes many partners to support its multi-faceted Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program. The poster will share what we have learned about successful partnerships. One portion of the program is focused on providing training and NASA content and resources to K-12 educators. Teacher workshops are performed in several locations per year, including LPI and the Harris County Department of Education, as well as across the country in cooperation with other programs and NASA Planetary Science missions. To serve the public, LPI holds several public events per year called Sky Fest, featuring activities for children, telescopes for night sky viewing, and a short scientist lecture. For Sky Fest, LPI partners with the NASA Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society; they provide the telescopes and interact with members of the public as they are viewing celestial objects. International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) is held annually and involves the same aspects as Sky Fest, but also includes partners from Johnson Space Center's Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science group, who provide Apollo samples for the event. Another audience that LPI E/PO serves is the NASA Planetary Science E/PO community. Partnering efforts for the E/PO community include providing subject matter experts for professional development workshops and webinars, connections to groups that work with diverse and underserved audiences, and avenues to collaborate with groups such as the National Park Service and the Afterschool Alliance. Additional information about LPI's E/PO programs can be found at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education. View a list of LPI E/PO's partners here: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/partners/.

Marshalling Corporate Resources for Public and K-12 Technical Education Outreach and Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Wynne, James

2011-03-01

In 1988, the Education Task Force of the Business Roundtable recommended that American corporations invest in pre-college education. Prior to that date, corporate investment was targeted at higher education. IBM and other corporations responded by encouraging their employees and their corporate philanthropic organizations to develop programs aimed at enhancing pre-college education. The IBM TJ Watson Research Center initiated a Local Education Outreach program, active for these past 23 years, that marshals the resources of our science-rich institution to enhance STEM education in our local schools. We have broad and deep partnerships between the Research Center and local school districts, including New York City. We have just completed our 19th consecutive year of Family Science Saturdays, which brings 4th and 5th grade children, along with their parents, to our Research Center for hands-on workshops in topics like States of Matter, Polymer Science, Kitchen Chemistry, and Sound and Light. The workshops are staffed by IBM volunteers, assisted by local high school student ``Peer Teachers.'' Since 1990, the IBM Corporation has joined with a coalition of other companies, professional engineering societies, and government agencies to sponsor the annual Engineers Week (EWeek) campaign of technical education outreach, serving as Corporate Chair in 1992, 2001, and 2008. In recent years, we have annually recruited around 5000 IBM volunteers to reach out to more than 200,000 K-12 students in order to increase their awareness and appreciation of technical careers and encourage them to continue their studies of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The speaker, who helped found the APS Forum on Education (FED) and served as FED Councillor for 8 years, will review these and other programs for Public and K-12 Technical Education Outreach and Engagement.

Increasing Internal Stakeholder Consensus about a University Science Center's Outreach Policies and Procedures

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Richard D.

For decades the United States has tried to increase the number of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and careers. Educators and policy makers continue to seek strategies to increase the number of students in the STEM education pipeline. Public institutions of higher education are involved in this effort through education and public outreach (EPO) initiatives. Arizona State University opened its largest research facility, the new Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building IV (ISTB4) in September, 2012. As the new home of the School of Earth & Space Exploration (SESE), ISTB4 was designed to serve the school's dedication to K-12 education and public outreach. This dissertation presents a menu of ideas for revamping the EPO program for SESE. Utilizing the Delphi method, I was able to clarify which ideas would be most supported, and those that would not, by a variety of important SESE stakeholders. The study revealed that consensus exists in areas related to staffing and expansion of free programming, whereas less consensus exist in the areas of fee-based programs. The following most promising ideas for improving the SESE's EPO effort were identified and will be presented to SESE's incoming director in July, 2013: (a) hire a full-time director, theater manager, and program coordinator; (b) establish a service-learning requirement obligating undergraduate SESE majors to serve as docent support for outreach programs; (c) obligate all EPO operations to advise, assist, and contribute to the development of curricula, activities, and exhibits; (d) perform a market and cost analysis of other informational education venues offering similar programming; (3) establish a schedule of fee-based planetarium and film offerings; and (f) create an ISTB4 centric, fee-based package of programs specifically correlated to K12 education standards that can be delivered as a fieldtrip experience.

The SDO Education and Outreach (E/PO) Program: Changing Perceptions One Program at a Time

Science.gov (United States)

Drobnes, E.; Littleton, A.; Pesnell, W. D.; Buhr, S.; Beck, K.; Durscher, R.; Hill, S.; McCaffrey, M.; McKenzie, D. E.; Myers, D.;

Community-Driven Support in the Hydrologic Sciences through Data, Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, E.

2015-12-01

The Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) is a non-profit funded by the National Science Foundation to support water science research and education. As outlined in the CUAHSI Education and Outreach Strategy, our objectives are: 1) helping the member institutions communicate water science; 2) cross-disciplinary water education; 3) dissemination of research; 4) place-based water education using data services; and 5) broadening participation. Through the CUAHSI Water Data Center, online tools and resources are available to discover, download, and analyze multiple time-series water datasets across various parameters. CUAHSI supports novel graduate student research through the Pathfinder Fellowship program which has enhanced the interdisciplinary breadth of early-career research. Public outreach through the Let's Talk About Water film symposium and cyberseminar programs have proven effective in distributing research, leading to more recent development of virtual training workshops. By refining and building upon CUAHSI's existing programs, new training opportunities, collaborative projects, and community-building activities for the hydrologic sciences have come to fruition, such as the recent National Flood Interoperability Experiment with the NOAA's National Water Center.

Marketing University Outreach Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, Ralph S., Jr., Ed.; And Others

A collection of 12 essays and model program descriptions addresses issues in the marketing of university extension, outreach, and distance education programs. They include: (1) "Marketing and University Outreach: Parallel Processes" (William I. Sauser, Jr. and others); (2) "Segmenting and Targeting the Organizational Market"…

Making the Case: Workforce, Education, Public Outreach and Communications as Mission-Critical Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Squires, Gordon K.; Brewer, Janesse; Dawson, Sandra; Program Organizing Committee "Making the Case" workshop 2017

2018-01-01

Increasingly, next-generation science projects will never see first light, or will lose their “right to operate” if they are unable to be responsive to emerging societal values and interests. Science projects with a robust and professional Workforce, Education, Public Outreach and Communications (WEPOC) architecture are able to engage and welcome public discourse about science, trade-offs, and what it means to be a good neighbor in a community. In this talk I will update the latest WEPOC efforts for TMT & NASA projects at Caltech/IPAC, and highlight how WEPOC has entered the critical path for many large, international science projects. I will also present a draft working document being developed by many of the world's largest astronomy and high-energy physics WEPOC leaders as an outcome from a "Making the Case" conference held at Caltech in spring 2017.

Avenues for Scientist Involvement in Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Shipp, S. S.; Buxner, S.; Cobabe-Ammann, E. A.; Dalton, H.; Bleacher, L.; Scalice, D.

2012-12-01

The Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forum is charged by NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) with engaging, extending, and supporting the community of E/PO professionals and scientists involved in planetary science education activities in order to help them more effectively and efficiently share NASA science with all learners. A number of resources and opportunities for involvement are available for planetary scientists involved in - or interested in being involved in - E/PO. The Forum provides opportunities for community members to stay informed, communicate, collaborate, leverage existing programs and partnerships, and become more skilled education practitioners. Interested planetary scientists can receive newsletters, participate in monthly calls, interact through an online community workspace, and attend annual E/PO community meetings and meetings of opportunity at science and education conferences. The Forum also provides professional development opportunities on a myriad of topics, from common pre-conceptions in planetary science to program evaluation, to delivering effective workshops. Thematic approaches, such as the Year of the Solar System (http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/yss), are coordinated by the Forum; through these efforts resources are presented topically, in a manner that can be easily ported into diverse learning environments. Information about the needs of audiences with which scientists interact - higher education, K-12 education, informal education, and public - currently is being researched by SMD's Audience-Based Working Groups. Their findings and recommendations will be made available to inform the activities and products of E/PO providers so they are able to better serve these audiences. Also in production is a "one-stop-shop" of SMD E/PO products and resources that can be used in conjunction with E/PO activities. Further supporting higher-education efforts, the Forum coordinates a network of planetary science

Education and Public Outreach at The Pavilion Lake Research Project: Fusion of Science and Education using Web 2.0

Science.gov (United States)

Cowie, B. R.; Lim, D. S.; Pendery, R.; Laval, B.; Slater, G. F.; Brady, A. L.; Dearing, W. L.; Downs, M.; Forrest, A.; Lees, D. S.; Lind, R. A.; Marinova, M.; Reid, D.; Seibert, M. A.; Shepard, R.; Williams, D.

2009-12-01

The Pavilion Lake Research Project (PLRP) is an international multi-disciplinary science and exploration effort to explain the origin and preservation potential of freshwater microbialites in Pavilion Lake, British Columbia, Canada. Using multiple exploration platforms including one person DeepWorker submersibles, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, and SCUBA divers, the PLRP acts as an analogue research site for conducting science in extreme environments, such as the Moon or Mars. In 2009, the PLRP integrated several Web 2.0 technologies to provide a pilot-scale Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program targeting the internet savvy generation. The seamless integration of multiple technologies including Google Earth, Wordpress, Youtube, Twitter and Facebook, facilitated the rapid distribution of exciting and accessible science and exploration information over multiple channels. Field updates, science reports, and multimedia including videos, interactive maps, and immersive visualization were rapidly available through multiple social media channels, partly due to the ease of integration of these multiple technologies. Additionally, the successful application of videoconferencing via a readily available technology (Skype) has greatly increased the capacity of our team to conduct real-time education and public outreach from remote locations. The improved communication afforded by Web 2.0 has increased the quality of EPO provided by the PLRP, and has enabled a higher level of interaction between the science team and the community at large. Feedback from these online interactions suggest that remote communication via Web 2.0 technologies were effective tools for increasing public discourse and awareness of the science and exploration activity at Pavilion Lake.

The National Space Science and Technology Center's Education and Public Outreach Program

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, G. N.; Denson, R. L.

2004-12-01

The objective of the National Space Science and Technology Center's (NSSTC) Education and Public Outreach program (EPO) is to support K-20 education by coalescing academic, government, and business constituents awareness, implementing best business/education practices, and providing stewardship over funds and programs that promote a symbiotic relationship among these entities, specifically in the area of K-20 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. NSSTC EPO Program's long-term objective is to showcase its effective community-based integrated stakeholder model in support of STEM education and to expand its influence across the Southeast region for scaling ultimately across the United States. The Education and Public Outreach program (EPO) is coordinated by a supporting arm of the NSSTC Administrative Council called the EPO Council (EPOC). The EPOC is funded through federal, state, and private grants, donations, and in-kind contributions. It is comprised of representatives of NSSTC Research Centers, both educators and scientists from the Alabama Space Science and Technology Alliance (SSTA) member institutions, the Alabama Space Grant Consortium and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Education Office. Through its affiliation with MSFC and the SSTA - a consortium of Alabama's research universities that comprise the NSSTC, EPO fosters the education and development of the next generation of Alabama scientists and engineers by coordinating activities at the K-20 level in cooperation with the Alabama Department of Education, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, and Alabama's businesses and industries. The EPO program's primary objective is to be Alabama's premiere organization in uniting academia, government, and private industry by way of providing its support to the State and Federal Departments of Education involved in systemic STEM education reform, workforce development, and innovative uses of technology. The NSSTC EPO

Augmenting Research, Education, and Outreach with Client-Side Web Programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Abriata, Luciano A; Rodrigues, João P G L M; Salathé, Marcel; Patiny, Luc

2018-05-01

The evolution of computing and web technologies over the past decade has enabled the development of fully fledged scientific applications that run directly on web browsers. Powered by JavaScript, the lingua franca of web programming, these 'web apps' are starting to revolutionize and democratize scientific research, education, and outreach. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Education and outreach using the falcon telescope network

Science.gov (United States)

Gresham, Kimberlee C.; Palma, Christopher; Polsgrove, Daniel E.; Chun, Francis K.; Della-Rose, Devin J.; Tippets, Roger D.

2016-12-01

The Falcon Telescope Network (FTN) is a global network of small aperture telescopes developed by the Center for Space Situational Awareness Research in the Department of Physics at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). Consisting of commercially available equipment, the FTN is a collaborative effort between USAFA and other educational institutions ranging from two- and four-year colleges to major research universities. USAFA provides the equipment (e.g. telescope, mount, camera, filter wheel, dome, weather station, computers and storage devices) while the educational partners provide the building and infrastructure to support an observatory. The user base includes USAFA along with K-12 and higher education faculty and students. The diversity of the users implies a wide variety of observing interests, and thus the FTN collects images on diverse objects, including satellites, galactic and extragalactic objects, and objects popular for education and public outreach. The raw imagery, all in the public domain, will be accessible to FTN partners and will be archived at USAFA. Currently, there are five Falcon telescopes installed, two in Colorado and one each in Pennsylvania, Chile, and Australia. These five telescopes are in various stages of operational capability but all are remotely operable via a remote desktop application. The FTN team has conducted STEM First Light Projects for three of the U.S. observatories, soliciting proposals from middle and high school students and teachers that suggest and then become what is observed as official STEM first-light objects. Students and teachers learn how to write and submit a proposal as well as how telescopes operate and take data, while university-level students at the U.S. Air Force Academy and The Pennsylvania State University learn how to evaluate proposals and provide feedback to the middle and high school students and teachers. In this paper, we present the current status of the FTN, details of and lessons

Collaboration and Near-Peer Mentoring as a Platform for Sustainable Science Education Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Pluth, Michael D.; Boettcher, Shannon W.; Nazin, George V.; Greenaway, Ann L.; Hartle, Matthew D.

2015-01-01

Decreased funding for middle and high school education has resulted in reduced classroom time, which, when coupled with an increased focus on standardized testing, has decreased the exposure of many middle school students to hands-on science education. To help address these challenges, we developed an integrated outreach program, spanning grades…

Partnering to Enhance Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach Program

Science.gov (United States)

Dalton, Heather; Shipp, Stephanie; Shupla, Christine; Shaner, Andrew; LaConte, Keliann

2015-11-01

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) in Houston, Texas utilizes many partners to support its multi-faceted Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program. The poster will share what we have learned about successful partnerships. One portion of the program is focused on providing training and NASA content and resources to K-12 educators. Teacher workshops are performed in several locations per year, including LPI and the Harris County Department of Education, as well as across the country in cooperation with other programs and NASA Planetary Science missions.To serve the public, LPI holds several public events per year called Sky Fest, featuring activities for children, telescopes for night sky viewing, and a short scientist lecture. For Sky Fest, LPI partners with the NASA Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society; they provide the telescopes and interact with members of the public as they are viewing celestial objects. International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) is held annually and involves the same aspects as Sky Fest, but also includes partners from Johnson Space Center’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science group, who provide Apollo samples for the event.Another audience that LPI E/PO serves is the NASA Planetary Science E/PO community. Partnering efforts for the E/PO community include providing subject matter experts for professional development workshops and webinars, connections to groups that work with diverse and underserved audiences, and avenues to collaborate with groups such as the National Park Service and the Afterschool Alliance.Additional information about LPI’s E/PO programs can be found at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education. View a list of LPI E/PO’s partners here: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/partners/.

Hobbits, Hogwarts, and the Heavens: The use of fantasy literature and film in astronomy outreach and education

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, Kristine

2011-06-01

Due in part to recent (and ongoing) film adaptations, the fantasy series of C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia), J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter), Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials), and J.R.R. Tolkien (The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings) are being introduced to a new audience. Many astronomers and astronomy educators are unaware of the wide variety of astronomical references contained in each series, and the myriad possible uses of these works in astronomy education and outreach. This paper highlights activities which educators, planetariums, and science centers have already developed to utilise these works in their education and outreach programs.

Spaceflight-relevant stem education and outreach: Social goals and priorities

Science.gov (United States)

Caldwell, Barrett S.

2015-07-01

This paper is based on a presentation and conference proceedings paper given at the 65th International Astronautical Congress. The paper addresses concerns in education and public outreach (EPO) in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The author serves as a Director of a US statewide NASA-funded Space Grant Consortium, with responsibilities to coordinate funding for undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and program awards. Space Grant is a national NASA network of STEM EPO programs including over 1000 higher education, outreach center, science museum, local government, and corporate partners. As a Space Grant Director, the author interacts with a variety of levels of STEM literacy and sophistication among members of the public. A number of interactions highlight the need for STEM EPO leaders to speak directly to a variety of social goals and priorities. Spaceflight is largely seen as an appealing and potentially desirable STEM application. However, members of the public are often unclear and ill-informed regarding relative expense, relative benefit, and relative breadth of domains of expertise that are relevant to the spaceflight enterprise. In response (and resulting in further disconnects between STEM specialists and the public), focused STEM professionals frequently over-emphasize their own technical specialty and its priority in general because of its importance to that professional. These potential divides in the attempt to share and connect STEM related goals and priorities are discussed as an elaboration of invitations to discuss spacefaring in "futures forum" contexts. Spaceflight can be seen as addressing a combination of "actualization" and "aspirational" goals at social and societal levels. Maslow's hierarchy of needs distinguishes between "basic needs" and "actualization" as a higher-order need. Another aspect of spaceflight is aspirational-it speaks to hopes and desires for levels of flexibility and capability at the

Revival of the "Sun Festival": An educational and outreach project

Science.gov (United States)

Montabone, Luca

2016-10-01

In ancient times, past civilisations used to celebrate both the winter and summer solstices, which represented key moments in the periodical cycle of seasons and agricultural activities. In 1904, the French astronomer Camille Flammarion, the engineer Gustave Eiffel, the science writer Wilfrid de Fonvielle and the Spanish astronomer Josep Comas i Solà decided to celebrate the summer solstice with a festival of science, art and astronomical observations opened to the public at the Eiffel tower in Paris. For ten consecutive years (1904-1914) on the day of the summer solstice, the "Sun Festival" (Fête du Soleil in French) included scientific and technological lectures and demostrations, celestial observations, music, poetry, danse, cinema, etc. This celebration was interrupted by the First World War, just to resume in Barcelona, Spain, between 1915 and 1937, and in Marseille, France, in the 1930s. It was the founders' dream to extend this celebration to all cities in France and elsewhere.It is only during the International Year of Astronomy in 2009, to our knowledge, that the "Sun Festival" was given another chance in France, thanks to the joint effort of several scientific and cultural centers (Centres de Culture Scientifique, Technique et Industrielle, CCSTI) and the timely support of the European Space Agency (ESA). In this occasion again, the festival was characterized by the combination of science, art and technological innovation around a common denominator: our Sun!We have recently revived the idea of celebrating the summer solstice with a "Sun Festival" dedicated to scientific education and outreach about our star and related topics. This project started last year in Aix-les-Bains, France, with the "Sun and Light Festival" (2015 was the International Year of Light), attended by about 100 people. This year's second edition was in Le Bourget-du-Lac, France. Following the COP21 event, the specific theme was the "Sun and Climate Festival", and we had about 250

The Three-Pronged Approach to Community Education: An Ongoing Hydrologic Science Outreach Campaign Directed from a University Research Center

Science.gov (United States)

Gallagher, L.; Morse, M.; Maxwell, R. M.

2017-12-01

The Integrated GroundWater Modeling Center (IGWMC) at Colorado School of Mines has, over the past three years, developed a community outreach program focusing on hydrologic science education, targeting K-12 teachers and students, and providing experiential learning for undergraduate and graduate students. During this time, the programs led by the IGWMC reached approximately 7500 students, teachers, and community members along the Colorado Front Range. An educational campaign of this magnitude for a small (2 full-time employees, 4 PIs) research center required restructuring and modularizing of the outreach strategy. We refined our approach to include three main "modules" of delivery. First: grassroots education delivery in the form of K-12 classroom visits, science fairs, and teacher workshops. Second: content development in the form of lesson plans for K-12 classrooms and STEM camps, hands-on physical and computer model activities, and long-term citizen science partnerships. Lastly: providing education/outreach experiences for undergraduate and graduate student volunteers, training them via a 3-credit honors course, and instilling the importance of effective science communication skills. Here we present specific case studies and examples of the successes and failures of our three-pronged system, future developments, and suggestions for entities newly embarking on an earth science education outreach campaign.

Building a Communication, Education, an Outreach Program for the ShakeAlert National Earthquake Early Warning Program - Recommendations for Public Alerts Via Cell Phones

Science.gov (United States)

DeGroot, R. M.; Long, K.; Strauss, J. A.

2017-12-01

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and its partners are developing the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System for the West Coast of the United States. To be an integral part of successful implementation, ShakeAlert engagement programs and materials must integrate with and leverage broader earthquake risk programs. New methods and products for dissemination must be multidisciplinary, cost effective, and consistent with existing hazards education and communication efforts. The ShakeAlert Joint Committee for Communication, Education, and Outreach (JCCEO), is identifying, developing, and cultivating partnerships with ShakeAlert stakeholders including Federal, State, academic partners, private companies, policy makers, and local organizations. Efforts include developing materials, methods for delivery, and reaching stakeholders with information on ShakeAlert, earthquake preparedness, and emergency protective actions. It is essential to develop standards to ensure information communicated via the alerts is consistent across the public and private sector and achieving a common understanding of what actions users take when they receive a ShakeAlert warning. In February 2017, the JCCEO convened the Warning Message Focus Group (WMFG) to provide findings and recommendations to the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions on the use of earthquake early warning message content standards for public alerts via cell phones. The WMFG represents communications, education, and outreach stakeholders from various sectors including ShakeAlert regional coordinators, industry, emergency managers, and subject matter experts from the social sciences. The group knowledge was combined with an in-depth literature review to ensure that all groups who could receive the message would be taken into account. The USGS and the participating states and agencies acknowledge that the implementation of ShakeAlert is a collective effort requiring the participation of hundreds of

Use of Prezi Software to Support and Expand Extension Outreach and Education

Science.gov (United States)

Elnakib, Sara

2018-01-01

Working with innovative technologies helps Extension professionals promote, enhance, and expand outreach. Innovative software, for example, can support educators in creating presentations that better accommodate various types of learners and appeal to new audiences. This article highlights one such technology: Prezi. Prezi is a free software…

Building a Communication, Education, an Outreach Program for the ShakeAlert National Earthquake Early Warning Program

Science.gov (United States)

DeGroot, R. M.; Strauss, J. A.; Given, D. D.; Cochran, E. S.; Burkett, E. R.; Long, K.

2016-12-01

Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) systems can provide as much as tens of seconds of warning to people and automated systems before strong shaking arrives. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and its partners are developing an EEW system for the West Coast of the United States. To be an integral part of successful implementation, EEW engagement programs and materials must integrate with and leverage broader earthquake risk programs. New methods and products for dissemination must be multidisciplinary, cost effective, and consistent with existing hazards education efforts. Our presentation outlines how the USGS and its partners will approach this effort in the context of the EEW system through the work of a multistate and multiagency committee that participates in the design, implementation, and evaluation of a portfolio of programs and products. This committee, referred to as the ShakeAlert Joint Committee for Communication, Education, and Outreach (ShakeAlert CEO), is working to identify, develop, and cultivate partnerships with EEW stakeholders including Federal, State, academic partners, private companies, policy makers, and local organizations. Efforts include developing materials, methods for delivery, and reaching stakeholders with information on EEW, earthquake preparedness, and emergency protective actions. It is essential to develop standards to ensure information communicated via the EEW alerts is consistent across the public and private sector and achieving a common understanding of what actions users take when they receive an EEW warning. The USGS and the participating states and agencies acknowledge that the implementation of EEW is a collective effort requiring the participation of hundreds of stakeholders committed to ensuring public accessibility.

CAREER Educational Outreach: Inquiry-based Atmospheric Science Lessons for K-12 students

Science.gov (United States)

Courville, Z.; Carbaugh, S.; Defrancis, G.; Donegan, R.; Brown, C.; Perovich, D. K.; Richter-Menge, J.

2011-12-01

Climate Comics is a collaborative outreach effort between the Montshire Museum of Science, in Norwich, VT, the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) research staff, and freelance artist and recent graduate of the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, VT, Sam Carbaugh. The project involves the cartoonist, the education staff from the museum, and researchers from CRREL creating a series of comic books with polar science and research themes, including sea ice monitoring, sea ice albedo, ice cores, extreme microbial activity, and stories and the process of fieldwork. The aim of the comic series is to provide meaningful science information in a comic-format that is both informative and fun, while highlighting current polar research work done at the lab. The education staff at the Montshire Museum develops and provides a series of hands-on, inquiry-based activity descriptions to complement each comic book, and CRREL researchers provide science background information and reiterative feedback about the comic books as they are being developed. Here, we present the motivation for using the comic-book medium to present polar research topics, the process involved in creating the comics, some unique features of the series, and the finished comic books themselves. Cartoon illustrating ways snow pack can be used to determine past climate information.

Pregnancy and Village Outreach Tibet: a descriptive report of a community- and home-based maternal-newborn outreach program in rural Tibet.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickerson, Ty; Crookston, Benjamin; Simonsen, Sara E; Sheng, Xiaoming; Samen, Arlene; Nkoy, Flory

2010-01-01

The Pregnancy and Village Outreach Tibet (PAVOT) program, a model for community- and home-based maternal-newborn outreach in rural Tibet, is presented. This article describes PAVOT, including the history, structure, content, and activities of the program, as well as selected program outcome measures and demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and pregnancy outcomes of women who recently participated in the program. The PAVOT program was developed to provide health-related services to pregnant rural Tibetan women at risk of having an unattended home birth. The program involves training local healthcare workers and laypersons to outreach pregnant women and family members. Outreach includes basic maternal-newborn health education and simple obstetric and neonatal life-saving skills training. In addition, the program distributes safe and clean birth kits, newborn hats, blankets, and maternal micronutrient supplements (eg, prenatal vitamins and minerals). More than 980 pregnant women received outreach during the study period. More than 92% of outreach recipients reported receiving safe pregnancy and birth education, clean birthing and uterine massage skills instruction, and clean umbilical cord care training. Nearly 80% reported basic newborn resuscitation skills training. Finally, nearly 100% of outreach recipients received maternal micronutrient supplements and safe and clean birth kits. The PAVOT program is a model program that has been proven to successfully provide outreach to rural-living Tibetans by delivering maternal-newborn health education, skills training, and resources to the home.

77 FR 21067 - Funding Opportunity Title: Risk Management Education and Outreach Partnerships Program

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-09

..., crop insurance, marketing contracts, and other existing and emerging risk management tools.'' For the... Management or other similar topics. Legal: Legal and Succession Planning or other similar topics; Marketing... Management Education and Outreach Partnerships Program Announcement Type: Announcement of Availability of...

Game, cloud architecture and outreach for The BIG Bell Test

Science.gov (United States)

Abellan, Carlos; Tura, Jordi; Garcia, Marta; Beduini, Federica; Hirschmann, Alina; Pruneri, Valerio; Acin, Antonio; Marti, Maria; Mitchell, Morgan

The BIG Bell test uses the input from the Bellsters, self-selected human participants introducing zeros and ones through an online videogame, to perform a suite of quantum physics experiments. In this talk, we will explore the videogame, the data infrastructure and the outreach efforts of the BIG Bell test collaboration. First, we will discuss how the game was designed so as to eliminate possible feedback mechanisms that could influence people's behavior. Second, we will discuss the cloud architecture design for scalability as well as explain how we sent each individual bit from the users to the labs. Also, and using all the bits collected via the BIG Bell test interface, we will show a data analysis on human randomness, e.g. are younger Bellsters more random than older Bellsters? Finally, we will talk about the outreach and communication efforts of the BIG Bell test collaboration, exploring both the social media campaigns as well as the close interaction with teachers and educators to bring the project into classrooms.

French language space science educational outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Schofield, I.; Masongsong, E. V.; Connors, M. G.

2015-12-01

Athabasca University's AUTUMNX ground-based magnetometer array to measure and report geomagnetic conditions in eastern Canada is located in the heart of French speaking Canada. Through the course of the project, we have had the privilege to partner with schools, universities, astronomy clubs and government agencies across Quebec, all of which operate primarily in French. To acknowledge and serve the needs of our research partners, we have endeavored to produce educational and outreach (EPO) material adapted for francophone audiences with the help of UCLA's department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences (EPSS). Not only will this provide greater understanding and appreciation of the geospace environment unique to Quebec and surrounding regions, it strengthens our ties with our francophone, first nations (native Americans) and Inuit partners, trailblazing new paths of research collaboration and inspiring future generations of researchers.

Handbook of Research on Science Education and University Outreach as a Tool for Regional Development

Science.gov (United States)

Narasimharao, B. Pandu, Ed.; Wright, Elizabeth, Ed.; Prasad, Shashidhara, Ed.; Joshi, Meghana, Ed.

2017-01-01

Higher education institutions play a vital role in their surrounding communities. Besides providing a space for enhanced learning opportunities, universities can utilize their resources for social and economic interests. The "Handbook of Research on Science Education and University Outreach as a Tool for Regional Development" is a…

Cure4Kids for Kids: school-based cancer education outreach.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Kirk Villalobos, Aubrey; Quintana, Yuri; Ribeiro, Raul C

2012-01-01

In 2006, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital created Cure4Kids for Kids, a school-based outreach program. The objectives of this community education program are to teach about cancer and healthy lifestyles and to inspire an interest in science and health-related careers. A multidisciplinary team of St. Jude and outside experts developed and pilot tested age-appropriate educational materials and activities with 4th grade students. Eight schools and more than 800 children have participated in the program since 2006. Teachers and students have demonstrated a very positive response to the program for it being both fun and educational. Cure4Kids for Kids resources have been collected into a teacher's kit and are now freely available online at www.cure4kids.org/kids.

Satellite power system (SPS) public outreach experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McNeal, S.R.

1980-12-01

To improve the results of the Satellite Power System (SPS) Concept Development and Evaluation Program, an outreach experiment was conducted. Three public interest groups participated: the L-5 Society (L-5), Citizen's Energy Project (CEP), and the Forum for the Advancement of Students in Science and Technology (FASST). Each group disseminated summary information about SPS to approximately 3000 constituents with a request for feedback on the SPS concept. The objectives of the outreach were to (1) determine the areas of major concern relative to the SPS concept, and (2) gain experience with an outreach process for use in future public involvement. Due to the combined efforts of all three groups, 9200 individuals/organizations received information about the SPS concept. Over 1500 receipients of this information provided feedback. The response to the outreach effort was positive for all three groups, suggesting that the effort extended by the SPS Project Division to encourage an information exchange with the public was well received. The general response to the SPS differed with each group. The L-5 position is very much in favor of SPS; CEP is very much opposed and FASST is relatively neutral. The responses are analyzed, and from the responses some questions and answers about the satellite power system are presented in the appendix. (WHK)

Solar System Samples for Research, Education, and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, J.; Luckey, M.; McInturff, B.; Kascak, A.; Tobola, K.; Galindo, C.; Allen, C.

2011-01-01

In the next two years, during the NASA Year of the Solar System, spacecraft from NASA and our international partners will; encounter a comet, orbit asteroid 4 Vesta, continue to explore Mars with rovers, and launch robotic explorers to the Moon and Mars. We have pieces of all these worlds in our laboratories, and their continued study provides incredibly valuable "ground truth" to complement space exploration missions. Extensive information about these unique materials, as well as actual lunar samples and meteorites, are available for display and education. The Johnson Space Center (JSC) has the unique responsibility to curate NASA's extraterrestrial samples from past and future missions. Curation includes documentation, preservation, preparation, and distribution of samples for research, education, and public outreach.

Celebrating a history of excellence : the Federal Aviation Administration and Space Education Outreach Program.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Building on 75 years of experience, the FAAs : aviation and space education outreach : program is earning an A+ for encouraging elementary, : secondary, and even college students to study math, : science, technology, engineering, and a host of : o...

Selling the Great American Eclipse: An Education and Public Outreach Retrospective

Science.gov (United States)

Nordgren, T.

2017-12-01

The August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse was the single largest public scientific outreach event of the last several decades. The astronomical community, from organizations like to the American Astronomical Society, to government agencies such as NASA, to the nation-wide amateur astronomy community all worked to raise awareness of this unique event that would be visible to every single inhabitant of the United States. This outreach, like the event itself, was unique in requiring education on not just the science of the event, but the societal nature as well. This included such variety of subjects as: 1) eye safety for millions of individuals, 2) the importance of traveling to totality, 3) transportation issues over mass travel to regions in totality, 3) lodging, food, and logistics information for communities in totality, 4) governmental emergency response, and much more. I interview a number of communities, city managers, event planners, and national park rangers after the eclipse to identify what were the most important education and outreach information they received leading up to the event to assess what we in the astronomical community did that was most effective and what could have been done better in retrospect. In particular, I look at the use of the solar eclipse "travel poster" campaign I designed for event organizers, chambers of commerce, universities, and national and state parks in the four years leading up to the eclipse. How were they used and were they effective in raising the public's awareness of community events across the country? The lessons learned will be important for planning for the next eclipse that touches the U.S. in less than seven years from now on April 8, 2024.

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) - the First Educational Outreach Program on ISS

Science.gov (United States)

Conley, C. L.; Bauer, F. H.; Brown, D.; White, R.

2002-01-01

More than 40 missions over five years will be required to assemble the International Space Station in orbit. The astronauts and cosmonauts will work hard on these missions, but they plan to take some time off for educational activities with schools. Amateur Radio on the International Space Station represents the first Educational Outreach program that is flying on ISS. NASA's Division of Education is a major supporter and sponsor of this student outreach activity on the International Space Station. This meets NASA's educational mission objective: "To inspire the next generation of explorers...as only NASA can." As the International Space Station takes its place in the heavens, the amateur radio community is doing its part by helping to enrich the experience of those visiting and living on the station as well as the students on Earth. Through ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station), students on Earth have a once in a lifetime opportunity--to talk to the crew on-board ISS. Using amateur radio equipment set up in their classroom, students get a first-hand feel of what it is like to live and work in space. Each school gets a 10 minute question and answer interview with the on-orbit crew using a ground station located in their classroom or through a remote ground station. The ARISS opportunity has proven itself as a tremendous educational boon to teachers and students. Through ARISS, students learn about orbit dynamics, Doppler shift, radio communications, and working with the press. Since its first flight in 1983, amateur radio has flown on more than two-dozen space shuttle missions. Dozens of astronauts have used the predecessor program called SAREX (The Space Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment) to talk to thousands of kids in school and to their families on Earth while they were in orbit. The primary goals of the ARISS program are fourfold: 1) educational outreach through crew contacts with schools, 2) random contacts with the amateur radio public, 3

Promoting seismology education and research via the IRIS Education and Public Outreach Program

Science.gov (United States)

Taber, J. J.; Bravo, T. K.; Dorr, P. M.; Hubenthal, M.; Johnson, J. A.; McQuillan, P.; Sumy, D. F.; Welti, R.

2015-12-01

The Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology's Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program is committed to advancing awareness and understanding of seismology and geophysics, while inspiring careers in the Earth sciences. To achieve this mission, IRIS EPO combines content and research expertise of consortium membership with educational and outreach expertise of IRIS staff to create a portfolio of programs, products, and services that target a range of audiences, including grades 6-12 students and teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and the general public. IRIS also partners with UNAVCO and other organizations in support of EarthScope where the facilities are well-suited for sustained engagement of multiple audiences. Examples of research-related EPO products and services include the following resources. Tools developed in collaboration with IRIS Data Services provide public and educational access to data, and to a suite of data products. Teachers can stream seismic data from educational or research sensors into their classroom, and the Active Earth Monitor display, designed for visitor centers, universities and small museums, provides views of recent data along with animations that explain seismology concepts, and stories about recent research. Teachable Moment slide sets, created in collaboration with the University of Portland within 24 hours of major earthquakes, provide interpreted USGS tectonic maps and summaries, animations, visualizations, and other event-specific information so educators can explore newsworthy earthquakes with their students. Intro undergraduate classroom activities have been designed to introduce students to some grand challenges in seismological research, while our Research Experiences for Undergraduates program pairs students with seismology researchers throughout the Consortium and provides the opportunity for the students to present their research at a national meeting. EPO activities are evaluated via a

The Intersection of NASA Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach and Higher Education: A Special Interest Group Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, M.; Smith, D.; Schultz, G.; Bianchi, L.; Blair, W.

2011-09-01

This paper presents highlights from a group discussion on how the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) education and public outreach (EPO) community could better support undergraduate astronomy education through EPO products and resources - current and future - targeted at the college level. The discussion was organized by the SMD Astrophysics EPO Forum through a Special Interest Group Meeting at the 2010 ASP Annual Meeting in Boulder. Our session took advantage of the simultaneous presence of EPO professionals and the Cosmos in the Classroom participants to seek out diverse perspectives on and experiences in higher education.

CSU's MWV Observatory: A Facility for Research, Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Hood, John; Carpenter, N. D.; McCarty, C. B.; Samford, J. H.; Johnson, M.; Puckett, A. W.; Williams, R. N.; Cruzen, S. T.

2014-01-01

The Mead Westvaco Observatory (MWVO), located in Columbus State University's Coca-Cola Space Science Center, is dedicated to education and research in astronomy through hands-on engagement and public participation. The MWVO has recently received funding to upgrade from a 16-inch Meade LX-200 telescope to a PlaneWave CDK 24-inch Corrected Dall-Kirkham Astrograph telescope. This and other technological upgrades will allow this observatory to stream live webcasts for astronomical events, allowing a worldwide public audience to become a part of the growing astronomical community. This poster will explain the upgrades that are currently in progress as well as the results from the current calibrations. The goal of these upgrades is to provide facilities capable of both research-class projects and widespread use in education and public outreach. We will present our initial calibration and tests of the observatory equipment, as well as its use in webcasts of astronomical events, in solar observing through the use of specialized piggy-backed telescopes, and in research into such topics as asteroids, planetary and nebula imaging. We will describe a pilot research project on asteroid orbit refinement and light curves, to be carried out by Columbus State University students. We will also outline many of the K-12 educational and public outreach activities we have designed for these facilities. Support and funding for the acquisition and installation of the new PlaneWave CDK 24 has been provided by the International Museum and Library Services via the Museums for America Award.

NREL Showcases Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine Bus, Helps DOE Set Standards for Outreach (Fact Sheet)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2010-11-01

This fact sheet describes the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) accomplishments in showcasing a Ford hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine (H2ICE) bus at The Taste of Colorado festival in Denver. NREL started using its U.S. Department of Energy-funded H2ICE bus in May 2010 as the primary shuttle vehicle for VIP visitors, members of the media, and new employees. In September 2010, NREL featured the bus at The Taste of Colorado. This was the first major outreach event for the bus. NREL's educational brochure, vehicle wrap designs, and outreach efforts serve as a model for other organizations with DOE-funded H2ICE buses. Work was performed by the Hydrogen Education Group and Market Transformation Group in the Hydrogen Technologies and Systems Center.

STEREO-IMPACT Education and Public Outreach: Sharing STEREO Science

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, N.; Peticolas, L. M.; Mendez, B. J.

2005-12-01

The Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) is scheduled for launch in Spring 2006. STEREO will study the Sun with two spacecrafts in orbit around it and on either side of Earth. The primary science goal is to understand the nature and consequences of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). Despite their importance, scientists don't fully understand the origin and evolution of CMEs, nor their structure or extent in interplanetary space. STEREO's unique 3-D images of the structure of CMEs will enable scientists to determine their fundamental nature and origin. We will discuss the Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program for the In-situ Measurement of Particles And CME Transients (IMPACT) suite of instruments aboard the two crafts and give examples of upcoming activities, including NASA's Sun-Earth day events, which are scheduled to coincide with a total solar eclipse in March. This event offers a good opportunity to engage the public in STEREO science, because an eclipse allows one to see the solar corona from where CMEs erupt. STEREO's connection to space weather lends itself to close partnerships with the Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum (SECEF), The Exploratorium, and UC Berkeley's Center for New Music and Audio Technologies to develop informal science programs for science centers, museum visitors, and the public in general. We will also discuss our teacher workshops locally in California and also at annual conferences such as those of the National Science Teachers Association. Such workshops often focus on magnetism and its connection to CMEs and Earth's magnetic field, leading to the questions STEREO scientists hope to answer. The importance of partnerships and coordination in working in an instrument E/PO program that is part of a bigger NASA mission with many instrument suites and many PIs will be emphasized. The Education and Outreach Porgram is funded by NASA's SMD.

Educational outreach and collaborative care enhances physician's perceived knowledge about Developmental Coordination Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaines, Robin; Missiuna, Cheryl; Egan, Mary; McLean, Jennifer

2008-01-24

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental condition that affects 5-6% of children. When not recognized and properly managed during the child's development, DCD can lead to academic failure, mental health problems and poor physical fitness. Physicians, working in collaboration with rehabilitation professionals, are in an excellent position to recognize and manage DCD. This study was designed to determine the feasibility and impact of an educational outreach and collaborative care model to improve chronic disease management of children with DCD. The intervention included educational outreach and collaborative care for children with suspected DCD. Physicians were educated by and worked with rehabilitation professionals from February 2005 to April 2006. Mixed methods evaluation approach documented the process and impact of the intervention. Physicians: 750 primary care physicians from one major urban area and outlying regions were invited to participate; 147 physicians enrolled in the project. Children: 125 children were identified and referred with suspected DCD. The main outcome was improvement in knowledge and perceived skill of physicians concerning their ability to screen, diagnose and manage DCD. At baseline 91.1% of physicians were unaware of the diagnosis of DCD, and only 1.6% could diagnose condition. Post-intervention, 91% of participating physicians reported greater knowledge about DCD and 29.2% were able to diagnose DCD compared to 0.5% of non-participating physicians. 100% of physicians who participated in collaborative care indicated they would continue to use the project materials and resources and 59.4% reported they would recommend or share the materials with medical colleagues. In addition, 17.6% of physicians not formally enrolled in the project reported an increase in knowledge of DCD. Physicians receiving educational outreach visits significantly improved their knowledge about DCD and their ability to identify and

Utah's Mobile Earth Science Outreach Vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Schoessow, F. S.; Christian, L.

2016-12-01

Students at Utah State University's College of Natural Resources have engineered the first mobile Earth Science outreach platform capable of delivering high-tech and interactive solar-powered educational resources to the traditionally-underserved, remote communities of rural Utah. By retrofitting and modifying an industrial box-truck, this project effectively created a highly mobile and energy independent "school in a box" which seeks to help change the way that Earth science is communicated, eliminate traditional barriers, and increase science accessibility - both physically and conceptually. The project's education platform is focused on developing a more effective, sustainable, and engaging platform for presenting Earth science outreach curricula to community members of all ages in an engaging fashion. Furthermore, this project affords university students the opportunity to demonstrate innovative science communication techniques, translating vital university research into educational outreach operations aimed at doing real, measurable good for local communities.

Nucleosynthesis outreach slides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lippuner, Jonas [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-11-03

The purpose of this report is to explain s- and r-process nucleosynthesis to the general public at outreach events, specifically in a Planetarium show at the Pajarito Environmental Education Center in Los Alamos.

Outreach and Education in the Life Sciences A Case Study of the U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weller, Richard E.; Burbank, Roberta L.; Mahy, Heidi A.

2010-03-15

This project was intended to assess the impact of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Agency (DOE/NNSA) -sponsored education and outreach activities on the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in DOE national laboratories. Key activities focused on a series of pilot education and outreach workshops conducted at ten national laboratories. These workshops were designed to increase awareness of the BWC, familiarize scientists with dual-use concerns related to biological research, and promote the concept of individual responsibility and accountability

Incorporating Hot Topics in Ocean Sciences to Outreach Activities in Marine and Environmental Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Bergondo, D. L.; Mrakovcich, K. L.; Vlietstra, L.; Tebeau, P.; Verlinden, C.; Allen, L. A.; James, R.

2016-02-01

The US Coast Guard Academy, an undergraduate military Academy, in New London CT, provides STEM education programs to the local community that engage the public on hot topics in ocean sciences. Outreach efforts include classroom, lab, and field-based activities at the Academy as well as at local schools. In one course, we partner with a STEM high school collecting fish and environmental data on board a research vessel and subsequently students present the results of their project. In another course, cadets develop and present interactive demonstrations of marine science to local school groups. In addition, the Academy develops In another course, cadets develop and present interactive demonstrations of marine science to local school groups. In addition, the Academy develops and/or participates in outreach programs including Science Partnership for Innovation in Learning (SPIL), Women in Science, Physics of the Sea, and the Ocean Exploration Trust Honors Research Program. As part of the programs, instructors and cadets create interactive and collaborative activities that focus on hot topics in ocean sciences such as oil spill clean-up, ocean exploration, tsunamis, marine biodiversity, and conservation of aquatic habitats. Innovative science demonstrations such as real-time interactions with the Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus, rotating tank simulations of ocean circulation, wave tank demonstrations, and determining what materials work best to contain and clean-up oil, are used to enhance ocean literacy. Children's books, posters and videos are some creative ways students summarize their understanding of ocean sciences and marine conservation. Despite time limitations of students and faculty, and challenges associated with securing funding to keep these programs sustainable, the impact of the programs is overwhelmingly positive. We have built stronger relationships with local community, enhanced ocean literacy, facilitated communication and mentorship between young

Dawn Mission Education and Public Outreach: Science as Human Endeavor

Science.gov (United States)

Cobb, W. H.; Wise, J.; Schmidt, B. E.; Ristvey, J.

2012-12-01

general public into the thrill of NASA science. Helping teachers develop a picture of the history and evolution of our understanding of the solar system, and honing in on the place of asteroids in helping us answer old questions and discover new ones, students and the general public sees the power and excitement underlying planetary science as human endeavor. Research indicates that science inquiry is powerful in the classroom and mission scientists are real-life models of science inquiry in action. Cross-curricular elements include examining research-based strategies for enhancing English language learners' ability to engage in higher order questions and a professional astronomy artist's insight into how visual analysis requires not just our eyes engaged, but our brains: comparing, synthesizing, questioning, evaluating, and wondering. Dawn Education and Public Outreach will share out perspectives and lessons learned, backed by extensive evaluation examining the efficacy of the mission's efforts.

Clear Resin Casting of Arthropods of Medical Importance for Use in Educational and Outreach Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Bejcek, Justin R; Curtis-Robles, Rachel; Riley, Michael; Brundage, Adrienne; Hamer, Gabriel L

2018-01-01

Abstract Arthropod-related morbidity and mortality represent a major threat to human and animal health. An important component of reducing vector-borne diseases and injuries is training the next generation of medical entomologists and educating the public in proper identification of arthropods of medical importance. One challenge of student training and public outreach is achieving a safe mounting technique that allows observation of morphological characteristics, while minimizing damage to specimens that are often difficult to replace. Although resin-embedded specimens are available from commercial retailers, there is a need for a published protocol that allows entomologists to economically create high-quality resin-embedded arthropods for use in teaching and outreach activities. We developed a detailed protocol using readily obtained equipment and supplies for creating resin-embedded arthropods of many species for use in teaching and outreach activities. PMID:29718496

Models for Information Assurance Education and Outreach: A Report on Year 1 Implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianjun

2013-01-01

On September 22, 2012, NSF announced its decision to fund a three-year project, "Models for Information Assurance Education and Outreach" (MIAEO). In the first year of grant operation, MIAEO has invited 18 high school students, two K-12 teachers, and two CSUB student assistants to conduct research explorations in the fields of…

International Space Education Outreach: Taking Exploration to the Global Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Dreschel, T. W.; Lichtenberger, L. A.; Chetirkin, P. V.; Garner, L. C.; Barfus, J. R.; Nazarenko, V. I.

2005-01-01

With the development of the International Space Station and the need for international collaboration for returning to the moon and developing a mission to Mars, NASA has embarked on developing international educational programs related to space exploration. In addition, with the explosion of educational technology, linking students on a global basis is more easily accomplished. This technology is bringing national and international issues into the classroom, including global environmental issues, the global marketplace, and global collaboration in space. We present the successes and lessons learned concerning international educational and public outreach programs that we have been involved in for NASA as well as the importance of sustaining these international peer collaborative programs for the future generations. These programs will undoubtedly be critical in enhancing the classroom environment and will affect the achievements in and attitudes towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Evaluation of Harmful Algal Bloom Outreach Activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard Weisman

2007-12-01

Full Text Available With an apparent increase of harmful algal blooms (HABs worldwide,healthcare providers, public health personnel and coastal managers are struggling toprovide scientifically-based appropriately-targeted HAB outreach and education. Since1998, the Florida Poison Information Center-Miami, with its 24 hour/365 day/year freeAquatic Toxins Hotline (1-888-232-8635 available in several languages, has received over 25,000 HAB-related calls. As part of HAB surveillance, all possible cases of HAB-relatedillness among callers are reported to the Florida Health Department. This pilot studyevaluated an automated call processing menu system that allows callers to access bilingualHAB information, and to speak directly with a trained Poison Information Specialist. Themajority (68% of callers reported satisfaction with the information, and many provided specific suggestions for improvement. This pilot study, the first known evaluation of use and satisfaction with HAB educational outreach materials, demonstrated that the automated system provided useful HAB-related information for the majority of callers, and decreased the routine informational call workload for the Poison Information Specialists, allowing them to focus on callers needing immediate assistance and their healthcare providers. These results will lead to improvement of this valuable HAB outreach, education and surveillance tool. Formal evaluation is recommended for future HAB outreach and educational materials.

Medical Students Educate Teens About Skin Cancer: What Have We Learned?

OpenAIRE

Kamell, Jeanette M.; Rietkerk, William; Lam, Ken; Phillips, Jason M.; Wu, Jashin J.; McCullough, Jerry L.; Linden, Kenneth G.; Osann, Kathryn

2010-01-01

Skin cancer is a serious societal problem, and public awareness outreach, including to youth, is crucial. Medical students have joined forces to educate adolescents about skin cancer with significant impacts; even one 50-min interactive outreach session led to sustained changes in knowledge and behavior in a cohort of 1,200 adolescents surveyed. Medical students can act as a tremendous asset to health awareness public outreach efforts: enthusiastic volunteerism keeps education cost-effective,...

CloudSat Education Network: Partnerships for Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

TeBockhorst, D.

2014-12-01

CloudSat Education Network (CEN): Partnerships to improve the understanding of clouds in formal and informal settings. Since The CloudSat satellite launched in 2006 the Formal and Informal education programs for the mission have been focused on bringing an understanding about the mission science and the importance of clouds, climate & weather science. This has been done by creating and strengthening partnership and collaboration within scientific and educational communities around the country and the world. Because CloudSat was formally recognized as a Earth System Science Pathfinder campaign with the GLOBE program, the CEN developed a set of field protocols for student observations that augmented the GLOBE atmosphere protocols when there was a satellite overpass. This shared process between GLOBE & CloudSat resulted in the training & creation of CEN schools that are both GLOBE schools and CloudSat schools, and also produced three GLOBE partnerships that specialize in cloud science education and outreach. In addition, the CEN has developed productive relationships with other NASA missions and EPO teams. Specifically, in collaboration with the NASA CERES mission projects S'Cool and MyNASAData, we have co-presented at NSTA conferences and with schools participating in a NASA EPOESS-funded formal education project. This collaborative work has been a very real benefit to a wide variety of audiences needing to strengthen their understanding of clouds and their roles in the earth system, and we hope will serve as a model to future missions looking to involve the public in mission science.

OUTREACH

CERN Document Server

E. Gibney D. Barney

The two core activities of the Outreach group are the continued production of the CMS Times and the evolution of the Outreach web site. Although the former began life as a publication for CMS members it is increasingly being viewed by the public, as evidenced by the external subscribers (nearly 400) and the fact that it is one of the most popular sections of the web-site, with tens of thousands of hits every month. Indeed a statistical analysis of our web-site is underway and already we know that it is host to around 11000 distinct visitors per month with more than half a million pages being viewed! Recent additions to the web-site include several new "virtual reality" movies of CMS underground - ideal for presentations to the public etc. A big effort is also being made to archive the thousands of superb images of CMS taken over the years and our team have recently been interacting with the CERN "CDS" team in order to achieve this in the most efficient way possible. The CDS...

Farzana's Journey: A Children's Book for Research-based, Educational Outreach in Remote Communities of Bangladesh

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, C.; Hornberger, G. M.; Machado, M.

2017-12-01

Academics are encouraged to integrate their environmental research with education and societal outreach, but the methods of doing so can be transient and insubstantial. Here, we use a children's book to create a sustainable relationship with vulnerable communities in Bangladesh. Farzana's Journey is a children's book based on current multidisciplinary Vanderbilt University research on the coupling and coevolution of the physical and human systems in coastal Bangladesh. Written, illustrated, and freely distributed in the Bengali-language, the book is a place-based tool to teach rural Bangladesh communities about the natural world and disseminate our scientific findings. The narrative follows a young girl, Farzana, who must walk a long distance to fetch her family's water. Her usual journey develops into an adventure as she meets a variety of animal characters, who relay a story about her ever-changing environment and the subsequent human adaptation. After exploring environmental topics, such as geomorphology, water availability, and climate, Farzana appreciates the uniqueness of her local environment and the adaptations of her ancestors and future generations. Through the development and distribution of the book, we encouraged dialogue, collaboration, and public outreach with scientists, artists, and students concerned with enhancing educational and social opportunity in rural communities. We also ensure a tangible tie through the book itself after the culmination of the research project. The book achieves the primary goal of sparking children's curiosity in the local environment, while also demonstrating an effective means for sustainable educational outreach with impoverished, remote communities.

Renewable Microgrid STEM Education & Colonias Outreach Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

2015-04-01

To provide Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) outreach and education to secondary students to encourage them to select science and engineering as a career by providing an engineering-based problem-solving experience involving renewable energy systems such as photovoltaic (PV) panels or wind turbines. All public and private schools, community colleges, and vocational training programs would be eligible for participation. The Power Microgrids High School Engineering Experience used renewable energy systems (PV and wind) to provide a design capstone experience to secondary students. The objective for each student team was to design a microgrid for the student’s school using renewable energy sources under cost, schedule, performance, and risk constraints. The students then implemented their designs in a laboratory environment to evaluate the completeness of the proposed design, which is a unique experience even for undergraduate college students. This application-based program was marketed to secondary schools in the 28th Congressional District through the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) Regional Service Centers. Upon application, TEES identified regionally available engineers to act as mentors and supervisors for the projects. Existing curriculum was modified to include microgrid and additional renewable technologies and was made available to the schools.

Innovating science communication: the structure supporting ATLAS Education & Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Goldfarb, Steven; Marcelloni, Claudia; Shaw, Kate; ATLAS Experiment

2016-04-01

The ATLAS Education & Outreach project has, over the years, developed a strong reputation for supporting innovation. Animated event displays, musical CDs, 3d movies, 3-storey murals, photo books, data sonifications, multi-media art installations, pub slams, masterclasses, documentaries, pop-up books, LEGO® models, and virtual visits are among the many diverse methods being exploited to communicate to the world the goals and accomplishments of the ATLAS Experiment at CERN. This variety of creativity and innovation does not pop out of a vacuum. It requires underlying motivation by the collaboration to communicate with the public; freedom and encouragement to do so in a creative manner; and a support structure for developing, implementing and promoting these activities. The ATLAS Outreach project has built this support structure on a well-defined communication plan, high-quality content, and effective delivery platforms. Most importantly, implementation of the program has been based on the effective engagement of the participating institutes and other key partners, not only to leverage modest human resources and funding, but also to take advantage of the rich imagination and inspiration of a diverse, global human collaboration. We present our current plan, on-going activities, and a few more fun innovations for the future.

Exploring new possibilities of astronomy education and outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Fukushima, Kodai

2015-08-01

I investigate the influences of astronomy education and outreach activities on people in order to explore their potential benefits and contribution to society. This research is based on the astronomy education lessons I gave to 287 senior high school and junior high school students in Cambodia in November 2013. Before and after my lesson, I asked them to answer my questionnaires in Khmer, where they could also write free descriptions. Sentences in their free descriptions translated into Japanese are analyzed by means of a text mining method. By converting text data to various numbers using a text mining method, it is possible for us to do statistical analysis. I counted the number of question sentences and computed their rate with respect to the total number of sentences. The rate of question sentences in 9th and 12th grade students are 39% and 9%, respectively. This shows 9th grade students wonder why and how more frequently and appear to be more stimulated in their curiosity than 12th grade students. I counted the frequency of words in the free descriptions and examined high frequency words, to take a broad view of the characteristics of free description. The word ''world'' is the fourth highest frequency word among 369 words following the three words, ''the universe'', ''the earth'', and ''a star'', which frequently appear in the lesson in astronomy. The most sentences including the word “world” described amazement at the existence of so vast unknown world outside of what they had known until then. The frequency of sentences including the word ''world'' of 12th grade students is much higher (45%) than that (18%) of 9th grade students. A significant fraction of 12th grade students appears to have had a strong impact and changed their views of the world. It is found that my lesson and related activities inspired intellectual curiosity in many students, especially in 9th grade students. It is also found that a significant fraction of 12th grade students appear

Eclipse Megamovie: Solar Discoveries, Education, and Outreach through Crowdsourcing 2017 Eclipse Images

Science.gov (United States)

Peticolas, L. M.; Hudson, H. S.; Martinez Oliveros, J. C.; Johnson, C.; Zevin, D.; Krista, L. D.; Bender, M.; Mcintosh, S. W.; Konerding, D.; Koh, J.; Pasachoff, J.; Lorimore, B.; Jiang, G.; Storksdieck, M.; Yan, D.; Shore, L.; Fraknoi, A.; Filippenko, A.

2016-12-01

Since 2011, a team of solar scientists, eclipse chasers, education and outreach professionals, and film makers have been working to explore the possibility of gathering images from the public during the 2017 eclipse across the United States, to be used for scientific research, education, and enhancing the public's experience of the eclipse. After years of testing the initial ideas, engaging new organizations, and exploring new technologies, our team has developed a blueprint for this project. There are three main goals for this effort: 1. to learn more about the dynamic non-equilibrium processes in the corona and lower atmosphere of the Sun, 2. to educate the public about space physics, 3. provide different levels of engagement opportunities for an interested public, and 4. to understand how these various levels of engagement with a major scientific phenomena allow people to develop deeper personal connections to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). We will meet these goals by training 1000 volunteers to take scientifically valid images and donate the images to this project, while also allowing the general public to share their images as well. During the Aug 21, 2017 eclipse, we will analyze these images in real-time to produce public-generated movies showing the corona of the Sun during totality from thousands of people. These movies will be disseminated in near real-time (on the order of 10s of minutes) to other eclipse programs, news organizations, and to the general public. Meanwhile, images collected during and after the eclipse will be available to scientists and the public for research purposes. To further engage the public, video clips, film, and a documentary will be produced prior and after the event. A science education research team will work alongside the team to understand how the project supports deeper connections to the eclipse experience.

Impact of Outreach on Physics Enrollment in Idaho

Science.gov (United States)

Shropshire, Steven

2013-04-01

Idaho State University Physics Outreach has many aspects, from workshops for teachers, demonstration presentations for schools and community groups, Science Olympics, science festivals, and a Haunted Science Lab. An overview of these programs will be presented, followed by a more detailed description of the mechanics and methods that have made physics outreach programs at ISU a success, and the impact they have had on physics enrollment at ISU. Suggestions on how to get started with science outreach, get funding, involve student and community members, and convince your colleagues and administration that these efforts are worth supporting will be provided.

Public Outreach and Educational Experiences in Mexico and Latin American communities in California

Science.gov (United States)

Andres De Leo-Winkler, Mario; Canalizo, Gabriela; Pichardo, Barbara; Arias, Brenda

2015-08-01

I have created and applied diverse methods in public outreach at National Autonomous Univerisity of Mexico (UNAM) since 2001.A student-led volunteer astronomical club has been created, the biggest in Mexico. We serve over 10,000 people per year. We have created public outreach activities for the general audience: archeo-astronomical outings, scientific movie debates, conferences, courses, public telescope viewings. We have also worked with juvenile delinquents to offer them scientific opportunities when released from jail.I've also created and worked the social media for the Institute of Astronomy UNAM, which is currently the biggest social media site on astronomy in Spanish in the world. I've created and organized a mass photo exhibition (over 1 million people served) for the Institute of Astronomy, UNAM which was citizen-funded through an online platform, the first of its kind in the country. Together with my colleages, we created workshops on astronomy for children with the Mexican's government funding.I've participated in several radio and television programs/capsules designed to bring astronomy to the general audience, one in particular ("Astrophysics for Dummies") was very successful in nation-wide Mexican radio.I am currently applying all experiences to develop a new public outreach project on astronomy for the University of California - Riverside and its on-campus and surrounding Latin American communities. We are offering new workshops for blind and deaf children. We want to integrate the Latino community to our outreach activities and offer science in their language in a simple and entertaining fashion. We have also successfully applied astrophotography as a course which brings social-science and arts undergraduate students into natural sciences.Sharing experiences, success and failure stories will help new and experienced educators and public outreach professionals learn and better from past experiences.

Education, outreach, and inclusive engagement: Towards integrated indicators of successful program outcomes in participatory science.

Science.gov (United States)

Haywood, Benjamin K; Besley, John C

2014-01-01

The use and utility of science in society is often influenced by the structure, legitimacy, and efficacy of the scientific research process. Public participation in scientific research (PPSR) is a growing field of practice aimed at enhancing both public knowledge and understanding of science (education outreach) and the efficacy and responsiveness of scientific research, practice, and policy (participatory engagement). However, PPSR objectives focused on "education outreach" and "participatory engagement" have each emerged from diverse theoretical traditions that maintain distinct indicators of success used for program development and evaluation. Although areas of intersection and overlap among these two traditions exist in theory and practice, a set of comprehensive standards has yet to coalesce that supports the key principles of both traditions in an assimilated fashion. To fill this void, a comprehensive indicators framework is proposed with the goal of promoting a more integrative and synergistic PPSR program development and assessment process.

NCCR Chemical Biology: Interdisciplinary Research Excellence, Outreach, Education, and New Tools for Switzerland.

Science.gov (United States)

Sturzenegger, Susi; Johnsson, Kai; Riezman, Howard

2011-01-01

Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation to promote cutting edge research as well as the advancement of young researchers and women, technology transfer, outreach and education, the NCCR (Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research) Chemical Biology is co-led by Howard Riezman, University of Geneva and Kai Johnsson, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) 2010 Education and Public Outreach (EPO)

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Heather L.

2013-10-01

The Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, Directorate Integration Office conducts analog field test activities, such as Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS), to validate exploration system architecture concepts and conduct technology demonstrations. Education and Public Outreach (EPO) activities have been a part of DRATS missions in the past to engage students, educators, and the general public in analog activities. However, in 2010, for the first time, EPO was elevated as a principal task for the mission and metrics were collected for all EPO activities. EPO activities were planned well in advance of the mission, with emphasis on creating a multitude of activities to attract students of all ages. Web-based and social media interaction between August 31 and September 14, 2010 resulted in 62,260 DRATS Flickr views; 10,906 views of DRATS videos on YouTube; 1,483 new DRATS Twitter followers; and a 111% increase in DRATS Facebook fan interactions. Over 7,000 outreach participants were directly involved in the DRATS 2010 analog mission via student visitations at both the integrated dry-runs prior to the field mission and during the field mission; by participating in live, interactive webcasts and virtual events; and online voting to determine a traverse site as part of the NASA initiative for Participatory Exploration (PE).

Outreach: Key to Sustainable Nuclear Knowledge Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segovia, V.

2016-01-01

Full text: With the numerous nuclear power plants being built globally and the prospects for many more, the challenge of the timely availability of a well-prepared, qualified, knowledgeable workforce is a key element in the “critical path” to commissioning these plants. All of these individuals will need quality education and training that is rooted in safety and established in experience. In addition, because many of these new plants are typically being built in developing countries, education, training, recruiting and retaining operations staff can be a significant challenge. Attracting sources of qualified employees for these nuclear power plants in local communities is paramount which implies a strong focus on the science and math education outreach programmes at all levels. This paper will highlight the Nuclear Power Institute’s integration of human resource development outreach strategies, education and training systems, and international cooperation to demonstrate how working in particular with the education sector can not only create interest in future careers in nuclear technology and capture valuable knowledge, but can also build community based support for nuclear power programmes with an emphasis of developing competent workers through education and training, mentoring and apprenticeships. Outreach has also become an important element of all nuclear knowledge management endeavours. (author

Educational outreach to general practitioners reduces children's asthma symptoms: a cluster randomised controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sladden Michael

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Childhood asthma is common in Cape Town, a province of South Africa, but is underdiagnosed by general practitioners. Medications are often prescribed inappropriately, and care is episodic. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of educational outreach to general practitioners on asthma symptoms of children in their practice. Methods This is a cluster randomised trial with general practices as the unit of intervention, randomisation, and analysis. The setting is Mitchells Plain (population 300,000, a dormitory town near Cape Town. Solo general practitioners, without nurse support, operate from storefront practices. Caregiver-reported symptom data were collected for 318 eligible children (2 to 17 years with moderate to severe asthma, who were attending general practitioners in Mitchells Plain. One year post-intervention follow-up data were collected for 271 (85% of these children in all 43 practices. Practices randomised to intervention (21 received two 30-minute educational outreach visits by a trained pharmacist who left materials describing key interventions to improve asthma care. Intervention and control practices received the national childhood asthma guideline. Asthma severity was measured in a parent-completed survey administered through schools using a symptom frequency and severity scale. We compared intervention and control group children on the change in score from pre-to one-year post-intervention. Results Symptom scores declined an additional 0.84 points in the intervention vs. control group (on a nine-point scale. p = 0.03. For every 12 children with asthma exposed to a doctor allocated to the intervention, one extra child will have substantially reduced symptoms. Conclusion Educational outreach was accepted by general practitioners and was effective. It could be applied to other health care quality problems in this setting.

Impact of educational outreach intervention on enhancing health care providers' knowledge about statin therapy prescribing in Malaysian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Science.gov (United States)

Elnaem, Mohamed Hassan; Nik Mohamed, Mohamad Haniki; Zaman Huri, Hasniza; Azarisman, Shah M

2018-03-06

Previous research reported underutilization of statin therapy among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Improving health care providers' awareness and understanding of the benefits and risks of statin treatment could be of assistance in optimizing the statin prescribing process. This study aimed to assess health care providers' knowledge related to statin therapy and the impact of educational outreach intervention based on the perceived knowledge. This was a cross-sectional study based on educational outreach intervention targeting physicians and pharmacists in 1 major tertiary hospital in the state of Pahang, Malaysia. Participants responded to a 12-item, validated questionnaire both prior to and after the outreach educational program. Two sessions were conducted separately for 2 cohorts of pharmacists and physicians. The knowledge scores prior to and after the educational intervention were calculated and compared using a paired-samples t-test. The response rate to both pre-and post-educational outreach questionnaires was 91% (40/44). Prior to the intervention, around 84% (n37) of the participants decided to initiate statin therapy for both pre-assessment clinical case scenarios; however, only 27% (n12) could state the clinical benefits of statin therapy. Forty-five percent (n20) could state the drug to drug interactions, and 52.3% (n23) could identify the statin therapy that can be given at any time day/evening. The educational outreach program increased participants' knowledge scores of 1.450 (95% CI, 0.918 to 1.982) point, P health care providers' knowledge and beliefs about statin therapy. This type of intervention is considered effective for short-term knowledge enhancement. Further research is needed to test the long-term efficacy of such intervention. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Space Weather Outreach: Connection to STEM Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Dusenbery, P. B.

2008-12-01

Many scientists are studying the Sun-Earth system and attempting to provide timely, accurate, and reliable space environment observations and forecasts. Research programs and missions serve as an ideal focal point for creating educational content, making this an ideal time to inform the public about the importance and value of space weather research. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, the Space Science Institute (SSI) is developing a comprehensive Space Weather Outreach program to reach students, educators, and other members of the public, and share with them the exciting discoveries from this important scientific discipline. The Space Weather Outreach program has the following five components: (1) the Space Weather Center Website that includes online educational games; (2) Small Exhibits for Libraries, Shopping Malls, and Science Centers; (3) After-School Programs; (4) Professional Development Workshops for Educators, and (5) an innovative Evaluation and Education Research project. Its overarching goal is to inspire, engage, and educate a broad spectrum of the public and make strategic and innovative connections between informal and K-12 education communities. An important factor in the success of this program will be its alignment with STEM standards especially those related to science and mathematics. This presentation will describe the Space Weather Outreach program and how standards are being used in the development of each of its components.

Twelve Years of Education and Public Outreach with the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Cominsky, Lynn R.; McLin, K. M.; Simonnet, A.; Fermi E/PO Team

2013-04-01

During the past twelve years, NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has supported a wide range of Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) activities, targeting K-14 students and the general public. The purpose of the Fermi E/PO program is to increase student and public understanding of the science of the high-energy Universe, through inspiring, engaging and educational activities linked to the mission’s science objectives. The E/PO program has additional more general goals, including increasing the diversity of students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline, and increasing public awareness and understanding of Fermi science and technology. Fermi's multi-faceted E/PO program includes elements in each major outcome category: ● Higher Education: Fermi E/PO promotes STEM careers through the use of NASA data including research experiences for students and teachers (Global Telescope Network), education through STEM curriculum development projects (Cosmology curriculum) and through enrichment activities (Large Area Telescope simulator). ● Elementary and Secondary education: Fermi E/PO links the science objectives of the Fermi mission to well-tested, customer-focused and NASA-approved standards-aligned classroom materials (Black Hole Resources, Active Galaxy Education Unit and Pop-up book, TOPS guides, Supernova Education Unit). These materials have been distributed through (Educator Ambassador and on-line) teacher training workshops and through programs involving under-represented students (after-school clubs and Astro 4 Girls). ● Informal education and public outreach: Fermi E/PO engages the public in sharing the experience of exploration and discovery through high-leverage multi-media experiences (Black Holes planetarium and PBS NOVA shows), through popular websites (Gamma-ray Burst Skymap, Epo's Chronicles), social media (Facebook, MySpace), interactive web-based activities (Space Mysteries, Einstein@Home) and activities by

Tools for Engaging Scientists in Education and Public Outreach: Resources from NASA's Science Mission Directorate Forums

Science.gov (United States)

Buxner, S.; Grier, J.; Meinke, B. K.; Gross, N. A.; Woroner, M.

2014-12-01

The NASA Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forums support the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and its E/PO community by enhancing the coherency and efficiency of SMD-funded E/PO programs. The Forums foster collaboration and partnerships between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise. We will present tools to engage and resources to support scientists' engagement in E/PO efforts. Scientists can get connected to educators and find support materials and links to resources to support their E/PO work through the online SMD E/PO community workspace (http://smdepo.org) The site includes resources for scientists interested in E/PO including one page guides about "How to Get Involved" and "How to Increase Your Impact," as well as the NASA SMD Scientist Speaker's Bureau to connect scientists to audiences across the country. Additionally, there is a set of online clearinghouses that provide ready-made lessons and activities for use by scientists and educators: NASA Wavelength (http://nasawavelength.org/) and EarthSpace (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace/). The NASA Forums create and partner with organizations to provide resources specifically for undergraduate science instructors including slide sets for Earth and Space Science classes on the current topics in astronomy and planetary science. The Forums also provide professional development opportunities at professional science conferences each year including AGU, LPSC, AAS, and DPS to support higher education faculty who are teaching undergraduate courses. These offerings include best practices in instruction, resources for teaching planetary science and astronomy topics, and other special topics such as working with diverse students and the use of social media in the classroom. We are continually soliciting ways that we can better support scientists' efforts in effectively engaging in E/PO. Please contact Sanlyn Buxner (buxner@psi.edu) or Jennifer Grier (jgrier@psi.edu) to

78 FR 47419 - Requirements for the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers Program and the OSHA Outreach...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-05

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Docket No. OSHA-2009-0022] Requirements for the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers Program and the OSHA Outreach Training Program...) Requirements AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor. ACTION...

Tutorial Video Series: Using Stakeholder Outreach to Increase ...

Science.gov (United States)

The limited amount of toxicity data on thousands of chemicals found in consumer products has led to the development of research endeavors such as the U.S. EPA’s Toxicity Forecaster (ToxCast). ToxCast uses high-throughput screening technology to evaluate thousands of chemicals for potential toxicity. At the end of 2013, U.S. EPA released ToxCast chemical data on almost 2,000 chemicals through the interactive Chemical Safety for Sustainability (iCSS) Dashboard. The iCSS Dashboard provides public access to the high-throughput screening data that can be used to inform the evaluation of the safety of chemicals. U.S. EPA recognized early in the development of ToxCast that stakeholder outreach was needed in order to translate the complex scientific information featured in the iCSS Dashboard and data, with the goal of educating the diverse user community through targeted efforts to increase data usage and analysis. Through survey feedback and the request of stakeholders, a series of tutorial videos to demonstrate how to access and use the data has been planned, and the first video of the series has been released to guide data usage. This presentation will describe the video tutorial strategy including an overview of: 1) Stakeholder outreach goals and approach; 2) Planning, production, and dissemination of tutorial videos; 3) Overview of Survey Feedback; 4) Overview of tutorial video usage statistics and usage of the ToxCast data. This stakeholder-outreach approach

Commentary: Outreach, Engagement, and the Changing Culture of the University--1998

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, John V.

2016-01-01

In this commentary, author John Byrne reflects on his 1998 "Journal of Public Service & Outreach" article, "Outreach, Engagement, and the Changing Culture of the University" reprinted in this 20th anniversary issue of "Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement." Byrne's 1998 article was a call to modify…

The Role of the Modern Planetarium as an Effective Tool in Astronomy Education and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Albin, Edward F.

2016-01-01

As the planetarium approaches its 100th anniversary, today's planetarium educator must reflect on the role of such technology in contemporary astronomy education and outreach. The projection planetarium saw "first light" in 1923 at the Carl Zeiss factory in Jena, Germany. During the 20th century, the concept of a star projector beneath a dome flourished as an extraordinary device for the teaching of astronomy. The evolution of digital technology over the past twenty years has dramatically changed the perception / utilization of the planetarium. The vast majority of modern star theaters have shifted entirely to fulldome digital projection systems, abandoning the once ubiquitous electromechanical star projector altogether. These systems have evolved into ultra-high resolution theaters, capable of projecting imagery, videos, and any web-based media onto the dome. Such capability has rendered the planetarium as a multi-disciplinary tool, broadening its educational appeal to a wide variety of fields -- including life sciences, the humanities, and even entertainment venues. However, we suggest that what is at the heart of the planetarium appeal is having a theater adept at projecting a beautiful / accurate star-field. To this end, our facility chose to keep / maintain its aging Zeiss V star projector while adding fulldome digital capability. Such a hybrid approach provides an excellent compromise between presenting state of the art multimedia while at the same time maintaining the ability to render a stunning night sky. In addition, our facility maintains two portable StarLab planetariums for outreach purposes, one unit with a classic electromechanical star projector and the other having a relatively inexpensive fulldome projection system. With a combination of these technologies, it is possible for the planetarium to be an effective tool for astronomical education / outreach well into the 21st century.

CERN's approach to public outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Landua, Rolf

2016-03-01

CERN's communication goes beyond publishing scientific results. Education and outreach are equally important ways of communicating with the general public, and in particular with the young generation. Over the last decade, CERN has significantly increased its efforts to accommodate the very large interest of the general public (about 300,000 visit requests per year), by ramping up its capacity for guided tours from 25,000 to more than 100,000 visitors per year, by creating six new of state-of-the-art exhibitions on-site, by building and operating a modern physics laboratory for school teachers and students, and by showing several traveling exhibitions in about 10 countries per year. The offer for school teachers has also been expanded, to 35-40 weeks of teacher courses with more than 1000 participants from more than 50 countries per year. The talk will give an overview about these and related activities.

Seismology Outreach in Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Gardine, L.; Tape, C.; West, M. E.

2014-12-01

Despite residing in a state with 75% of North American earthquakes and three of the top 15 ever recorded, most Alaskans have limited knowledge about the science of earthquakes. To many, earthquakes are just part of everyday life, and to others, they are barely noticed until a large event happens, and often ignored even then. Alaskans are rugged, resilient people with both strong independence and tight community bonds. Rural villages in Alaska, most of which are inaccessible by road, are underrepresented in outreach efforts. Their remote locations and difficulty of access make outreach fiscally challenging. Teacher retention and small student bodies limit exposure to science and hinder student success in college. The arrival of EarthScope's Transportable Array, the 50th anniversary of the Great Alaska Earthquake, targeted projects with large outreach components, and increased community interest in earthquake knowledge have provided opportunities to spread information across Alaska. We have found that performing hands-on demonstrations, identifying seismological relevance toward career opportunities in Alaska (such as natural resource exploration), and engaging residents through place-based experience have increased the public's interest and awareness of our active home.

Mobile and Web Game Development: Using Videogames as an Educational and Outreach Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Jaime, Fernando I.

2012-01-01

Few tools reach out to capture the imagination and interests of children like video games do. As such, the development of educational applications that foster young minds' interest in science and technology become of the utmost importance. To this end, I spent my summer internship developing outreach and educational applications in conjunction with JPL's Space Place team. This small, but dedicated, team of people manages three NASA websites that focus on presenting science and technology information in such a manner that young children can understand it and develop an interest in the subjects. Besides the websites, with their plethora of educational content presented through hands-on activities, games and informative articles, the team also creates and coordinates the distribution of printed material to museums, astronomy clubs and a huge network of educators.

Assessing Challenges and Opportunities for Education and Communication Activities for International Polar Year 2007-2008

Science.gov (United States)

McCaffrey, M. S.

2005-05-01

Considerable planning has gone into identifying ways to maximize International Polar Year 2007-2008 (IPY) as a global event that will facilitate the integration of research and education inherent in IPY, and draw the interest and involvement of people around the world. Documents developed through the IPY planning process, including NRC Reports (2004), and drafts reports on education and outreach from the ICSU IPY Planning Group in the Fall of 2004, and the Bridging the Poles workshop of June, 2004, articulate the tremendous potential for IPY beyond the formal research agenda and goals. With less that two years before the start of IPY and fewer than fours years before the activities are completed, these and emerging opportunities face a number of challenges. In addition to the limited time frame remaining to prepare for these activities, participants involved with IPY education and outreach will also need to consider factors such as: uncertain funding for such activities; the lack of established international networks for geoscience education; the need for high level coordination of IPY education and communication; and the creative and intellectual challenge of making the polar regions relevant to people around the world. The planning process has identified six constituencies as key audiences of IPY communication efforts: i) the scientific/research community, ii) young and potentially new polar researchers, iii) the pre-university education community, iv) arctic communities, iv) the general public, and v) decision-makers. Understanding and meeting these audiences' expectations through on-going evaluation and engagement will be key to successful IPY education and outreach efforts. A number of distinct education and outreach projects have been proposed to the ICSU-WMO IPY planning process, such as courses and workshops on specific aspects of IPY, including efforts to address the social and cultural dimension of Arctic peoples. To help meet the challenges, achieve the

Convalescence care for seniors of lower Manhattan: an interdisciplinary outreach, rehabilitation, and education model.

Science.gov (United States)

Moroz, Alex; Schoeb, Veronika; Fan, Grace; Vitale, Kenneth; Lee, Mathew

2004-03-01

The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of an interdisciplinary geriatric outreach, rehabilitation, and education program for seniors. Community-dwelling Chinese seniors in lower Manhattan were recruited through outreach activities (17 educational workshops, three community health fairs, media interviews) and community physician referrals to offer rehabilitation services. The instrument administered at entry and exit included questions about pain intensity, quality of life, activities of daily living (ADLs), and an assessment of a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to life participation. The sample included 70 seniors (53 women) with a mean age of 70.5 +/- 7.48 years (range 60-93 years old) of whom 86% were Cantonese-speaking Chinese. The barriers-to-life participation assessment revealed cultural, communication, transportation, and physical environmental barriers as well as insufficient financial resources. Thirty-four patients who completed the program showed a significant improvement in quality of life. Patients' reports reflected a high degree of satisfaction with the program. Interdisciplinary team-oriented patient care, including a physiatrist, social worker, and rehabilitation staff, may result in good outcomes and high patient satisfaction in ambulatory community seniors.

How NASA's Space Science Support Network Can Assist DPS Members in Their Public Engagement Efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Miner, E. D.; Lowes, L. L.

2003-12-01

In her Carl Sagan Medal lecture last year, Heidi Hammel talked of the dos and don'ts of education and public outreach efforts by DPS members. She pointed out a number of misconceptions about what does and does not constitute "good EPO" and encouraged members to consult with "the experts" if they would like to improve their EPO effectiveness and reach. She named the DPS Education and Public Outreach Officer, Larry Lebofsky, his Deputy, Lou Mayo, and the DPS Press Officer, Ellis Miner, who also co-directs NASA's Solar System Exploration EPO Forum with Leslie Lowes. NASA's Space Science Support Network has been in existence for about six years. It has been directed by DPS member Jeff Rosendhal and is now serving as a model for NASA's new Education Enterprise. Members of the Support Network are prepared to assist (and haves been assisting) space scientists throughout the US and abroad in deciding where to spend their EPO efforts most effectively. The service is provided free of cost and includes, among other services, the following: (1) helping to establish partnerships between educators and scientists, (2) helping to link scientists and professional EPO organizations, (3) helping to link scientists to national youth and community groups, (4) providing ready access to EPO electronic and hardcopy products, (5) providing advice and direction in the preparation of EPO proposals to NASA, (6) helping to maintain several national networks of EPO volunteers, (7) encouraging (at home institutions) the broadening of scientist EPO efforts, (8) maintaining self-help websites for scientists interested in EPO.

Muggles, Meteoritic Armor, and Menelmacar: Using Fantasy Series in Astronomy Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, K.; Bednarski, M.

2008-11-01

Due in part to recent (and ongoing) film adaptations, the fantasy series of C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia), J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter), Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials), and J.R.R. Tolkien (The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings) are being introduced to a new audience of young (and not so young) readers. Many astronomers and astronomy educators are unaware of the wide variety of astronomical references contained in each series. The first portion of this workshop will introduce participants to these references, and highlight activities which educators, planetariums, and science centers have already developed to utilize these works in their education and outreach programs. In the second segment of the workshop, participants will develop ideas for activities and materials relevant to their individual circumstances, including standards-based education materials.

Visualizing Time Projection Chamber Data for Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Crosby, Jacob

2017-09-01

The widespread availability of portable computers in the form of smartphones provides a unique opportunity to introduce scientific concepts to a broad audience, for the purpose of education, or for the purpose of sharing exciting developments and research. Unity, a free game development platform, has been used to develop a program to visualize 3-D events from a Time Projection Chamber (TPC). The program can be presented as a Virtual Reality (VR) application on a smartphone, which can serve as a standalone demonstration for interested individuals, or as a resource for educators. An interactive experience to watch nuclear events unfold demonstrates the principles of particle detection with a TPC, as well as providing information about the particles present. Different kinds of reactions can be showcased. The current state of tools within this program for outreach and educational purposes will be highlighted and presented in this poster, along with key design concerns and optimizations necessary for running an interactive VR app. The events highlighted in this program are from the S πRIT TPC, but the program can be applied to other 3-D detectors. This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Grant Nos. DE-SC0014530, DE-NA0002923 and US NSF under Grant No. PHY-1565546.

Medical students educate teens about skin cancer: what have we learned?

Science.gov (United States)

Kamell, Jeanette M; Rietkerk, William; Lam, Ken; Phillips, Jason M; Wu, Jashin J; McCullough, Jerry L; Linden, Kenneth G; Osann, Kathryn

2011-03-01

Skin cancer is a serious societal problem, and public awareness outreach, including to youth, is crucial. Medical students have joined forces to educate adolescents about skin cancer with significant impacts; even one 50-min interactive outreach session led to sustained changes in knowledge and behavior in a cohort of 1,200 adolescents surveyed. Medical students can act as a tremendous asset to health awareness public outreach efforts: enthusiastic volunteerism keeps education cost-effective, results in exponential spread of information, reinforces knowledge and communication skills of future physicians, and can result in tangible, life-saving benefits such as early detection of melanoma.

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act: Information on Mortgage Protections and Related Education Efforts

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

activities; legal assistance attorneys provide counseling; and a number of outreach media , such as publications and websites, are aimed at informing...to servicemembers. DOD and the Consumer Federation of America also conduct the Military Saves Campaign every year, a social marketing campaign to...theft, and insurance scams targeted at servicemembers and their families. DOD established its financial education partnerships by signing memorandums

From Research Scientist to Public Outreach: A Personal Journey

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, R.

2004-12-01

Over the past six years I have made the transition from research oceanographer to an educator and public outreach specialist. The transition has been rewarding but difficult. On the way I had to learn the vocabulary and concepts of education (e.g. authentic assessment), effective web-page styles, and the difference between science and education--they are very different. I also met many enthusiastic and caring teachers who greatly eased my transition to educator. Some lessons learned. First, partner with experts. Successful outreach is a team effort. I was luck to have the opportunity to work closely with a great professor of education, Robert James, a wonderful middle-school teacher and Presidential Awardee, Margaret Hammer, and talented students, Jon Reisch and Don Johnson, from our School of ArchitectureAƒAøAøâ_sA¬Aøâ_zAøs Visualization Laboratory, who combined art and technology. Second, if you are a scientist, realize that scientists are too critical. We look for the one right answer, and for the flaws in data and theory. Educators look for the many ways to present ideas, all equally valid, and they value the worth of all students. AƒAøAøâ_sA¬A.â_oSo radical are the differences between the worlds of science and human affairs that their demands are sometimes in conflict.AƒAøAøâ_sA¬A_A¿A 1/2 -Philander: Our Affair With El Nino, p.5. Second, the web is a very efficient way of reaching many people. Thus, web skills are essential. Third, I am learning to be humble. There is much I need to learn. The skills necessary to be a successful research scientist are not sufficient for being a successful educator. Fourth, assess, assess, and assess. DonAƒAøAøâ_sA¬Aøâ_zAøt assume that what you create serves its purpose. Get feedback from educators, students, and scientists of all levels of experience.

Continuing Evaluation of S'COOL, an Educational Outreach Project Focused on NASA's CERES Program

Science.gov (United States)

Chambers, L. H.; Costulis, P. K.; Young, D. F.; Detweiler, P. T.; Sepulveda, R.; Stoddard, D. B.

2002-12-01

The Students' Cloud Observations On-Line (S'COOL) project began in early 1997 with 3 participating teachers acting as test sites. In the nearly 6 years since then, S'COOL has grown by leaps and bounds. Currently over 1250 sites in 61 countries are registered to participate. On the face of it, this seems like a huge success. However, to ensure that this effort continues to be useful to educators, we continue to use a variety of evaluation methods. S'COOL is a modest outreach effort associated with the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument of NASA's Earth Observing System. For most of its existence S'COOL has been run on the part-time efforts of a couple of CERES scientists, one or two web and database specialists, and a teacher-in-residence. Total funding for the project has never exceeded \\$300,000 per year, including everyone's time. Aside from the growth in registered participants, the number of cloud observations is also tracked. 6,500 were submitted in the past year, averaging about 20 per actively participating class, for a total of over 15,000 observations to date. S'COOL participation has always been at the discretion of the teacher; we do not require a set number of observations. Due to various difficulties with CERES data processing, only about 1,000 satellite matches to the observations are currently in the S'COOL database. However, examination of these matches has already provided some useful information about the problem of cloud detection from space. Less objective information is provided by extensive surveys of teachers attending our summer teacher workshops (run for 4 years and reaching 78 teachers so far), the on-line EDCATS survey run by NASA HQ which we ask our teachers to fill out annually, and day-to-day interaction with teachers - whether participants, conference attendees, or other interested educators. A new survey instrument is being designed (the last participant survey was in Fall 2000) and will be administered

Public Interaction and Educational Outreach on the Yucca Mountain Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benson, A.; Riding, Y.

2002-01-01

In July 2002, the U.S. Congress approved Yucca Mountain in Nevada as the nation's first long-term geologic repository site for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. This major milestone for the country's high-level radioactive waste disposal program comes after more than twenty years of scientific study and intense public interaction and outreach. This paper describes public interaction and outreach challenges faced by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Yucca Mountain Project in the past and what additional communication strategies may be instituted following the July 2002 approval by the U.S. Congress to develop the site as the nation's first long-term geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The DOE public involvement activities were driven by two federal regulations--the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982, as amended. The NEPA required that DOE hold public hearings at key points in the development of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the NWPA required the agency to conduct public hearings in the vicinity of the site prior to making a recommendation regarding the site's suitability. The NWPA also provided a roadmap for how DOE would interact with affected units of government, which include the state of Nevada and the counties surrounding the site. Because the Department anticipated and later received much public interest in this high-profile project, the agency decided to go beyond regulatory-required public involvement activities and created a broad-based program that implemented far-reaching public interaction and outreach tactics. Over the last two decades, DOE informed, educated, and engaged a myriad of interested local, national, and international parties using various traditional and innovative approaches. The Yucca Mountain Project's intensive public affairs initiatives were instrumental in involving the public, which in turn resulted in

Outreach to Addiction-A Month of Investing in Ability: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnitzer, Anna Ercoli

2015-01-01

Coordinated and organized by a disabilities librarian, the University of Michigan's Council for Disability Concerns provides annual outreach programs with biomedical themes through a series of educational events known as Investing in Ability. Every effort is made to reach the campus and the surrounding community to promote the council's goals of increased accessibility for all individuals with physical or developmental challenges, to de-stigmatize such conditions, and to educate the audience about disability-related topics. In 2014, Investing in Ability focused on the pressing and pervasive topic of addiction. Because audience attendance and interest were the highest that they have ever been for previous Investing in Ability events, the project will serve as a model in the future, possibly as one for other committees to emulate.

Geoscientist/Educator Partnerships at the University of Colorado: Strategies and Examples

Science.gov (United States)

Buhr, S. M.; Hare, J.; Healy, G.

2005-05-01

According to a study about the factors that engage and hinder scientists' involvement in education and outreach (Andrews et.al., 2005), the presence of a dedicated outreach coordinator who can provide a point of contact and lessen the burden on scientists is one of the keys to success. For the past nine years, research scientists at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) have worked in partnership with just such a coordinating team, the CIRES Education and Outreach group. As funding agency emphasis on education and social impacts has increased, so have the opportunities to develop educational projects intrinsically linked to current geoscience research. One such effort is Ocean Interactions, a project which began as a ship-shore student communication opportunity at the initiation of the researcher. The roles of each contributor to the partnership will be described, along with the framework through which CIRES supports scientist/educator partnerships of this sort. Andrews, Elisabeth, Alexandra Weaver, Daniel Hanley, Jeff Hovermill, Ginger Melton. 2005. "Scientists and Public Outreach: Participation, Motivations and Impediments." Journal of Geoscience Education in press May 2005.

UNAVCO's Education and Community Engagement Program: Evaluating Five years of Geoscience Education and Community Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Charlevoix, D. J.; Dutilly, E.

2017-12-01

In 2013, UNAVCO, a facility co-sponsored by the NSF and NASA, received a five-year award from the NSF: Geodesy Advancing Geosciences and EarthScope (GAGE). Under GAGE, UNAVCO's Education and Community Engagement (ECE) program conducts outreach and education activities, in essence broader impacts for the scientific community and public. One major challenge of this evaluation was the breadth and depth of the dozens of projects conducted by the ECE program under the GAGE award. To efficiently solve this problem of a large-scale program evaluation, we adopted a deliberative democratic (DD) approach that afforded UNAVCO ECE staff a prominent voice in the process. The evaluator directed staff members to chose the projects they wished to highlight as case studies of their finest broader impacts work. The DD approach prizes inclusion, dialogue, and deliberation. The evaluator invited ECE staff to articulate qualities of great programs and develop a case study of their most valuable broader impacts work. To anchor the staff's opinion in more objectivity than opinion, the evaluator asked each staff member to articulate exemplary qualities of their chosen project, discuss how these qualities fit their case study, and helped staff to develop data collection systems that lead to an evidence-based argument in support of their project's unique value. The results of this evaluation show that the individual ECE work areas specialized in certain kinds of projects. However, when viewed at the aggregate level, ECE projects spanned almost the entire gamut of NSF broader impacts categories. Longitudinal analyses show that since the beginning of the GAGE award, many projects grew in impact from year 1 to year 5. While roughly half of the ECE projects were prior work projects, by year five at least 33% of projects were newly developed under GAGE. All selected case studies exemplified how education and outreach work can be productively tied to UNAVCO's core mission of promoting geodesy.

Engaging Scientists in Meaningful E/PO: How the NASA SMD E/PO Community Addresses Informal Educators' Preferences for PD and Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Bartolone, Lindsay; Nelson, Andi; Smith, Denise A.; NASA SMD Astrophysics E/PO Community

2015-01-01

The NASA Astrophysics Science Education and Public Outreach Forum (SEPOF) coordinates the work of NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Astrophysics EPO projects. These teams work together to capitalize on the cutting-edge discoveries of NASA Astrophysics missions to support educators in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and to enable youth to engage in doing STEM inside and outside of school. The Astrophysics Forum assists scientists and educators with becoming involved in SMD E/PO, which is uniquely poised to foster collaboration between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise, and makes SMD E/PO resources and expertise accessible to the science and education communities. Informal educators participated in a recent nationally-distributed survey from the NASA SMD SEPOF Informal Education Working Group. The results show the preferences of staff from museums, parks, public libraries, community/afterschool centers, and others with regard to professional development and material resources. The results of the survey will be presented during this session.In addition, we present opportunities for the astronomy community to participate in collaborations supporting the NASA SMD efforts in K-12 Formal Education, Informal Science Education, and Outreach. These efforts focus on enhancing instruction, as well as youth and public engagement, in STEM via use of research-based best practices, collaborations with libraries, partnerships with local and national organizations, and remote engagement of audiences. The Forums' efforts for the Formal, Informal Science Education and Outreach communities include a literature review, appraisal of informal educators' needs, coordination of audience-based NASA resources and opportunities, professional development, plus support with the Next Generation Science Standards. Learn how to join in our collaborative efforts to support the K-12 Formal Education community and to reach the informal

The role of entomology in environmental and science education: Comparing outreach methods for their impact on student and teacher content knowledge and motivation

Science.gov (United States)

Weeks, Faith J.

Outreach programming can be an important way for local students and teachers to be exposed to new fields while enhancing classroom learning. University-based outreach programs are offered throughout the country, including most entomology departments as few individuals learn about insects in school and these programs can be excellent sources of entomological education, as well as models to teach environmental and science education. Each department utilizes different instructional delivery methods for teaching about insects, which may impact the way in which students and teachers understand the insect concepts presented. To determine the impact of using entomology to enhance science and environmental education, this study used a series of university-based entomology outreach programs to compare three of the most common delivery methods for their effect on teacher and student content knowledge and motivation, specifically student interest in entomology and teacher self-efficacy. Twenty fifth grade classrooms were assessed over the course of one school year. The results show that teacher knowledge significantly increased when teachers were unfamiliar with the content and when trained by an expert, and teacher self-efficacy did not decrease when asked about teaching with insects. For students, content knowledge increased for each lesson regardless of treatment, suggesting that outreach program providers should focus on working with local schools to integrate their field into the classroom through the delivery methods best suited to the needs of the university, teachers, and students. The lessons also had an impact on student interest in science and environmental education, with an overall finding that student interest increases when using insects in the classroom.

Virtual Knowledge Production within a Physician Educational Outreach Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce Carleton

2011-03-01

Full Text Available This paper describe the impacts and lessons learned of using conferencing technologies to support knowledge production activities within an academic detailing group. A three year case study was conducted in which 20 Canadian health professionals collaborated on developing educational outreach materials for family physicians. The groups communicated in face-to-face, teleconferencing, and web-conferencing environments. Data was collected over three years (2004-2007 and consisted of structured interviews, meeting transcripts, and observation notes. The analysis consisted of detailed reviews and comparisons of the data from the various sources. The results revealed several key findings on the on the impacts of conferencing technologies on knowledge production activities of academic detailers. The study found that: 1 The rigid communication structures of web-conferencing forced group members to introduce other tools for communication 2 Group discussions were perceived to be more conducive in face-to-face meetings and least conducive teleconferencing meetings; 3 Web-conferencing had an impact on information sharing; 4 Web-conferencing forces group interaction “within the text”. The study demonstrates the impacts and lessons learned of academic detailing groups collaborating at a distance to produce physician education materials. The results can be used as the bases for future research and as a practical guide for collaborative academic detailing groups working within a virtual collaborative and educational environment.

Preliminary Results from a Survey of DPS Scientist’s Attitudes, Activities and Needs in Education and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Grier, Jennifer A.; Buxner, Sanlyn; Schneider, Nick

2014-11-01

The NASA SMD Planetary Sciences Forum, in partnership with the AAS DPS Education officer has conducted a semi-structured series of interviews with two-dozen DPS members to ascertain: the nature E/PO activities pursued by scientists, what resources and professional development opportunities are needed by scientists, how to increase the impact of scientists’ E/PO efforts, scientists’ concerns and questions regarding E/PO, and what we can do to identify opportunities to address these issues, both from the SMD and DPS perspectives. Members were contacted by phone, and responded to a loose script of questions over a time span of 20 to 90 minutes, depending on the individual. Members were chosen to represent a variety of career experience, home institutions and affiliations, and level of involvement with E/PO. Questions included: What is your level of involvement in E/PO? What sort of professional development or resources would you like to have to increase the efficiency of your E/PO efforts? What barriers to E/PO involvement have you encountered? How do you use social media in your E/PO efforts, if at all? What are your motivations for involvement in E/PO? etc. Our results are consistent with previous research conducted regarding this issue, but they do offer insight specific to the nature of DPS members and their views about E/PO. We will present a subset of these results, the opportunities they present, and the responses of both the PS Forum and the DPS. Based on this survey, the SMD PS Forum was able to identify specific new resources needed by scientists, and therefore developed the brief-one page guides, “The Quick Introduction to Education and Public Outreach,” and “Making the Most of Your E/PO Time - Increasing Your Efficiency and Impact.” Further resources and professional development opportunities will be developed as the data continue to be reviewed. This data collection effort is ongoing. If you would like to become involved, contact Jennifer

Face Time: Meaningful Public Engagement Through Interactive, In-Person Outreach Efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Bartel, B. A.; Agopian, M.

2017-12-01

Science festivals, classrooms, community groups, and farmers markets provide rich opportunities for scientists to interact with the non-expert public. These venues offer scientists not only the opportunity to explain their science to the public, but to actually converse about the science, to put a human face with the scientific enterprise, and to learn about the values and knowledge levels of people within our communities. This interaction allows us to connect with a curious and sometimes skeptical public, correct misinformation, inspire the next generation (and the next generation's parents), and speak directly with voters about the relevance of science to our daily lives. While other channels of communication may reach a broader audience, these in-person, often one-on-one interactions make for meaningful, memorable, and potentially impactful experiences for scientists and non-experts alike. Skills used to engage the public in these planned events are the same skills we need to engage in any productive conversation. Communications training addressing effective conversations with non-experts can help scientists communicate more effectively not only by helping us hone our messaging, but also by recognizing our assumptions, biases, and our tendency to explain more than listen, even when our will is good. We have provided communications training based on the NSF-funded Portal to the Public (PoP) framework to students, post-docs, and educators. Feedback indicates these communications workshops improve participants' teaching abilities, confidence in engaging with the public, and even ability to articulate research to fellow scientists. In this presentation, we will share best practices for engaging non-experts based on PoP, as well as drawing from our experience in outreach at events, in classrooms, and in museums.

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute's education and public outreach program: Working toward a global 21st century space exploration society

Science.gov (United States)

MacLeish, Marlene Y.; Thomson, William A.; Moreno, Nancy P.

2011-05-01

Space Exploration educators worldwide are confronting challenges and embracing opportunities to prepare students for the global 21st century workforce. The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI), established in 1997 through a NASA competition, is a 12-university consortium dedicated to space life science research and education. NSBRI's Education and Public Outreach Program (EPOP) is advancing the Institute's mission by responding to global educational challenges through activities that: provide teacher professional development; develop curricula that teach students to communicate with their peers across the globe; provide women and minority US populations with greater access to, and awareness of science careers; and promote international science education partnerships. A recent National Research Council (NRC) Space Studies Board Report, America's Future in Space: Aligning the Civil Program with National Needs, acknowledges that "a capable workforce for the 21st century is a key strategic objective for the US space program… (and that) US problems requiring best efforts to understand and resolve…are global in nature and must be addressed through mutual worldwide action". [1] This sentiment has gained new momentum through a recent National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) report, which recommends that the life of the International Space Station be extended beyond the planned 2016 termination. [2] The two principles of globalization and ISS utility have elevated NSBRI EPOP efforts to design and disseminate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educational materials that prepare students for full participation in a globalized, high technology society; promote and provide teacher professional development; create research opportunities for women and underserved populations; and build international educational partnerships. This paper describes select EPOP projects and makes the case for using innovative, emerging information

Advertising public outreach--going where the people are

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradford, D.; Burns, D.

1994-01-01

In a continuing effort to invite new and larger segments of the public to participate in Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP) Public Outreach Programs, examination of methods to enhance existing Public Outreach advertising programs began in 1993. Apart from the desire to promote greater public awareness and participation of the YMP, the Project itself is receiving less coverage of its scientific aspects in the local media. Since the public is already comfortable receiving messages in these media, this becomes an additional reason to explore and study advertising as a platform for invitations to the public

Small Drinking Water Systems Communication and Outreach Highlights

Science.gov (United States)

As part of our small drinking water systems efforts, this poster highlights several communications and outreach highlights that EPA's Office of Research and Development and Office of Water have been undertaking in collaboration with states and the Association of State Drinking Wa...

Education and public outreach at the Carl Sagan Solar Observatory of the University of Sonora

Science.gov (United States)

Saucedo-Morales Julio; Loera-González, Pablo

2013-05-01

We discuss the importance of small solar observatories for EPO (Education and Public Outreach), mentioning why they are relevant and what kind of equipment and software require. We stress the fact that technological advances have made them affordable and that they should be widely available. This work is a result of our experience with one: The Carl Sagan Solar Observatory (CSSO). We briefly describe its status and the solar data obtained daily with students participation. We present examples of the data obtained in the visible, Ca II and two in Hα. Data which is widely used for education. Finally we talk about the capability for remote operation as an open invitation for collaboration in educational and scientific projects.

The University of Delaware Carlson International Polar Year Events: Collaborative and Educational Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, F. E.; Bryant, T.; Wellington, P.; Dooley, J.; Bird, M.

2008-12-01

efforts on behalf of the University among public funding agencies, private foundations, and prominent Delaware corporations. The Carlson project includes public lectures and receptions, interdisciplinary seminars, films, art exhibitions, and other events to promote knowledge about the polar regions. The series is co-sponsored by the UD Center for International Studies, the UD Office of the Provost, all of UD's seven Colleges, and the American Geographical Society. The University's Office of Communications and Marketing is involved in all events through a wide variety of media. Educational outreach is achieved through the University's Academy of Lifelong Learning, the State of Delaware's Department of Education, and K-12 curricular efforts coordinated by a teacher with extensive field experience in Antarctica.

Education and Outreach Opportunities in New Astronomical Facilities

Science.gov (United States)

Mould, J. R.; Pompea, S.

2002-12-01

Astronomy presents extraordinary opportunities for engaging young people in science from an early age. The National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), supported by the National Science Foundation, leverages the attraction of astronomy with a suite of formal and informal education programs that engage our scientists and education and public outreach professionals in effective, strategic programs that capitalize on NOAO's role as a leader in science and in the design of new astronomical facilities. The core of the science education group at NOAO in Tucson consists of a group of Ph.D.-level scientists with experience in educational program management, curriculum and instructional materials development, teacher/scientist partnerships, and teacher professional development. This core group of scientist/educators hybrids has a strong background in earth and space science education as well as experience in working with and teaching about the technology that has enabled new astronomical discoveries. NOAO has a vigorous public affairs/media program and a history of effectively working locally, regionally, and nationally with the media, schools, science centers, and, planetaria. In particular, NOAO has created successful programs exploring how research data and tools can be used most effectively in the classroom. For example, the Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education explores how teachers can most effectively integrate astronomical research on novae, active galactic nuclei, and the Sun into classroom-based investigations. With immersive summer workshops at Kitt Peak National Observatory and the National Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak, teachers learn research and instrumentation skills and how to encourage and maintain research activities in their classrooms. Some of the new facilities proposed in the recent decadal plan, Astronomy and Astrophysics in the New Millennium (National Academy Press), can provide extended opportunities for incorporating

The ATS Web Page Provides "Tool Boxes" for: Access Opportunities, Performance, Interfaces, Volume, Environments, "Wish List" Entry and Educational Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

1999-01-01

This viewgraph presentation gives an overview of the Access to Space website, including information on the 'tool boxes' available on the website for access opportunities, performance, interfaces, volume, environments, 'wish list' entry, and educational outreach.

I Love My Sun: An Educational Space Weather Outreach Tool for Children and Senior People

Science.gov (United States)

Tulunay, Yurdanur; Tulunay, Ersin

2014-05-01

In the present day society, there is a vital need for setting up education and outreach activities in the Space Weather field for creating a healthy environment for the proper development of Space Weather markets along with the fundamental and applied research activities. It is important to educate children about the important role that the Sun has in their lives. This presentation gives an educational outreach tool entitled "I Love My Sun" that has been developed for school children in the approximate age group 7 through 11 years. Its main objective is to make children aware of space weather, the Sun, Sun-Earth relations and how they, the children, are part of this global picture. Children are given a lecture about the Sun; this is preceded and followed by the children drawing a picture of the Sun. The activity was initiated by Y. Tulunay in Ankara, Turkey as national project in the context of the 50th anniversary of Space Age and IHY activities. Since then it has been extended into a spatial (Europe) and temporal dimensions. A metric has been developed to facilitate an objective evaluation of the outcomes of the Events. In this presentation, the background behind the "I Love My Sun" initiative is given and it is described how to perform an "I Love My Sun" event. Impressions and main results from the case studies are given. As a new extension, preliminary examples are also given concerning senior people.

Supporting Students as Scientists: One Mission's Efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, J.; Chambers, L. H.; Trepte, C. R.

2012-12-01

NASA's CALIPSO satellite mission provides an array of opportunities for teachers, students, and the general public. In developing our latest plan for education and public outreach, CALIPSO focused on efforts that would support students as scientists. CALIPSO EPO activities are aimed at inspiring young scientists through multiple avenues of potential contact, including: educator professional development, student-scientist mentoring, curriculum resource development, and public outreach through collaborative mission efforts. In this session, we will explore how these avenues complement one another and take a closer look at the development of the educator professional development activities. As part of CALIPSO's EPO efforts, we have developed the GLOBE Atmosphere Investigations Programs (AIP). The program encourages students to engage in authentic science through research on the atmosphere. The National Research Council (NRC) has emphasized the importance of teaching scientific inquiry in the National Science Education Standards (1996, 2000) and scientific practice in the recent Framework for K-12 Science Education (2011). In order to encourage student-centered science inquiry, teacher training utilizing GLOBE Atmosphere Investigations and GLOBE's Student Research Process are provided to middle and high school teachers to assist them in incorporating real scientific investigations into their classroom. Through participation in the program, teachers become a part of GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) - an international community of teachers, students, and scientists studying environmental science in over 24,000 schools around the world. The program uses NASA's satellites and the collection of atmosphere data by students to provide an engaging science learning experience for the students, and teachers. The GLOBE Atmosphere Investigations program offers year-long support to both teachers and students through direct involvement with NASA

Public Interaction and Educational Outreach on the Yucca Mountain Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A. Benson; Y. Riding

2002-11-14

In July 2002, the U.S. Congress approved Yucca Mountain in Nevada as the nation's first long-term geologic repository site for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. This major milestone for the country's high-level radioactive waste disposal program comes after more than twenty years of scientific study and intense public interaction and outreach. This paper describes public interaction and outreach challenges faced by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Yucca Mountain Project in the past and what additional communication strategies may be instituted following the July 2002 approval by the U.S. Congress to develop the site as the nation's first long-term geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The DOE public involvement activities were driven by two federal regulations--the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982, as amended. The NEPA required that DOE hold public hearings at key points in the development of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the NWPA required the agency to conduct public hearings in the vicinity of the site prior to making a recommendation regarding the site's suitability. The NWPA also provided a roadmap for how DOE would interact with affected units of government, which include the state of Nevada and the counties surrounding the site. Because the Department anticipated and later received much public interest in this high-profile project, the agency decided to go beyond regulatory-required public involvement activities and created a broad-based program that implemented far-reaching public interaction and outreach tactics. Over the last two decades, DOE informed, educated, and engaged a myriad of interested local, national, and international parties using various traditional and innovative approaches. The Yucca Mountain Project's intensive public affairs initiatives were instrumental in involving the public

Improving science literacy and education through space life sciences

Science.gov (United States)

MacLeish, M. Y.; Moreno, N. P.; Tharp, B. Z.; Denton, J. J.; Jessup, G.; Clipper, M. C.

2001-01-01

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) encourages open involvement by scientists and the public at large in the Institute's activities. Through its Education and Public Outreach Program, the Institute is supporting national efforts to improve Kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) and undergraduate education and to communicate knowledge generated by space life science research to lay audiences. Three academic institution Baylor College of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine and Texas A&M University are designing, producing, field-testing, and disseminating a comprehensive array of programs and products to achieve this goal. The objectives of the NSBRI Education and Public Outreach program are to: promote systemic change in elementary and secondary science education; attract undergraduate students--especially those from underrepresented groups--to careers in space life sciences, engineering and technology-based fields; increase scientific literacy; and to develop public and private sector partnerships that enhance and expand NSBRI efforts to reach students and families. c 2001. Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

PROFESSIONALS BACK TO SCHOOL - AN ENGINEERING OUTREACH PROGRAMME: A CASE STUDY IN MALAYSIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BALAMURALITHARA BALAKRISHNAN

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The introduction of engineering education in K-12 classrooms opens up a number of opportunities for STEM learning to support the acquisition of knowledge and skills related to science and mathematics subjects. Several initiatives, including outreach programmes, have been carried out to promote engineering subjects and professions. To supplement the existing Malaysian curricula, an outreach programme seems a viable solution to help improve the understanding and awareness of the importance of engineering among students. In this regard, an engineering outreach program called Professionals Back to School was carried out involving a group of 40 students with the participation of several engineering practitioners. Later all the participants were interviewed to elicit feedback on the programme. The findings of the interview showed that all the participants agreed that the outreach programme was beneficial, and a majority found it to be motivational. Given these positive findings, engineering outreach programmes are highly recommended to Malaysian secondary schools to help create interest among schoolchildren in STEM education and professions.

A Shark's Eye View of the Ocean Floor: Integration of Oceanographic Research with Educational Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Moser, K.; Harpp, K. S.; Ketchum, J. T.; Espinoza, E.; Penaherrera, C.; Banks, S.; Fornari, D. J.; Geist, D.; Mittelstaedt, E. L.; R/v Melville Mv1007 Flamingo Cruise Scientific Party

2010-12-01

We have developed an interdisciplinary outreach program in which students will use the geological findings of the recent R/V Melville MV1007 Cruise to answer important questions in the Galápagos Archipelago. The cruise surveyed the seafloor between the Galápagos Platform and the Galápagos Spreading Center. Data collected from this cruise include observations using remote mapping instruments (MR1 sidescan sonar, EM122 multibeam bathymetry, and towed digital camera), dredged rock samples, gravity data, and magnetic data. The primary goal of this expedition was to gain a better understanding of the magmatic and volcanic processes that form the Galápagos seamounts and islands as well as provide information about the interaction between mantle plumes and mid-ocean ridges. The designed outreach program is intended to improve the integration of education and research by making our recent research findings understandable to students and others outside the field. The final product is an interdisciplinary, web-based resource accessible to the general public but targeted specifically for high school students enrolled in earth science courses. This resource begins by using a series of hands-on exploratory exercises to teach students about the origin of the geological features in the study area, with a focus on seamounts and submarine volcanism. Fundamental geoscience skills addressed in the curricular materials include using latitude and longitude, reading geologic maps and interpreting images of the seafloor, and calculating seafloor spreading rates, among others. Through a sequence of increasingly sophisticated exercises grounded in Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning, students practice their skills by interpreting bathymetric maps, exploring the distribution of submarine volcanism in the Galápagos, and investigating plume-ridge interaction. Students use these geological concepts to address important biological questions in the Galápagos, primarily the distribution of

An Interdisciplinary Outreach Model of African American Recruitment for Alzheimer's Disease Research

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Monique M.; Meisel, Marie M.; Williams, James; Morris, John C.

2011-01-01

Purpose: The African American Outreach Satellite (Satellite) provides educational outreach to facilitate African American recruitment for longitudinal studies at the Washington University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC). This descriptive article characterizes the Satellite's recruitment methods, plan for community engagement, results of…

Public Outreach of the South Texas Health Physic Society and Texas A and M University Nuclear Engineering Department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, R. O.

2003-01-01

In a cooperative effort of the members of the South Texas Chapter of the Heath Physics Society (STC-HPS) and the Texas A and M University Nuclear Engineering Department, great efforts have been made to reach out and provide educational opportunities to members of the general public, school age children, and specifically teachers. These efforts have taken the form of Science Teacher Workshops (STW), visits to schools all over the state of Texas, public forums, and many other educational arenas. A major motivational factor for these most recent efforts can be directly tied to the attempt of the State of Texas to site a low-level radioactive waste facility near Sierra Blanca in West Texas. When the State of Texas first proposed to site a low level radioactive waste site after the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980 was passed, many years of political struggle ensued. Finally, a site at Sierra Blanca in far West Texas was selected for study and characterization for a disposal site for waste generated in the Texas Compact states of Maine, Vermont and Texas. During this process, the outreach to and education of the local public became a paramount issue

Education of the Pierre Auger Observatory: The Cinema as a Tool in Science Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, B.; Raschia, C.

2006-08-01

The Auger collaboration's broad mission in education, outreach and public relations is coordinated in a separate task. Its goals are to encourage and support a wide range of outreach efforts that link schools and the public with the Auger scientists and the science of cosmic rays, particle physics, astrophysics in general, and associated technologies. This report focuses on recent activities and future initiatives and, especially, on a very recent professional production of two educative videos for children between 6 and 11 years: "Messengers of Space" (18 min), and for general audiences: "An Adventure of the Mind" (20 min). The use of new resources, as 2D- and 3D-animation, to teach and learn in sciences is also discussed.

Determinants of microfinance outreach in Sub-Saharan Africa: A panel approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulai Adams

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Orientation: The study focused on analysing the outreach performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs in providing critical services for the poor using innovative lending techniques within constrained environments. Research purpose: The study examined the trade-off relations between the depth and the breadth of outreach and identified institutional level factors that influence MFIs outreach in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA. Motivation for the study: MFIs continue to play critical roles in extending financial services to the poor and yet previous studies have not analysed comprehensively the dimensions of outreach necessary for financial inclusion. Research design, approach and methods: The study employed correlation analysis and random effects methodology to panel data regression analysis (619 observations, 71 MFIs across 10 countries to establish the trade-off relations and the determinants of outreach in SSA. Main findings: It was established that a trade-off exists between the depth of outreach (access to credit disbursement by poor clients and breadth of outreach (number of clients served. The results further revealed that gross loan portfolio, portfolio at risk, borrower per staff member, interest rate, and operating expenses to assets ratio are the main institutional determinants of MFIs outreach in SSA. Practical/managerial implications: The policy implication is that MFIs that concentrate efforts in reaching the relatively poor do so at the expense of reaching a large number of poor clients. We suggest that effective monitoring of depth and breadth and the adoption and implementation of cost-saving outreach technologies by MFIs could enable them to operate sustainably and efficiently. Contribution/value added: A major contribution of the study is the trade-off relations revealed between the depth of outreach and the breadth of outreach of MFIs which advances the outreach literature.

Canadian Geoscience Education Network (CGEN): Fostering Excellence in Earth Science Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Haidl, F. M.; Vodden, C.; Bates, J. L.; Morgan, A. V.

2009-05-01

CGEN, the outreach arm of the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences, is a network of more than 270 individuals from all over Canada who work to promote geoscience education and public awareness of science. CGEN's priorities are threefold: to improve the quality of Earth science education delivered in our primary and secondary schools; to raise public awareness about the Earth sciences and their impact on everyday life; and to encourage student interest in the Earth sciences as a career option. These priorities are supported by CGEN's six core programs: 1) The national EdGEO program (www.edgeo.org), initiated in the 1970s, supports Earth science workshops for teachers. These workshops, organized by teams of local educators and geoscientists, provide teachers with "enhanced knowledge, classroom resources and increased confidence" to more effectively teach Earth science. In 2008, a record 521 teachers attended 14 EdGEO workshops. 2) EarthNet (www.earthnet-geonet.ca) is a virtual resource centre that provides support for teachers and for geoscientists involved in education and outreach. In 2008, EarthNet received a $11,500 grant from Encana Corporation to develop energy-related content. 3) The new Careers in Earth Science website (www.earthsciencescanada.com/careers), launched in October 2008, enhances CGEN's capacity to encourage students to pursue a career in the Earth sciences. This project exemplifies the value of collaboration with other organizations. Seven groups provided financial support for the project and many other organizations and individuals contributed in-kind support. 4) Geoscape Canada and Waterscape Canada, programs led by the Geological Survey of Canada, communicate practical Earth science information to teachers, students, and other members of communities across Canada through a series of electronic and hard-copy posters and other resources. Many of the resources created from 1998 to 2007 are available online (www.geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca). A northern

Small Drinking Water Systems Communication and Outreach ...

Science.gov (United States)

As part of our small drinking water systems efforts, this poster highlights several communications and outreach highlights that EPA's Office of Research and Development and Office of Water have been undertaking in collaboration with states and the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators. To share information at EPA's annual small drinking water systems workshop

Eliminating the OUCH in OUtreaCH

Science.gov (United States)

Karsten, J. L.; Manduca, C. A.

2004-12-01

``I'm a scientist who knows how to conduct research, not an expert in teaching pre-college students!'' is a common complaint within the scientific community in response to recent funding agency mandates that research proposals explicitly address education, public outreach or other broader impacts. Yet, these new requirements address several important goals - fostering public support for research funding in the Earth and Space sciences, recruiting the next generation of talented geoscientists in the face of declining student enrollments, and educating the citizenry for informed decision making and advocacy, chief among them. Further, the phrase ``broader impacts'' is not meant to be synonymous with outreach to pre-college students and teachers - agency program managers actually encourage many different types of activity for meeting these obligations. AGU and its Committee on Education and Human Resources (CEHR) are committed to offering an array of programs that facilitate our members' ability to meet these new education, outreach, and broader impacts criteria in support of the research enterprise. CEHR has an on-going need for scientists willing to speak about their research in Geophysical Information for Teacher (GIFT) Workshops, sponsored lectures at annual and regional conventions of the National Science Teachers Association, special symposia for minority high school students attending annual AGU meetings, and career planning workshops for students and early career investigators. More extensive involvement as meeting mentors for minority undergraduate and graduate students is available through AGU's partnership with the new MSPHDS initiative (A. Pyrtle, P.I.). A new AGU outreach web site now under development will make available scientist biographies and abstracts derived from recent scientific articles originally published in AGU journals, which have been rewritten for a public audience. This resource is expected to serve as an important vehicle for AGU members

Education and public outreach at the Carl Sagan Solar Observatory of the University of Sonora

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julio Saucedo-Morales

2013-05-01

Full Text Available We discuss the importance of small solar observatories for EPO (Education and Public Outreach, mentioning why they are relevant and what kind of equipment and software require. We stress the fact that technological advances have made them affordable and that they should be widely available. This work is a result of our experience with one: The Carl Sagan Solar Observatory (CSSO. We briefly describe its status and the solar data obtained daily with students participation. We present examples of the data obtained in the visible, Ca II and two in Hα. Data which is widely used for education. Finally we talk about the capability for remote operation as an open invitation for collaboration in educational and scientific projects.

A Pilot Astronomy Outreach Project in Bangladesh

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, Dipen; Mridha, Shahjahan; Afroz, Maqsuda

2015-08-01

In its strategic planning for the "Astronomy for Development Project," the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has ecognized, among other important missions, the role of astronomy in understanding the far-reaching possibilities for promoting global tolerance and citizenship. Furthermore, astronomy is deemed inspirational for careers in science and technology. The "Pilot Astronomy Outreach Project in Bangladesh"--the first of its kind in the country--aspires to fulfill these missions. As Bangladesh lacks resources to promote astronomy education in universities and schools, the role of disseminating astronomy education to the greater community falls on citizen science organizations. One such group, Anushandhitshu Chokro (AChokro) Science Organization, has been carrying out a successful public outreach program since 1975. Among its documented public events, AChokro organized a total solar eclipse campaign in Bangladesh in 2009, at which 15,000 people were assembled in a single open venue for the eclipse observation. The organization has actively pursued astronomy outreach to dispel public misconceptions about astronomical phenomena and to promote science. AChokro is currently working to build an observatory and Science Outreach Center around a recently-acquired 14-inch Scmidt-Cassegrain telescope and a soon-to-be-acquired new 16-inch reflector, all funded by private donations. The telescopes will be fitted with photometers, spectrometers, and digital and CCD cameras to pursue observations that would include sun spot and solar magnetic fields, planetary surfaces, asteroid search, variable stars and supernovae. The Center will be integrated with schools, colleges, and community groups for regular observation and small-scale research. Special educational and observing sessions for adults will also be organized. Updates on the development of the Center, which is expected to be functioning by the end of 2015, will be shared and feedback invited on the fostering of

Impact of drug awareness and treatment camps on attendance at a community outreach de-addiction clinic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Om Prakash Giri

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Substance misuse is an increasing problem in urban and rural India. The utility of community-based interventions and preventive strategies are increasingly emphasized in this context. The drug de-addiction and treatment center, Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, has been running a drug de-addiction and treatment clinic at Kharar Civil Hospital, Kharar, District Mohali, Punjab, since 1998. As part of an effort to enhance this community outreach program, community-based drug awareness and treatment camps have been organized since March 2004 in villages in and around Tehsil Kharar of Mohali. Aim: To study the impact of the drug awareness and treatment camps on the attendance of patients at the community outreach drug de-addiction and treatment clinic at Kharar Civil Hospital. Methods: Sociodemographic and clinical variables, including treatment outcome-related variables, of patients attending the clinic at Kharar Civil Hospital, before and after the camps were compared. Discussion and Conclusion: The study showed a positive impact on drug awareness and treatment camps held in the community on outpatient attendance at a community outreach clinic, with attendance increasing more than 1.8 times.

Outreach Education Modules on Space Sciences in Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, I.-Te; Tiger Liu, Jann-Yeng; Chen, Chao-Yen

2013-04-01

The Ionospheric Radio Science Laboratory (IRSL) at Institute of Space Science, National Central University in Taiwan has been conducting a program for public outreach educations on space science by giving lectures, organizing camps, touring exhibits, and experiencing hand-on experiments to elementary school, high school, and college students as well as general public since 1991. The program began with a topic of traveling/living in space, and was followed by space environment, space mission, and space weather monitoring, etc. and a series of course module and experiment (i.e. experiencing activity) module was carried out. For past decadal, the course modules have been developed to cover the space environment of the Sun, interplanetary space, and geospace, as well as the space technology of the rocket, satellite, space shuttle (plane), space station, living in space, observing the Earth from space, and weather observation. Each course module highlights the current status and latest new finding as well as discusses 1-3 key/core issues/concepts and equip with 2-3 activity/experiment modules to make students more easily to understand the topics/issues. Meanwhile, scientific camps are given to lead students a better understanding and interesting on space science. Currently, a visualized image projecting system, Dagik Earth, is developed to demonstrate the scientific results on a sphere together with the course modules. This system will dramatically improve the educational skill and increase interests of participators.

Enhancing school-based asthma education efforts using computer-based education for children.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabors, Laura A; Kockritz, Jennifer L; Ludke, Robert L; Bernstein, Jonathan A

2012-03-01

Schools are an important site for delivery of asthma education programs. Computer-based educational programs are a critical component of asthma education programs and may be a particularly important education method in busy school environments. The objective of this brief report is to review and critique computer-based education efforts in schools. The results of our literature review indicated that school-based computer education efforts are related to improved knowledge about asthma and its management. In some studies, improvements in clinical outcomes also occur. Data collection programs need to be built into games that improve knowledge. Many projects do not appear to last for periods greater than 1 year and little information is available about cultural relevance of these programs. Educational games and other programs are effective methods of delivering knowledge about asthma management and control. Research about the long-term effects of this increased knowledge, in regard to behavior change, is needed. Additionally, developing sustainable projects, which are culturally relevant, is a goal for future research.

Educational Outreach: The Space Science Road Show

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, N. L. J.

2002-01-01

The poster presented will give an overview of a study towards a "Space Road Show". The topic of this show is space science. The target group is adolescents, aged 12 to 15, at Dutch high schools. The show and its accompanying experiments would be supported with suitable educational material. Science teachers at schools can decide for themselves if they want to use this material in advance, afterwards or not at all. The aims of this outreach effort are: to motivate students for space science and engineering, to help them understand the importance of (space) research, to give them a positive feeling about the possibilities offered by space and in the process give them useful knowledge on space basics. The show revolves around three main themes: applications, science and society. First the students will get some historical background on the importance of space/astronomy to civilization. Secondly they will learn more about novel uses of space. On the one hand they will learn of "Views on Earth" involving technologies like Remote Sensing (or Spying), Communication, Broadcasting, GPS and Telemedicine. On the other hand they will experience "Views on Space" illustrated by past, present and future space research missions, like the space exploration missions (Cassini/Huygens, Mars Express and Rosetta) and the astronomy missions (Soho and XMM). Meanwhile, the students will learn more about the technology of launchers and satellites needed to accomplish these space missions. Throughout the show and especially towards the end attention will be paid to the third theme "Why go to space"? Other reasons for people to get into space will be explored. An important question in this is the commercial (manned) exploration of space. Thus, the questions of benefit of space to society are integrated in the entire show. It raises some fundamental questions about the effects of space travel on our environment, poverty and other moral issues. The show attempts to connect scientific with

Pathway to STEM: Using Outreach Initiatives as a Method of Identifying, Educating and Recruiting the Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Arias, Deedee; Zwicker, Andrew; Dominguez, Arturo; Greco, Shannon

2017-10-01

The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) uses a host of outreach initiatives to inform the general population: the Young Women's Conference, Science Bowl, Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship, My Brother's Keeper, a variety of workshops for university faculty and undergraduate students, public and scheduled lab tours, school and community interactive plasma science demonstrations. In addition to informing and educating the public about the laboratory's important work in the areas of Plasma and Fusion, these outreach initiatives, are also used as an opportunity to identify/educate/recruit the next generation of the STEM workforce. These programs provide the laboratory with the ability to: engage the next generation at different paths along their development (K-12, undergraduate, graduate, professional), at different levels of scientific content (science demonstrations, remote experiments, lectures, tours), in some instances, targeting underrepresented groups in STEM (women and minorities), and train additional STEM educators to take learned content into their own classrooms.

Monitoring and evaluating astronomy outreach programmes: Challenges and solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Chapman

2015-05-01

Full Text Available A number of tools exist to guide the monitoring and evaluation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM education and outreach programmes. Fewer tools exist for evaluating astronomy outreach programmes. In this paper we try to overcome this limitation by presenting a monitoring and evaluation framework developed for the International Astronomical Union's Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD. The mandate of the OAD is to stimulate sustainable development at an international level and to expand astronomy education and outreach globally. The broad assumptions of this programme are that astronomy has the potential to contribute to human development by means of the transferable nature of its science discoveries, as well as its potential to activate feelings of wonderment, inspiration and awareness of the universe. As a result, the programme potentially embodies a far broader mix of outcomes than conventionally considered in STEM evaluation approaches. Towards this aim, we operationalise our monitoring and evaluation approach by first outlining programme theories for three key OAD programmes: a programme for universities and research, another one for schools, and one for public outreach. We then identify outcomes, indicators and measures for each one of these programmes. We conclude with suggestions for evaluating the global impact of astronomy for development.

Assessing Models of Public Understanding In ELSI Outreach Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruce V. Lewenstein, Ph.D.; Dominique Brossard, Ph.D.

2006-03-01

Advances in the science of genetics have implications for individuals and society, and have to be taken into account at the policy level. Studies of ethical, legal and social issues related to genomic research have therefore been integrated in the Human Genome Project (HGP) since the earliest days of the project. Since 1990, three to five percent of the HGP annual budget has been devoted to such studies, under the umbrella of the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Programs of the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institute of Health, and of the Office of Biological and Environmental Research of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE-ELSI budget has been used to fund a variety of projects that have aimed at ?promoting education and help guide the conduct of genetic research and the development of related medical and public policies? (HGP, 2003). As part of the educational component, a significant portion of DOE-ELSI funds have been dedicated to public outreach projects, with the underlying goal of promoting public awareness and ultimately public discussion of ethical, legal, and social issues surrounding availability of genetic information (Drell, 2002). The essential assumption behind these projects is that greater access to information will lead to more knowledge about ethical, legal and social issues, which in turn will lead to enhanced ability on the part of individuals and communities to deal with these issues when they encounter them. Over the same period of time, new concepts of ?public understanding of science? have emerged in the theoretical realm, moving from a ?deficit? or linear dissemination of popularization, to models stressing lay-knowledge, public engagement and public participation in science policy-making (Lewenstein, 2003). The present project uses the base of DOE-funded ELSI educational project to explore the ways that information about a new and emerging area of science that is intertwined with public

Planning the Future of U.S. Particle Physics (Snowmass 2013): Chapter 10: Communication, Education, and Outreach

OpenAIRE

Bardeen, M.; Cronin-Hennessy, D.; Barnett, R. M.; Bhat, P.; Cecire, K.; Cranmer, K.; Jordan, T.; Karliner, I.; Lykken, J.; Norris, P.; White, H.; Yurkewicz, K.

2014-01-01

These reports present the results of the 2013 Community Summer Study of the APS Division of Particles and Fields ("Snowmass 2013") on the future program of particle physics in the U.S. Chapter 10, on Communication, Education, and Outreach, discusses the resources and issues for the communication of information about particle physics to teachers and students, to scientists in other fields, to policy makers, and to the general public.

Education and Public Outreach for NASA's EPOXI Mission.

Science.gov (United States)

McFadden, Lucy-Ann A.; Crow, C. A.; Behne, J.; Brown, R. N.; Counley, J.; Livengood, T. A.; Ristvey, J. D.; Warner, E. M.

2009-09-01

NASA's EPOXI mission is reusing the Deep Impact (DI) flyby spacecraft to study comets and extra-solar planets around other stars. During the Extrasolar Planetary Observations and Characterization (EPOCh) phase of the mission extrasolar planets transiting their parent stars were observed to gain further knowledge and understanding of planetary systems. Observations of Earth also allowed for characterization of Earth as an extrasolar planet. A movie of a lunar transit of the Earth created from EPOCh images and links to existing planet finding activities from other NASA missions are available on the EPOXI website. The Deep Impact Extended Investigation (DIXI) continues the Deep Impact theme of investigating comet properties and formation by observing comet Hartley 2 in November 2010. The EPOXI Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program is both creating new materials and updating and modifying existing Deep Impact materials based on DI mission results. Comparing Comets is a new educational activity under development that will guide students in conducting analyses of comet surface features similar to those the DIXI scientists will perform after observing comet Hartley 2. A new story designed to stimulate student creativity was developed in alignment with national educational standards. EPOXI E/PO also funded Family Science Night (FSN), a program bringing together students, families, and educators for an evening at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. FSN events include time for families to explore the museum, a presentation by a space scientist, and an astronomy themed IMAX film. Nine events were held during the 2008-2009 school year with a total attendance of 3,145 (attendance since inception reached 44,732). Half of attendance is reserved for schools with high percentages of underrepresented minorities. EPOXI additionally offers a bi-monthly newsletter to keep the public, teachers, and space enthusiasts updated on current mission activities. For more

Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences (COSIA): Universities, Oceanographic Institutions, Science Centers and Aquariums Working Together to Improve Ocean Education and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Glenn, S.; McDonnell, J.; Halversen, C.; Zimmerman, T.; Ingram, L.

2007-12-01

Ocean observatories have already demonstrated their ability to maintain long-term time series, capture episodic events, provide context for improved shipboard sampling, and improve accessibility to a broader range of participants. Communicating Ocean Sciences, an already existing college course from COSEE-California has demonstrated its ability to teach future scientists essential communication skills. The NSF-funded Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences (COSIA) project has leveraged these experiences and others to demonstrate a long-term model for promoting effective science communication skills and techniques applicable to diverse audiences. The COSIA effort is one of the pathfinders for ensuring that the new scientific results from the increasing U.S. investments in ocean observatories is effectively communicated to the nation, and will serve as a model for other fields. Our presentation will describe a long-term model for promoting effective science communication skills and techniques applicable to diverse audiences. COSIA established partnerships between informal science education institutions and universities nationwide to facilitate quality outreach by scientists and the delivery of rigorous, cutting edge science by informal educators while teaching future scientists (college students) essential communication skills. The COSIA model includes scientist-educator partnerships that develop and deliver a college course that teaches communication skills through the understanding of learning theory specifically related to informal learning environments and the practice of these skills at aquariums and science centers. The goals of COSIA are to: provide a model for establishing substantive, long-term partnerships between scientists and informal science education institutions to meet their respective outreach needs; provide future scientists with experiences delivering outreach and promoting the broader impact of research; and provide diverse role models

Boise State's Idaho Eclipse Outreach Program

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Karan; Jackson, Brian

2017-10-01

The 2017 total solar eclipse is an unprecedented opportunity for astronomical education throughout the continental United States. With the path of totality passing through 14 states, from Oregon to South Carolina, the United States is expecting visitors from all around the world. Due to the likelihood of clear skies, Idaho was a popular destination for eclipse-chasers. In spite of considerable enthusiasm and interest by the general population, the resources for STEM outreach in the rural Pacific Northwest are very limited. In order to help prepare Idaho for the eclipse, we put together a crowdfunding campaign through the university and raised over $10,000. Donors received eclipse shades as well as information about the eclipse specific to Idaho. Idaho expects 500,000 visitors, which could present a problem for the many small, rural towns scattered across the path of totality. In order to help prepare and equip the public for the solar eclipse, we conducted a series of site visits to towns in and near the path of totality throughout Idaho. To maximize the impact of this effort, the program included several partnerships with local educational and community organizations and a focus on the sizable refugee and low-income populations in Idaho, with considerable attendance at most events.

EarthScope Transportable Array Siting Outreach Activities in Alaska and Western Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Dorr, P. M.; Gardine, L.; Tape, C.; McQuillan, P.; Cubley, J. F.; Samolczyk, M. A.; Taber, J.; West, M. E.; Busby, R.

2015-12-01

The EarthScope Transportable Array is deploying about 260 stations in Alaska and western Canada. IRIS and EarthScope are partnering with the Alaska Earthquake Center, part of the University of Alaska's Geophysical Institute, and Yukon College to spread awareness of earthquakes in Alaska and western Canada and the benefits of the Transportable Array for people living in these regions. We provide an update of ongoing education and outreach activities in Alaska and Canada as well as continued efforts to publicize the Transportable Array in the Lower 48. Nearly all parts of Alaska and portions of western Canada are tectonically active. The tectonic and seismic variability of Alaska, in particular, requires focused attention at the regional level, and the remoteness and inaccessibility of most Alaskan and western Canadian villages and towns often makes frequent visits difficult. When a community is accessible, every opportunity to engage the residents is made. Booths at state fairs and large cultural gatherings, such as the annual convention of the Alaska Federation of Natives, are excellent venues to distribute earthquake information and to demonstrate a wide variety of educational products and web-based applications related to seismology and the Transportable Array that residents can use in their own communities. Meetings and interviews with Alaska Native Elders and tribal councils discussing past earthquakes has led to a better understanding of how Alaskans view and understand earthquakes. Region-specific publications have been developed to tie in a sense of place for residents of Alaska and the Yukon. The Alaska content for IRIS's Active Earth Monitor emphasizes the widespread tectonic and seismic features and offers not just Alaska residents, but anyone interested in Alaska, a glimpse into what is going on beneath their feet. The concerted efforts of the outreach team will have lasting effects on Alaskan and Canadian understanding of the seismic hazard and

Science Outreach and the Religious Public: The Source Makes All the Difference

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, G. R.; Hill, C.; Wolgemuth, K.

2017-12-01

Public resistance to well established scientific understanding has been a persistent problem in the US. Decades of improved educational materials, upgraded K-12 standards, and several successful court battles to curb anti-science influences did little to change the percentage of Americans resistant to even considering the evidence for subjects such as evolution or ancient Earth history. Research in the social sciences suggests that one reason has been a failure to recognize the importance of the source of information. Studies have documented that people are more receptive to challenging viewpoints when the advocate (the source) is recognized as a member of their own group or "tribe." The personal worldview or group-identity of an expert can determine how willing an audience is to consider the argument, much more so than the expert's scientific credentials. For a religious audience, this means that the quality of educational materials and the strength of an argument may be irrelevant if delivered by someone known to be dismissive of fundamental religious beliefs. In contrast, significant inroads have been realized with the religious public when scientists of faith have taken a pro-science message to members of their own religious affiliations. Encouraging stories are coming from outreach efforts of organizations and programs such as BioLogos, American Scientific Affiliation, Solid Rock Lectures, and AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion. Secular scientists interested in outreach can benefit greatly by keeping a short list of resources (blogs, books, speakers) by religious scientists advocating for the legitimacy of modern science, or by directly teaming with scientists of faith. A recent example from our own efforts includes an 11 author book, The Grand Canyon, Monument to an Ancient Earth, aimed primarily at the Christian public to explain why Noah's flood does not explain the planet's complex geology. Eight authors are Christians and three are not.

The New England Space Science Initiative in Education (NESSIE)

Science.gov (United States)

Waller, W. H.; Clemens, C. M.; Sneider, C. I.

2002-12-01

Founded in January 2002, NESSIE is the NASA/OSS broker/facilitator for education and public outreach (E/PO) within the six-state New England region. NESSIE is charged with catalyzing and fostering collaborations among space scientists and educators within both the formal and informal education communities. NESSIE itself is a collaboration of scientists and science educators at the Museum of Science, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and Tufts University. Its primary goals are to 1) broker partnerships among space scientists and educators, 2) facilitate a wide range of educational and public outreach activities, and 3) examine and improve space science education methods. NESSIE's unique strengths reside in its prime location (the Museum of Science), its diverse mix of scientists and educators, and its dedicated board of advisors. NESSIE's role as a clearinghouse and facilitator of space science education is being realized through its interactive web site and via targeted meetings, workshops, and conferences involving scientists and educators. Special efforts are being made to reach underserved groups by tailoring programs to their particular educational needs and interests. These efforts are building on the experiences of prior and ongoing programs in space science education at the Museum of Science, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Tufts University, and NASA.

Rural communities and awareness of DOE Environmental Management Programs at the Nevada Test Site: Do outreach efforts matter?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neill, H.R.; Snyder, K.K.; Ward, J.N.

2009-01-01

Are residents living in communities around the Nevada Test Site aware of environmental remediation activities and do outreach efforts contribute to awareness? Through a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas administered a mail questionnaire to 14,083 residents and received 1,721 responses. Approximately 90% of the respondents reported awareness of past nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site; 63% reported awareness of low-level radioactive waste disposal at the site; and 41% are aware that the Yucca Mountain Project for high level waste disposal is part of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management and not part of the Office of Environmental Management. Using both logit and probit regression models, at a 1% level of significance, respondents who reported obtaining information from the Community Advisory Board for Nevada Test Site Programs are more likely to be knowledgeable about low-level radioactive waste disposal activities and are more likely to be knowledgeable that the missions of the Office of Environmental Management and Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management are different. (authors)

Publicising chemistry in a multicultural society through chemistry outreach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joyce D. Sewry

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Given the emphasis in Higher Education on community engagement in South Africa and the importance of international collaboration, we discuss a joint approach to chemistry outreach in two countries on two continents with widely differing target school audiences. We describe the history of the partnership between the chemistry departments at Rhodes University and the University of Bristol and provide an outline of the chemistry content of their outreach initiatives, the modes of delivery, the advantages to both departments and their students for involvement in various levels of outreach, the challenges they still face and additional opportunities that such work facilitated. The lecture demonstration ‘A Pollutant’s Tale’ was presented to thousands of learners all over the world, including learners at resource-deprived schools in South Africa. Challenges to extend outreach activities in South Africa include long travelling distances, as well as a lack of facilities (such as school halls and electricity at schools. Outreach activities not only impacted on the target audience of young learners, they also impacted upon the postgraduate and other chemistry students taking part in these initiatives. This collaboration strengthened both institutions and their outreach work and may also lead to chemistry research collaborations between the academics involved.

Results from an Evaluation of the Georgia Colorectal Cancer Control Program's Community Education and Outreach Events, 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodruff, Rebecca C; Hermstad, April; Honeycutt, Sally; Brown, Melody; Kegler, Michelle C

2017-06-01

Although public health practitioners commonly use community education and outreach events to promote cancer screening, the effectiveness of this strategy remains unclear. This study evaluated 23 outreach events, conducted as part of the Georgia Colorectal Cancer Control Program. Of the estimated 1778 individuals who attended these events, those ages 50-75 were eligible to participate in a telephone survey 3 months after attending an event. Surveys measured colorectal cancer (CRC) risk status, CRC screening history at the time of the event, seeking or obtaining CRC screening at 3-month follow-up, and participants' knowledge of their CRC screening status. Of the 335 individuals contacted for this evaluation, 185 completed the survey. Eighty participants (43.2 %) were at elevated risk for CRC and 99 participants (53.5 %) were at average risk. Of the 99 average-risk participants, the majority (n = 69) were not due for CRC screening at the time they attended an event because they had previously received screening within the recommended time intervals. Thirty average-risk participants were due for CRC screening, either because they had never been screened before (n = 19) or because they were due for rescreening (n = 11). Approximately half of these 30 participants who were due for screening either sought (n = 6, 20.0 %) or obtained screening (n = 8, 26.7 %) 3 months following the event. Community education and outreach events may play an important role in motivating participants to seek or obtain CRC screening, but unless priority audiences are identified and recruited, events may attract people who are already compliant with CRC screening.

A Mobile Nanoscience and Electron Microscopy Outreach Program

Science.gov (United States)

Coffey, Tonya; Kelley, Kyle

2013-03-01

We have established a mobile nanoscience laboratory outreach program in Western NC that puts scanning electron microscopy (SEM) directly in the hands of K-12 students and the general public. There has been a recent push to develop new active learning materials to educate students at all levels about nanoscience and nanotechnology. Previous projects, such as Bugscope, nanoManipulator, or SPM Live! allowed remote access to advanced microscopies. However, placing SEM directly in schools has not often been possible because the cost and steep learning curve of these technologies were prohibitive, making this project quite novel. We have developed new learning modules for a microscopy outreach experience with a tabletop SEM (Hitachi TM3000). We present here an overview of our outreach and results of the assessment of our program to date.

Expanding the Graduate Education Experience at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego

Science.gov (United States)

Peach, C. L.; Kilb, D. L.; Zmarzly, D.; Abeyta, E.

2016-02-01

Emerging career pathways for graduate students in earth, ocean and climate sciences increasingly require skills in teaching and communication. This is true of academic careers, in which demonstrated teaching skills make applicants for faculty positions far more competitive, and traditionally less conventional careers outside of academia that require cross-disciplinary collaboration and/or communication to audiences not directly involved in science research (e.g. policy makers, educators, the public). Yet most graduate education programs provide little to no opportunity or incentive for young investigators to develop and hone these skills, and graduate students are often discouraged from deviating from the traditional "research apprenticeship" model during their graduate education. At Scripps, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, and UC San Diego Extension, we are developing new ways to integrate teaching, communication, and outreach into our graduate education program, thus broadening the scope of graduate training and better serving the needs and evolving career aspirations of our graduate students. This effort is an integral part of our overall outreach strategy a Scripps in which we seek to combine high quality STEM outreach and teaching with opportunities for Scripps graduate students to put their teaching and communications training into practice. The overall effort is a "win-win" both for our students and for the highly diverse K-16 community in San Diego County. In this talk we will summarize the programmatic efforts currently underway at Scripps, our strategic collaboration with UCSD Extension, which is expanding the capacity and reach of our integrated program, and our plans for sustaining these efforts for the long term.

Involvement of scientists in the NASA Office of Space Science education and public outreach program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck-Winchatz, Bernhard

2005-01-01

Since the mid-1990's NASA's Office of Space Science (OSS) has embarked on an astronomy and space science education and public outreach (E/PO) program. Its goals are to share the excitement of space science discoveries with the public, and to enhance the quality of science, mathematics and technology education, particularly at the precollege level. A key feature of the OSS program is the direct involvement of space scientists. The majority of the funding for E/PO is allocated to flight missions, which spend 1%-2% of their total budget on E/PO, and to individual research grants. This paper presents an overview of the program's goals, objectives, philosophy, and infrastructure

Education and Outreach in the Life Sciences: Qualitative Analysis Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burbank, Roberta L.; John, Lisa; Mahy, Heidi A.; Rose, Shyanika W.; Weller, Richard E.; Nelson-Wally, Anjanette

2008-10-01

The DOE's National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) asked Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to consider the role of individual scientists in upholding safety and security. The views of scientists were identified as being a critical component of this policy process. Therefore, scientists, managers, and representatives of Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs) at the national labs were invited to participate in a brief survey and a set of focus groups. In addition, three focus groups were conducted with scientists, managers, and IBC representatives to discuss some of the questions related to education, outreach, and codes of conduct in further detail and gather additional input on biosecurity and dual-use awareness at the laboratories. The overall purpose of this process was to identify concerns related to these topics and to gather suggestions for creating an environment where both the scientific enterprise and national security are enhanced.

What Researchers Should Know and be Able to do When Contemplating Involvement in Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Ridky, R. W.

2004-12-01

At some point in their careers, many researchers are motivated to share what they have learned with a wider audience. As their studies mature, and national awareness for more effective integration of research and education intensifies, researchers are increasingly directing efforts toward informal and pre-college educational sectors. Each initiative comes with good intentions, but many fall short of intended benefit. Quality education and outreach programs develop from the same precepts that shape research programs of high professional standing. A researcher is most likely to make useful contributions when they are willing and able to implement familiar research principles to broader educational endeavors. As with research endeavors, principles of significance, literacy, design, feasibility, analysis and dissemination need to be regarded as essential indicators of education program quality. It is helpful to provide researchers who are contemplating more active educational involvement with more than casual understanding of the purposes underlying their pending contributions. Such understanding is premised on the tenet that education and research are always in the public service and therefore inextricably bound at all levels. Both research and education have, as their ultimate goal, enhanced scientific literacy of the citizenry. By example, it can be shown that the best-supported programs, within government and academia, recognize that the way they translate knowledge and make it available to scientific organizations and the public is critical to their intrinsic societal value and level of support. As education conjures up a host of operational meanings arising from one's own values and experiences, the knowledge researchers bring to pre-college and informal educational settings is often based on personal experience rather than on education research, practice and policy. Researchers may believe that because they spent 13 years in school, an additional 4 years at a

The impact of a Latino outreach project on science museums: A program evaluation focused on institutional change

Science.gov (United States)

Castaneda, Mario E.

The purpose of this program evaluation was to determine the impact of the Community Science Festivals Project on the science museums that participated. This project, also known as Celebra la Ciencia (CLC), was a federally funded effort to engage the Latino communities throughout the United States in activities promoting appreciation of the importance of science education. The festivals brought together various educational, community, and scientific organizations that collaborated in producing community-hosted interactive educational events to which students and their families were invited. The evaluation takes the form of a qualitative study based on interviews of key individuals at 1 museum in each of the 5 festival cities. The evaluation focuses on the museums' changes in: (a) their view of their roles as involving the Latino population in their service area, (b) publicity efforts aimed at the Latino population, (c) outreach toward the Latino population, and (d) accommodation of Latinos within the museums. The results for each site are listed separately then are discussed jointly. Implications for practice include the following: (a) intensive and long-term programming, as opposed to one-time events, are likely more effective for creating direct impact on student achievement, although the festivals had many positive effects; (b) funding for smaller organizations (or individual departments within larger organization) seemed to have a more observable impact, enabling them to create Latino-oriented advertising, outreach, and accommodations that would not have been possible otherwise; and (c) Spanish-language media was an effective advertising tool, especially radio, but use of public service announcements should be monitored to ensure that they are aired at times that are effective for reaching the target audience. Recommendations for future studies are made.

Outreach at Washington State University: a case study in costs and attendance

Science.gov (United States)

Bernhardt, Elizabeth A.; Bollen, Viktor; Bersano, Thomas M.; Mossman, Sean M.

2016-09-01

Making effective and efficient use of outreach resources can be difficult for student groups in smaller rural communities. Washington State University's OSA/SPIE student chapter desires well attended yet cost-effective ways to educate and inform the public. We designed outreach activities focused on three different funding levels: low upfront cost, moderate continuing costs, and high upfront cost with low continuing costs. By featuring our activities at well attended events, such as a pre-football game event, or by advertising a headlining activity, such as a laser maze, we take advantage of large crowds to create a relaxed learning atmosphere. Moreover, participants enjoy casual learning while waiting for a main event. Choosing a particular funding level and associating with well-attended events makes outreach easier. While there are still many challenges to outreach, such as motivating volunteers or designing outreach programs, we hope overcoming two large obstacles will lead to future outreach success.

Reaching out to the Underserved: More than Thirty Years of Outreach Job Ads

Science.gov (United States)

Boff, Colleen; Singer, Carol; Stearns, Beverly

2006-01-01

Contents of outreach position announcements posted in "College and Research Libraries News" from 1970 through 2004 were examined. Ads fell within three broad groups: distance education, multicultural services, and specialized. Overall, outreach positions have been on the rise with the exception of multicultural services librarian positions that…

Summative Evaluation Findings from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) Education and Public Outreach Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bartolone, L.; Nichols-Yehling, M.; Davis, H. B.; Davey, B.

2014-07-01

The Interstellar Boundary Explorer mission includes a comprehensive Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program in heliophysics that is overseen and implemented by the Adler Planetarium and evaluated by Technology for Learning Consortium, Inc. Several components of the IBEX EPO program were developed during the prime phase of the mission that were specifically designed for use in informal institutions, especially museums and planetaria. The program included a widely distributed planetarium show with accompanying informal education activities, printed posters, lithographs and other resources, funding for the development of the GEMS Space Science Sequence for Grades 6-8 curriculum materials, development of the IBEX mission website, development of materials for people with special needs, participation in the Heliophysics Educator Ambassador program, and support for the Space Explorers Afterschool Science Club for Chicago Public Schools. In this paper, we present an overview of the IBEX EPO program summative evaluation techniques and results for 2008 through 2012.

Outreach to Inspire Girls in Geology: A Recipe for Success (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Kekelis, L.

2010-12-01

Geology and engineering careers can seem very abstract to a young girl, especially to a girl who has no role model in technical fields. Many girls want to make the world a better place but don’t see how their interests connect with geology or engineering. Role models and field trips to worksites are instrumental in encouraging girls to consider careers in geoscience and engineering. The opportunities to see real-world applications of technology and meet with role models who work in technical fields are extremely impactful and can have a strong influence on a girl’s career path. Together we need to do a better job of communicating what geoscience and engineering have to offer girls and what girls have to offer these fields. This presentation will provide practical tips to help combat stereotypes, 2) share resources for outreach at one-day special events, summer camps, visits to the classroom and field trips to corporate sites and college campuses, and 3) highlight strategies for groups to work collaboratively in outreach. This presentation will help those currently involved in outreach who want to improve on existing efforts, along with those who have never done outreach and are interested in getting started. Techbridge will share a “recipe for success” for planning and hosting role model visits to the classroom and field trips. A case study of outreach by Chevron with Techbridge girls will be shared including the pre-event planning that made this event a success. Activities that make geology fun and friendly to girls and tips for dispelling stereotypes about careers in geology and engineering will also be shared. Participants will be invited to ask questions and share on topics of interest, such as “Challenges with outreach,” “How to get involved without burning out,” and “How to show your manager or organization that outreach is worth the effort.” We will also promote a candid discussion of the challenges that can arise along with way and how

Leveraging the International Polar Year Legacy: Providing Historical Perspective for IPY Education, Outreach and Communication Efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukernik, M.; McCaffrey, M. S.

2006-12-01

As the International Polar Year 2007-2008 (IPY) is fast approaching, it is important to look back and learn from the previous experience. Over 125 years ago, when an Austrian explorer and naval officer Lt. Karl Weyprecht called for an international yearlong intensive effort to study the Polar Regions, he probably never imagined that his model for international collaboration would become so widely popular. Frustrated by the lack of coordinated, international collaboration in research activities, Weyprecht proposed an intensive burst of research activity over the course of at least a year. The first IPY began in 1882 with 12 nations establishing 13 stations in the Arctic and 2 in the Southern Hemisphere. The initial yearlong plan did not go beyond data collection. However, the idea lived in the minds of scientists worldwide and the second IPY followed the first one 50 years later. By 1932, technology evolved significantly, and on top of ground-based meteorological and geophysical measurements, data collection also included radiosonde and acoustic atmospheric measurements. Occurring during a global economic depression, and between world wars, the second IPY faced many challenges. However, 40 permanent stations were established, some of which are still active. Scientific exploration also reached remote frontiers from Antarctica to the Earth's ionosphere. Less than a decade after the WWII, the idea of the next IPY started to circulate in scientific circles. The world was focused on space exploration and the word "polar" seemed too narrow for the gigantic projects planned for the 1957. That is why the initial idea of the third IPY evolved into the International Geophysical Year (IGY), although polar regions were still a major focus. The success of the IGY is almost overwhelming the first Earth orbiting satellites, a traverse of Antarctica, a discovery of the Radiation Belt, a series of science education films about IGY activities and research themes are just a few

Challenging effective public outreach activities for increasing mutual understanding of nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunji, Ikuko

2006-01-01

An outreach activity is two-way communication for communicating information. The public outreach activities of USA and Japan for increasing mutual understanding of nuclear energy, and the effective outreach activities are stated. On USA, many communicators in the member of ANS (American Nuclear Society) play an active part in the outreach activities for the policy makers, educators, students, and stakeholders. NEI (Nuclear Energy Institute, USA) provides people with useful information such as benefits and safety control system of nuclear energy, and it has carried out an attitude survey. FPL (Florida Power and Light Company) selected the communicators by ten evaluation items and they made a group and a clear grasp of the goal, needs, and plans and then communicated residents, and sent out questionnaires. Some examples of the special education program for training the communicators in USA are described. In Japan, JAEA gave lessons of nuclear energy, radiation and disaster prevention at the primary, junior high and high schools, friendly talks with local residents, preparing the teaching materials with residents and training of communicators. (S.Y.)

Preparing University Students to Lead K-12 Engineering Outreach Programmes: A Design Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Anthony, Anika B.; Greene, Howard; Post, Paul E.; Parkhurst, Andrew; Zhan, Xi

2016-01-01

This paper describes an engineering outreach programme designed to increase the interest of under-represented youth in engineering and to disseminate pre-engineering design challenge materials to K-12 educators and volunteers. Given university students' critical role as facilitators of the outreach programme, researchers conducted a two-year…

Strategies for Engaging NASA Earth Scientists in K-12 Education and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Meeson, Blanche W.; Gabrys, Robert E.

2001-01-01

Engagement of the Earth Science research community in formal education at the kindergarten through high school level and in various aspects of informal education and in professional development of practitioners in related fields has been and continues to be a challenge. A range of approaches is being used and new ones are constantly being tried. Fundamental to our strategies is an understanding of the priorities, skills, academic experiences, motivation, rewards and work experiences of most scientists. It is within this context that efforts to engage a scientist in education efforts are attempted. A key strategy is to limit our requests to activities where the scientist's contribution of time and expertise can have the most impact. Don't waste the scientist's time! Time is one of their most prized resources, it is extremely valuable to you, and to them, we treat their time like a treasured resource. The clearer a scientist's role, their unique contribution and the finite nature of their effort, the more likely they are to participate. It is critical that commitments made to scientists are kept. If they want and can do more, great! Don't expect or assume more will be forthcoming. Another approach that we use is to create periodic venues that, among other things, serve to identify individuals who have an interest or inclination to con , tribute to education efforts. Once identified we strive to determine their interests so that we can make the best match between their interests and the needs of the education program or efforts. In this way, we try to make the best use of their time while engaging them in efforts which will be personally rewarding, and will further the overall education objectives. In addition, we try to make it easier for scientists to participate by providing focused training, such as development of their interviewing skills, and exposure to key concepts, knowledge and skills which are well known among educators but are not common knowledge among

OUTREACH

CERN Multimedia

David Barney

The highlight for CMS Outreach during the past few months was of course the CERN Open Days on 5th and 6th April. Of the 73000 people who came to CERN during that weekend more than 10000 visited CMS in the cavern, thanks to an incredible logistical effort from many members of CMS. The underground visit was only one of several activites at point 5. Others included a picture gallery (with huge thanks to Michael Hoch), an artwork corner for children, a working spark chamber and regular demonstrations of cryogenics (many thanks to Goran Perinic) and photogrammetry (thanks to Christian Lasseur et al). There were also well-attended public presentations on Particle Physics, CERN and CMS as well as a visit of "Fred" from the popular French television show "C'est pas Sorcier". A souvenir kiosk was also a popular attraction, selling CMS tee-shirts, polo-shirts, baseball caps and keyrings, amongst other items. These things are available to purchase from the CMS Secretariat in build...

A Day in the Life of an Industrial Hearing Conservationist: A Template for Successful Career Education and Outreach Presentations

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Beth A.

1997-01-01

Whether in a classroom setting or at a local community meeting, opportunities for providing descriptive and positive information about our professions to an audience unfamiliar with acoustics, noise control or hearing conservation often call for alternatives to technical demonstrations that illustrate principles of acoustics or noise control. More importantly, successful outreach presentations must convey images of our day-to-day activities and the challenges we address, many of which are non-technical. One successful approach to career outreach presentations makes use of a collection of photo slides featuring the speaker, his colleagues, customers and workplaces to vividly illustrate the specific job tasks, people and environment of the speaker's job or career. Against this fluid and multi-dimensional visual backdrop, an accompanying script addresses the main theme. A comprehensive photo slide collection may be established gradually, often by making use of and adding to technical and personal slides already in the speaker's possession. Slide collections are portable, easily and quickly reconfigured for back-to-back or spontaneous engagements, and they are well suited to speaking opportunities where technical presentations or demonstrations are not practical or appropriate. A carefully chosen sequence of photo slides minimizes the need for speaker's notes, as each photo itself provides a visual prompt. Although photo slide presentations are appropriate to a variety of outreach and professional settings, the specific illustrative and explanatory material presented here illustrates their application in career education outreach activities, using industrial hearing conservation as an example.

Earth Science Outreach: A Move in the Right Direction

Science.gov (United States)

McLarty Halfkenny, B.; Schröder Adams, C.

2009-05-01

There is concern within the Geoscience Community about the public's limited understanding of Earth Science and its fundamental contribution to society. Earth Science plays only a minor role in public school education in Ontario leaving many students to stumble upon this field of study in post-secondary institutions. As the Earth Sciences offer relevant advice for political decisions and provide excellent career opportunities, outreach is an increasingly important component of our work. Recruitment of post-secondary students after they have chosen their discipline cannot remain the sole opportunity. Outreach must be directed to potential students at an early stage of their education. High school teachers are influential, directing students towards professional careers. Therefore we are first committed to reach these teachers. We provide professional development, resources and continued support, building an enthusiastic community of educators. Specific initiatives include: a three day workshop supported by a grant from EdGEO introducing earth science exercises and local field destinations; a resource kit with minerals, rocks, fossils, mineral identification tools and manuals; a CD with prepared classroom exercises; and in-class demonstrations and field trip guiding on request. Maintaining a growing network with teachers has proven highly effective. Direct public school student engagement is also given priority. We inspire students through interaction with researchers and graduate students, hand-on exercises, and by providing opportunities to visit our department and work with our collections. Successful projects include our week-long course "School of Rock" for the Enrichment Mini-Course Program, classroom visits and presentations on the exciting and rewarding career paths in geology during Carleton University open houses. Outreach to the general public allows us to educate the wider community about the Geoheritage of our region, and initiate discussions about

Outreach to Science Faculty and Students through Research Exhibitions

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Tina; Hebblethwaite, Chris

2014-01-01

Penfield Library at the State University of New York at Oswego (SUNY Oswego) has a gallery exhibit space near the front entrance that is used to showcase student-faculty research and art class projects. This article features the library's outreach efforts to science faculty and students through research exhibitions. The library held an exhibition…

ESO Science Outreach Network in Poland during 2011-2013

Science.gov (United States)

Czart, Krzysztof

2014-12-01

ESON Poland works since 2010. One of the main tasks of the ESO Science Outreach Network (ESON) is translation of various materials at ESO website, as well as contacts with journalists. We support also science festivals, conferences, contests, exhibitions, astronomy camps and workshops and other educational and outreach activities. During 2011-2013 we supported events like ESO Astronomy Camp 2013, ESO Industry Days in Warsaw, Warsaw Science Festival, Torun Festival of Science and Art, international astronomy olympiad held in Poland and many others. Among big tasks there was also translation of over 60 ESOcast movies.

Comprehensive outreach, prevention education, and skin cancer screening for Utah ski resorts.

Science.gov (United States)

Varedi, Amir; Secrest, Aaron M; Harding, Garrett; Maness, Lori; Branson, Donna; Smith, Kristi; Hull, Christopher M

2018-02-15

Outdoor recreation can lead to substantial sun exposure. Employees of outdoor recreation establishments with extended time outdoors have amplified cumulative exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and an increased risk of skin cancer. The "Sun Safe on the Slopes" program was created by Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah and the Utah Cancer Action Network to address increased UV exposure and skin cancer risk with free skin cancer screenings, outreach, and prevention education to local ski resorts. Herein, we describe the processes and barriers to implementation of a ski resort skin screening and education program and our 5-year report of the experience and screening data. Nine free skin cancer screenings were held at Utah ski resorts between 2011 and 2016, resulting in the presumptive diagnosis of 38 skin cancers (9.6%) in 394 participants. Behavioral data collected from participants indicates suboptimal sun safety practices, including underuse of sunscreen and protective clothing. Ski resort employees who experience sun exposure during peak hours at high altitudes and UV reflection from the snow are at an increased risk of skin cancer. These data indicate a need for emphasis on sun safety education and screening and can serve as a model for future endeavors.

Re-designing an Earth Sciences outreach program for Rhode Island public elementary schools to address new curricular standards and logistical realities in the community

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, N.; Vachula, R. S.; Pascuzzo, A.; Prilipko Huber, O.

2017-12-01

In contrast to middle and high school students, elementary school students in Rhode Island (RI) have no access to dedicated science teachers, resulting in uneven quality and scope of science teaching across the state. In an attempt to improve science education in local public elementary schools, the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (DEEPS) at Brown University initiated a student-driven science-teaching program that was supported by a NSF K-12 grant from 2007 to 2014. The program led to the development of an extensive in-house lesson plan database and supported student-led outreach and teaching in several elementary and middle school classrooms. After funding was terminated, the program continued on a volunteer basis, providing year-round science teaching for several second-grade classrooms. During the 2016-2017 academic year, New Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were introduced in RI public schools, and it became apparent that our outreach efforts required adaptation to be more efficient and relevant for both elementary school students and teachers. To meet these new needs, DEEPS, in collaboration with the Providence Public School District, created an intensive summer re-design program involving both graduate and undergraduate students. Three multi-lesson units were developed in collaboration with volunteer public school teachers to specifically address NGSS goals for earth science teaching in 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades. In the 2017-2018 academic year DEEPS students will co-teach the science lessons with the public school teachers in two local elementary schools. At the end of the next academic year all lesson plans and activities will be made publically available through a newly designed DEEPS outreach website. We herein detail our efforts to create and implement new educational modules with the goals of: (1) empowering teachers to instruct science, (2) engaging students and fostering lasting STEM interest and competency, (3) optimizing

Training pharmacists to deliver a complex information technology intervention (PINCER) using the principles of educational outreach and root cause analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadler, Stacey; Rodgers, Sarah; Howard, Rachel; Morris, Caroline J; Avery, Anthony J

2014-02-01

To describe the training undertaken by pharmacists employed in a pharmacist-led information technology-based intervention study to reduce medication errors in primary care (PINCER Trial), evaluate pharmacists' assessment of the training, and the time implications of undertaking the training. Six pharmacists received training, which included training on root cause analysis and educational outreach, to enable them to deliver the PINCER Trial intervention. This was evaluated using self-report questionnaires at the end of each training session. The time taken to complete each session was recorded. Data from the evaluation forms were entered onto a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, independently checked and the summary of results further verified. Frequencies were calculated for responses to the three-point Likert scale questions. Free-text comments from the evaluation forms and pharmacists' diaries were analysed thematically. All six pharmacists received 22 h of training over five sessions. In four out of the five sessions, the pharmacists who completed an evaluation form (27 out of 30 were completed) stated they were satisfied or very satisfied with the various elements of the training package. Analysis of free-text comments and the pharmacists' diaries showed that the principles of root cause analysis and educational outreach were viewed as useful tools to help pharmacists conduct pharmaceutical interventions in both the study and other pharmacy roles that they undertook. The opportunity to undertake role play was a valuable part of the training received. Findings presented in this paper suggest that providing the PINCER pharmacists with training in root cause analysis and educational outreach contributed to the successful delivery of PINCER interventions and could potentially be utilised by other pharmacists based in general practice to deliver pharmaceutical interventions to improve patient safety. © 2013 The Authors. IJPP © 2013 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Developing Web-based Tools for Collaborative Science and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, A.; Pizarro, O.; Williams, S. B.

2016-02-01

With the advances in high bandwidth communications and the proliferation of social media tools, education & outreach activities have become commonplace on ocean-bound research cruises. In parallel, advances in underwater robotics & other data collecting platforms, have made it possible to collect copious amounts of oceanographic data. This data then typically undergoes laborious, manual processing to transform it into quantitative information, which normally occurs post cruise resulting in significant lags between collecting data and using it for scientific discovery. This presentation discusses how appropriately designed software systems, can be used to fulfill multiple objectives and attempt to leverage public engagement in order to compliment science goals. We will present two software platforms: the first is a web browser based tool that was developed for real-time tracking of multiple underwater robots and ships. It was designed to allow anyone on board to view or control it on any device with a web browser. It opens up the possibility of remote teleoperation & engagement and was easily adapted to enable live streaming over the internet for public outreach. While the tracking system provided context and engaged people in real-time, it also directed interested participants to Squidle, another online system. Developed for scientists, Squidle supports data management, exploration & analysis and enables direct access to survey data reducing the lag in data processing. It provides a user-friendly streamlined interface that integrates advanced data management & online annotation tools. This system was adapted to provide a simplified user interface, tutorial instructions and a gamified ranking system to encourage "citizen science" participation. These examples show that through a flexible design approach, it is possible to leverage the development effort of creating science tools to facilitate outreach goals, opening up the possibility for acquiring large volumes of

Building an early career network through outreach projects: The "mon océan & moi" example

Science.gov (United States)

Barbieux, M.; Scheurle, C.; Ardyna, M.; Harmel, T.; Ferraris, M.; Jessin, T.; Lacour, L.; Mayot, N.; Organelli, E.; Pasqueron De Fommervault, O.; Penkerc'h, C.; Poteau, A.; Uitz, J.; Ramondec, S.; Sauzède, R.; Velluci, V.; Claustre, H.

2016-02-01

The ocean plays an important role in the global processes of our planet, from climate change to sea level rise, uptake of carbon dioxide to fisheries stocks. In addition, its scientific importance, extraordinary beauty and public fascination provide perfect ingredients for both education and public outreach. Four years ago, after the launch of the "mon océan & moi" outreach project, an early career network (Ph.D. students and postdocs) has been formed to "promote collaborations/exchanges between the scientific and educational worlds in order to co-elaborate a teaching method for raising the awareness of school children on marine environments". Scientists are pursuing new research yielding improved knowledge and new documentation resources. However, they lack the communication skills to make the subject accessible to the general public. On the other hand, teachers must be informed of recent discoveries and of new resources for educational purposes. To fill this gap, the early career scientists developed, in collaboration with a school authority and an experienced science communicators team, both a trail education program tested directly in middle and high schools and innovative supporting material (i.e., animations, educative video clips and experiments, interactive maps and quizzes). Here we outline a set of guidelines as to how to improve science outreach across a variety of disciplines (e.g., science, technology, engineering) and how this may impact the experience of early career scientists. These tips will be useful for other early career scientists and science outreach projects, large or small, regional, national or international. Such novel outreach initiatives will help educate current and next generations about the importance of ocean environments and the relevance of ocean sciences for the society, and may serve as an example of teamwork for other young scientists.

NASA IceBridge and PolarTREC - Education and Outreach Partnership

Science.gov (United States)

Bartholow, S.; Warburton, J.; Beck, J.; Woods, J. E.

2015-12-01

PolarTREC-Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating, a teacher professional development program, began with the International Polar Year in 2004 and continues today in the United States. PolarTREC has worked specifically with OIB for 3 years and looking forward to ongoing collaboration. PolarTREC brings U.S. K­12 educators and polar researchers together through an innovative teacher research experience model. Participating teachers spend 3-6 weeks in the field with research teams conducting surveys and collecting data on various aspects of polar science. During their experience, teachers become research team members filling a variety of roles on the team. They also fulfill a unique role of public outreach officer, conducting live presentations about their field site and research as well as journaling, answering questions, and posting photos. Working with OIB has opened up the nature of science for the participating teachers. In developing the long-term relationship with OIB teams, teachers can now share (1) the diversity of training, backgrounds, and interests of OIB scientists, (2) identify the linkages between Greenlandic culture and community and cryospheric science and evidence of climate change, (3) network with Danish and Greenlandic educators on the mission (4) gain access to the full spectrum of a science project - development, implementation, analysis, networking, and dissemination of information. All aspects help these teachers become champions of NASA science and educational leaders in their communities. Evaluation data shows that PolarTREC has clearly achieved it goals with the OIB partnership and suggests that linking teachers and researchers can have the potential to transform the nature of science education. By giving teachers the content knowledge, pedagogical tools, confidence, understanding of science in the broader society, and experiences with scientific inquiry, participating teachers are using authentic scientific research in their

What does "success" in public engagement activities mean? A comparison of goals, motivations and embedded assumptions in four polar outreach activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Roop, H. A.; Salmon, R. A.

2015-12-01

Using four very different polar outreach case studies, we will discuss scientists' motivations, expectations, and institutional incentives (and dis-incentives) to engage with the public, and argue that improved training, evaluation, and academic value needs to be associated with scientist-led communication efforts - as well as clearer fora for sharing best practice in this field. We will illustrate our argument using examples from an Antarctic festival with public lectures and science cafes, outreach associated with an Antarctic expedition, the global launch of a climate change documentary that had a significant focus on Antarctica, and a series of "Polar Weeks" led by an international community of scientists and educators. While there is an excellent culture of accountability in both formal and informal science communication sectors, the same rigour is not applied to the majority of 'outreach' activities that are initiated by the science research community. Many of these activities are undertaken based on 'what feels right' and opportunism, and are proclaimed to be a success based on little or no formal evaluation. As a result, much of this work goes undocumented, is not evaluated from the perspective of the science community, and is rarely subject to peer-review and its associated benefits, including professional rewards. We therefore recommend new opportunities for publication in this field that would encourage science communication theory and practice to better inform each other, and for scientists to gain professional recognition for their efforts in this arena.

Music Inspired by Astronomy: A Great Outreach Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Fraknoi, A.

2015-11-01

We discuss and explain a selection of musical pieces (both classical and popular) that were inspired by astronomical ideas or observations. While the ideas behind such musical pieces can sometimes be a bit abstract, they make for good discussion in many educational and outreach settings.

Education and Public Outreach and Engagement at NASA's Analog Missions in 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Watkins, Wendy L.; Janoiko, Barbara A.; Mahoney, Erin; Hermann, Nicole B.

2013-01-01

Analog missions are integrated, multi-disciplinary activities that test key features of future human space exploration missions in an integrated fashion to gain a deeper understanding of system-level interactions and operations early in conceptual development. These tests often are conducted in remote and extreme environments that are representative in one or more ways to that of future spaceflight destinations. They may also be conducted at NASA facilities, using advanced modeling and human-in-the-loop scenarios. As NASA develops a capability driven framework to transport crew to a variety of space environments, it will use analog missions to gather requirements and develop the technologies necessary to ensure successful exploration beyond low Earth orbit. NASA s Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Division conducts these high-fidelity integrated tests, including the coordination and execution of a robust education and public outreach (EPO) and engagement program for each mission. Conducting these mission scenarios in unique environments not only provides an opportunity to test the EPO concepts for the particular future-mission scenario, such as the best methods for conducting events with a communication time delay, but it also provides an avenue to deliver NASA s human space exploration key messages. These analogs are extremely exciting to students and the public, and they are performed in such a way that the public can feel like part of the mission. They also provide an opportunity for crew members to obtain training in education and public outreach activities similar to what they would perform in space. The analog EPO team is responsible for the coordination and execution of the events, the overall social media component for each mission, and public affairs events such as media visits and interviews. They also create new and exciting ways to engage the public, manage and create website content, coordinate video footage for missions, and coordinate and integrate

Recovery Act - An Interdisciplinary Program for Education and Outreach in Transportation Electrification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Carl [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Bohmann, Leonard [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Naber, Jeffrey [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Beard, John [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Passerello, Chris [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Worm, Jeremy [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Chen, Bo [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Allen, Jeffrey [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Weaver, Wayne [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Hackney, Stephen [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Keith, Jason [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Meldrum, Jay [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); Mork, Bruce [Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States)

2013-01-30

industry, K-12 outreach, and public education. In 2012 the Mobile Lab participated in 22 outreach events, locally, throughout Michigan, and including events in Washington DC, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The Mobile Lab is a hit wherever it goes. In 2013 we will partner with the US Army TARDEC and be featured in their Green Warrior Convoy, a ten city tour starting in Detroit and finishing in Washington DC.

Stakeholder involvement and public outreach at two Department of Energy sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, R.H.

1996-01-01

Outreach efforts at two U.S. Department of Energy sites (i.e., the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington and Pantex Plant in the Texas panhandle) have involved a broad spectrum of communications media, including technical presentations and articles, information brochures and fact sheets, video productions; interactive exhibits; presentations at civic and other public meetings; and proactive interactions with the news media, regulators and concerned citizens. In addition, representatives of local communities operate offsite environmental monitoring stations and Native Americans are involved in studying cultural resources, fisheries, and other issues at Hanford, and a program to obtain environmental samples from neighbors property is underway at Pantex. All major environmental programs (e.g., the reconstruction of past radiological doses to offsite human populations at Hanford) are conducted with open public participation, the Pantex Plant has opened an Information office in Amarillo, Texas, and both sites now have Citizen's Advisory Boards. This presentation describes Hanford and Pantex public outreach and involvement efforts, our successes and failures, and the lessons learned

Net benefits of wildfire prevention education efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffrey P. Prestemon; David T. Butry; Karen L. Abt; Ronda Sutphen

2010-01-01

Wildfire prevention education efforts involve a variety of methods, including airing public service announcements, distributing brochures, and making presentations, which are intended to reduce the occurrence of certain kinds of wildfires. A Poisson model of preventable Florida wildfires from 2002 to 2007 by fire management region was developed. Controlling for...

NASA Sounding Rocket Program Educational Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Rosanova, G.

2013-01-01

Educational and public outreach is a major focus area for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The NASA Sounding Rocket Program (NSRP) shares in the belief that NASA plays a unique and vital role in inspiring future generations to pursue careers in science, mathematics, and technology. To fulfill this vision, the NSRP engages in a variety of educator training workshops and student flight projects that provide unique and exciting hands-on rocketry and space flight experiences. Specifically, the Wallops Rocket Academy for Teachers and Students (WRATS) is a one-week tutorial laboratory experience for high school teachers to learn the basics of rocketry, as well as build an instrumented model rocket for launch and data processing. The teachers are thus armed with the knowledge and experience to subsequently inspire the students at their home institution. Additionally, the NSRP has partnered with the Colorado Space Grant Consortium (COSGC) to provide a "pipeline" of space flight opportunities to university students and professors. Participants begin by enrolling in the RockOn! Workshop, which guides fledgling rocketeers through the construction and functional testing of an instrumentation kit. This is then integrated into a sealed canister and flown on a sounding rocket payload, which is recovered for the students to retrieve and process their data post flight. The next step in the "pipeline" involves unique, user-defined RockSat-C experiments in a sealed canister that allow participants more independence in developing, constructing, and testing spaceflight hardware. These experiments are flown and recovered on the same payload as the RockOn! Workshop kits. Ultimately, the "pipeline" culminates in the development of an advanced, user-defined RockSat-X experiment that is flown on a payload which provides full exposure to the space environment (not in a sealed canister), and includes telemetry and attitude control capability. The RockOn! and Rock

OUTREACH

CERN Multimedia

E. Gibney

Feedback from users on the new CMS Outreach web site has been very encouraging, with a large majority of people finding the new navigation scheme and content clear and easy to use. Suggestions concerning content (in particular) are always welcome. Please send them to: outreach@cern.ch Compared with the LHC startup and mass media attention of the 10th September, the Official Inauguration of the LHC on the 21st October was a relatively subdued event. Even so, many VIPs visited the CMS experimental cavern and were left feeling awed and inspired. The ceremony itself, in the SM18 area at CERN (where all the dipoles were tested) was followed by a tour around a temporary exhibition area in the same building, where pieces of CMS were on display. These were accompanied by films of the lowering operations and preliminary versions of the "virtual reality" images from Peter McReady (soon to be available on the CMS Outreach web site), both of which were well received by the audience. Many thanks to th...

Astronomy for Astronomical Numbers - Education and Public Outreach with Massive Open Online Classes

Science.gov (United States)

Impey, C.; Buxner, S.; Wenger, M.; Formanek, M.

2015-12-01

Massive Open Online Classes (MOOCs) represent a powerful new mode of education and public outreach. While early hype has often given way to disappointment over the typically low completion rates, retaining the interest of free-choice learners is always a challenge, and the worldwide reach and low cost of of these online classes is a democratizing influence in higher education. We have used providers Udemy and Coursera to reach over 60,000 adults with an astronomy course that covers the recent research results across the subject from comets to cosmology. In addition to measures of participation, completion, and performance, we have administered surveys of the learners that measure science literacy, attitudes towards science and technology, and sources of information about science. Beyond the usual core of video lectures and quizzes, we have used peer reviewed writing assignments, observing project, and citizen science to create a richer learning environment. Research on MOOCs is still in its early stages, but we hope to learn what factors contribute most to student engagement and completion in these online settings.

Innovation Efforts in Education and School Administration: Views of Turkish School Administrators

Science.gov (United States)

Akin, Ugur

2016-01-01

Problem Statement: In the current information era, nearly all organizations make efforts to make innovations in the fields of information, communication, technology, etc. Educational organizations are no exception to this trend. Moreover, it can be argued that educational institutions make a particular effort to rapidly keep pace with change. In…

Changing communities, changing spaces: the challenges of health promotion outreach in cyberspace.

Science.gov (United States)

Hallett, Jonathan; Brown, Graham; Maycock, Bruce; Langdon, Patricia

2007-01-01

This article is a case study of an Internet chat room outreach project in Perth, Western Australia. The CyberReach project sought to adapt current peer based health promotion outreach, training and supervision frameworks to an online outreach setting in a way that was effective and supported by the online community. It targeted marginalised groups to trial the provision of online mental and sexual health promotion incorporating a participatory action research model into its development and implementation. Three 6-week trial periods were conducted and significant changes were made in response to changes in the online environment and to improve sustainability and effectiveness of the protocols. Four themes arose from CyberReach's experience: online group processes are unique due to the creation of extensive personal networks and occurrence of disclosure without face-to-face contact across potentially large geographic barriers; flexibility is required to adapt to technological changes and online community flux; enforcing boundaries and delineating peer education from therapeutic support can be challenging when only using text-based communication; and Internet outreach can be time intensive with small returns in actual community engagement and constant technological up-skilling of staff may be required. Based on the project's experiences we offer the following recommendations when planning similar Internet outreach strategies: Funding and planning groups need to be aware that the Internet environment is constantly changing and planning and funding arrangements need to reflect a capacity to remain flexible; Programs need to be firmly connected to the communities they are outreaching therefore a peer-based education component is strongly encouraged; Careful consideration should be taken regarding data collection so that the environment and the individuals within are respected; Further research needs to be conducted to understand the styles and approaches of different

Active Galactic Videos: A YouTube Channel for Astronomy Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Calahan, Jenny; Gibbs, Aidan; Hardegree-Ullman, Melody; Hardegree-Ullman, Michael; Impey, Chris David; Kevis, Charlotte; Lewter, Austin; Mauldin, Emmalee; McKee, Carolyn; Olmedo, Alejandro; Pereira, Victoria; Thomas, Melissa; Wenger, Matthew

2018-01-01

Active Galactic Videos is an astronomy-focused YouTube channel run by a team at the University of Arizona. The channel both produces astronomy-focused educational content for public audiences and opens a window into the world of professional astronomy by showcasing the work done at Steward Observatory and in Southern Arizona. The channel is mainly run by undergraduate students from a variety of backgrounds including: astronomy, education, film, music, english, and writing. In addition to providing educational content for public audiences, this project provides opportunities for undergraduate students to learn about astronomy content, general astronomy pedagogy, as well as science communication. This is done through developing the practical skills needed to take on the challenge of creating effective and engaging videos. Students write, film, score, direct, and edit each video while conscious of how each piece can affect the teaching/storytelling of the concept at hand. The team has produced various styles of video: presentational, interviews, musical/poetic, tours, and documentaries. In addition to YouTube, the Active Galactic Videos team maintains a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. These help to widely distribute the content as well as to publicize the main Youtube channel. In addition to providing an overview of our educational work, we present 51 videos, or two year's, worth of online analytics that we are using to better understand our audience, to examine what videos have been popular and successful, and how people are accessing our content. We will present our experience in order to help others learn about improving astronomy education online, as well as astronomy communication and outreach in general.We acknowledge the Howard Hughes Medical Institute for grant support of this and related education initiatives

The Electron Microscopy Outreach Program: A Web-based resource for research and education.

Science.gov (United States)

Sosinsky, G E; Baker, T S; Hand, G; Ellisman, M H

1999-01-01

We have developed a centralized World Wide Web (WWW)-based environment that serves as a resource of software tools and expertise for biological electron microscopy. A major focus is molecular electron microscopy, but the site also includes information and links on structural biology at all levels of resolution. This site serves to help integrate or link structural biology techniques in accordance with user needs. The WWW site, called the Electron Microscopy (EM) Outreach Program (URL: http://emoutreach.sdsc.edu), provides scientists with computational and educational tools for their research and edification. In particular, we have set up a centralized resource containing course notes, references, and links to image analysis and three-dimensional reconstruction software for investigators wanting to learn about EM techniques either within or outside of their fields of expertise. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Reaching for the Stars in your Golden Years: The Importance of Outreach for Senior Citizens

Science.gov (United States)

Rapson, Valerie

2015-01-01

Astronomy outreach is often conducted in science classrooms, museums, observatories, and even at the local park. The intended audiences are usually families with young children, who we are training to be the next generation of scientists, inventors and world-changers. Science outreach is rarely geared towards senior citizens, and yet this group can be the most receptive audience, willing to share past experiences and engage in learning. Educating our seniors about astronomy, especially current discoveries, upcoming technology, and funding challenges, is of the utmost importance. Here, I share my experience conducting astronomy outreach at senior living communities in Rochester, NY as part of their Lifelong Learning initiative, and discuss why this type of outreach is important.

Association between Municipal Health Promotion Volunteers' Health Literacy and Their Level of Outreach Activities in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Taguchi, Atsuko; Murayama, Hiroshi; Murashima, Sachiyo

2016-01-01

To explore the association between health literacy and levels of three types of core activities among health promotion volunteers (developing a healthy lifestyle, outreach to family, and outreach to community members). A cross-sectional, anonymous, self-administered postal survey of registered health promotion volunteers in the Konan area in Shiga Prefecture in Japan, conducted in January 2010. The study sample was 575 registered health promotion volunteers. The survey collected data on health literacy, gender, age, education, self-rated health, perceptions about the volunteer organization, and perceptions of recognition in the community. The level of engagement in health promotion activities was measured by the extent to which the participants engaged in seven healthy behaviors and promoted them to family members and the community. The authors compared the health literacy level and other characteristics of the participants by core health promotion activities, using a chi-squared test, to examine the associations between demographic and other variables and the three core activities (healthy lifestyle, outreach to family, and outreach to community).Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between the degree to which the volunteers engaged in core activities ("healthy lifestyle," "outreach to family," "outreach to community") and the levels of health literacy (low, medium, high) among health promotion volunteers, controlling for the effects of age, gender, health condition, education which may also have an impact on volunteers' outreach activities. Four hundred and fifty-four questionnaires were returned, a 79.0% response rate. Excluding 16 cases with missing values on health literacy or the degree of health promotion activities, 438 research subjects were included in the analysis (valid response rate: 76.2%). Health literacy and a few demographic and other characteristics of the volunteers were associated with the three core health

Association between Municipal Health Promotion Volunteers’ Health Literacy and Their Level of Outreach Activities in Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Taguchi, Atsuko; Murayama, Hiroshi; Murashima, Sachiyo

2016-01-01

Objectives To explore the association between health literacy and levels of three types of core activities among health promotion volunteers (developing a healthy lifestyle, outreach to family, and outreach to community members). Study Design A cross-sectional, anonymous, self-administered postal survey of registered health promotion volunteers in the Konan area in Shiga Prefecture in Japan, conducted in January 2010. The study sample was 575 registered health promotion volunteers. Methods The survey collected data on health literacy, gender, age, education, self-rated health, perceptions about the volunteer organization, and perceptions of recognition in the community. The level of engagement in health promotion activities was measured by the extent to which the participants engaged in seven healthy behaviors and promoted them to family members and the community. The authors compared the health literacy level and other characteristics of the participants by core health promotion activities, using a chi-squared test, to examine the associations between demographic and other variables and the three core activities (healthy lifestyle, outreach to family, and outreach to community).Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between the degree to which the volunteers engaged in core activities (“healthy lifestyle,” “outreach to family,” “outreach to community”) and the levels of health literacy (low, medium, high) among health promotion volunteers, controlling for the effects of age, gender, health condition, education which may also have an impact on volunteers’ outreach activities. Results Four hundred and fifty-four questionnaires were returned, a 79.0% response rate. Excluding 16 cases with missing values on health literacy or the degree of health promotion activities, 438 research subjects were included in the analysis (valid response rate: 76.2%). Health literacy and a few demographic and other characteristics of the

Association between Municipal Health Promotion Volunteers' Health Literacy and Their Level of Outreach Activities in Japan.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atsuko Taguchi

Full Text Available To explore the association between health literacy and levels of three types of core activities among health promotion volunteers (developing a healthy lifestyle, outreach to family, and outreach to community members.A cross-sectional, anonymous, self-administered postal survey of registered health promotion volunteers in the Konan area in Shiga Prefecture in Japan, conducted in January 2010. The study sample was 575 registered health promotion volunteers.The survey collected data on health literacy, gender, age, education, self-rated health, perceptions about the volunteer organization, and perceptions of recognition in the community. The level of engagement in health promotion activities was measured by the extent to which the participants engaged in seven healthy behaviors and promoted them to family members and the community. The authors compared the health literacy level and other characteristics of the participants by core health promotion activities, using a chi-squared test, to examine the associations between demographic and other variables and the three core activities (healthy lifestyle, outreach to family, and outreach to community.Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between the degree to which the volunteers engaged in core activities ("healthy lifestyle," "outreach to family," "outreach to community" and the levels of health literacy (low, medium, high among health promotion volunteers, controlling for the effects of age, gender, health condition, education which may also have an impact on volunteers' outreach activities.Four hundred and fifty-four questionnaires were returned, a 79.0% response rate. Excluding 16 cases with missing values on health literacy or the degree of health promotion activities, 438 research subjects were included in the analysis (valid response rate: 76.2%. Health literacy and a few demographic and other characteristics of the volunteers were associated with the three core

Why do scientists do outreach, what do we achieve, and how can we better learn from each other, and from research in this field?

Science.gov (United States)

Salmon, R. A.; Roop, H. A.

2014-12-01

Using four very different polar outreach case studies, we will discuss scientists' motivations, expectations, and institutional incentives (and dis-incentives) to engage with the public, and argue that improved training, evaluation, and academic value needs to be associated with scientist-led communication efforts - as well as clearer fora for sharing best practice in this field. We will illustrate our argument using examples from an Antarctic festival with public lectures and science cafes, outreach associated with an Antarctic expedition, the global launch of a climate change documentary that had a significant focus on Antarctica, and a series of "Polar Weeks" led by an international community of scientists and educators. While there is an excellent culture of accountability in both formal and informal science communication sectors, the same rigour is not applied to the majority of 'outreach' activities that are initiated by the science research community. Many of these activities are undertaken based on 'what feels right' and opportunism, and are proclaimed to be a success based on little or no formal evaluation. As a result, much of this work goes undocumented, is not evaluated from the perspective of the science community, and is rarely subject to peer-review and its associated benefits, including professional rewards. We therefore conclude with suggestions of new opportunities for publication in this field that would encourage science communication theory and practice to better inform each other, and for scientists to gain professional recognition for their efforts in this arena.

NASA Astrophysics E/PO: The Impact of the Space Telescope Science Institute Office of Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Denise A.; Jirdeh, Hussein; Eisenhamer, Bonnie; Villard, Ray

2015-01-01

As the science operations center for Hubble and Webb, the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) is uniquely positioned to captivate the imagination and inspire learners of all ages in humanity's quest to understand fundamental questions about our universe and our place in it. With the 25th anniversary of Hubble's launch and deployment approaching in April 2015, this presentation will provide an overview of the impact of the STScI's Office of Public Outreach's programs to engage students, educators, and the public in exploring the universe through audience-based news, education, and outreach programs. At the heart of our programs lies a tight coupling of scientific, education, and communications expertise. By partnering scientists and educators, we assure current, accurate science content and education products and programs that are classroom-ready and held to the highest pedagogical standards. Likewise, news and outreach programs accurately convey cutting-edge science and technology in a way that is attuned to audience needs. The combination of Hubble's scientific capabilities and majestic imagery, together with a deep commitment to creating effective programs to share Hubble science with the education community and the public, has enabled the STScI Office of Public Outreach programs to engage 6 million students and ½ million educators per year, and 24 million online viewers per year. Hubble press releases generate approximately 5,000 online news articles per year with an average circulation of 125 million potential readers per press release news story. We will also share how best practices and lessons learned from this long-lived program are already being applied to engage a new generation of explorers in the science and technology of the James Webb Space Telescope.

Geoheritage + dark cultural heritage= dark geo-cultural heritage. A platform for effective outreach and education?

Science.gov (United States)

Riede, Felix

2017-04-01

In cultural heritage studies the term 'dark heritage' - defined as the tangible remains of now unwanted, unsavoury, uncomfortable or unpleasant pasts - has attracted much attention. It has been noted that despite the problematic nature of 'dark heritage' sites (e.g. Auschwitz, Chernobyl, Robben Island), these attract large number of visitors and so serve as effective platforms of addressing the attendant issues. Consequently, many theoretical, conceptual and empirical studies of such 'dark heritage' sites have been conducted. In studies of geoheritage, however, most effort has so far been placed on unproblematic sites. In this paper, I suggest that previous work on dark cultural heritage could be wedded to the emerging notion of geoheritage to more directly address the dark side of geoheritage - or rather geo-cultural heritage - sites. This is particularly pertinent when it comes to sites of past natural hazards that have affected human communities, and to sites of environmentally destructive resource extraction. I draw on two examples (the Laacher See eruption 13ka BP in Germany and the former lignite mine of Søby in Denmark) to illustrate the approach and to make the argument that the insights of cultural heritage studies should be brought to bear on geoheritage matters. By bringing humans into the equation, education and outreach related to, for instance, natural hazards and the consequences of mining attain and increased degree of immediacy. Such an interdisciplinary coupling of geological and cultural heritage is particularly relevant in relation to the problems surrounding the Anthropocene and its associated proposition that humans are now an ecological and geological force in themselves.

12 CFR 517.5 - Outreach.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Outreach. 517.5 Section 517.5 Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CONTRACTING OUTREACH PROGRAMS § 517.5 Outreach... registration of minority-, women-owned (small and large) businesses and entities owned by individuals with...

The League of Astronomers: Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Paat, Anthony; Brandel, A.; Schmitz, D.; Sharma, R.; Thomas, N. H.; Trujillo, J.; Laws, C. S.; Astronomers, League of

2014-01-01

The University of Washington League of Astronomers (LOA) is an organization comprised of University of Washington (UW) undergraduate students. Our main goal is to share our interest in astronomy with the UW community and with the general public. The LOA hosts star parties on the UW campus and collaborates with the Seattle Astronomical Society (SAS) on larger Seattle-area star parties. At the star parties, we strive to teach our local community about what they can view in our night sky. LOA members share knowledge of how to locate constellations and use a star wheel. The relationship the LOA has with members of SAS increases both the number of events and people we are able to reach. Since the cloudy skies of the Northwest prevent winter star parties, we therefore focus our outreach on the UW Mobile Planetarium, an inflatable dome system utilizing Microsoft’s WorldWide Telescope (WWT) software. The mobile planetarium brings astronomy into the classrooms of schools unable to travel to the UW on-campus planetarium. Members of the LOA volunteer their time towards this project and we make up the majority of the Mobile Planetarium volunteers. Our outreach efforts allow us to connect with the community and enhance our own knowledge of astronomy.

Status of Educational Efforts in National Security Workforce

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2008-03-31

This report documents the status of educational efforts for the preparation of a national security workforce as part of the National Security Preparedness Project, being performed by the Arrowhead Center of New Mexico State University under a DOE/NNSA grant. The need to adequately train and educate a national security workforce is at a critical juncture. Even though there are an increasing number of college graduates in the appropriate fields, many of these graduates choose to work in the private sector because of more desirable salary and benefit packages. This report includes an assessment of the current educational situation for the national security workforce.

NASA Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach: Engaging Educators and Students in Exploring the Cosmic Frontier

Science.gov (United States)

Lawton, Brandon L.; Eisenhamer, Bonnie; Smith, Denise Anne; Jirdeh, Hussein; Summers, Frank; Darnell, John T.; Ryer, Holly

2015-08-01

NASA’s Frontier Fields is an ambitious three-year Great Observatories program that will expand our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution in the early universe. The program includes six deep-field observations of strong-lensing galaxy clusters that will be taken in parallel with six deep “blank fields.” The observations allow astronomers to look deeper into the universe than ever before, and potentially uncover galaxies that are as much as 100 times fainter than what the telescopes can typically observe. The Frontier Fields science program is ideal for informing audiences about scientific advances and topics in STEM. The study of galaxy properties, statistics, optics, and Einstein’s theory of general relativity naturally leverages off of the science returns of the Frontier Fields program. As a result, the Space Telescope Science Institute’s Office of Public Outreach (OPO) has initiated an E/PO project to follow the progress of the Frontier Fields.For over two decades, the Hubble E/PO program has sought to bring the wonders of the universe to the education community, the youth, and the public, and engage audiences in the adventure of scientific discovery. Program components include standards-based curriculum-support materials, exhibits and exhibit components, professional development workshops, and direct interactions with scientists. We are also leveraging our new social media strategy to bring the science program to the public in the form of an ongoing blog. The main underpinnings of the program’s infrastructure are scientist-educator development teams, partnerships, and an embedded program evaluation component. OPO is leveraging this existing infrastructure to bring the Frontier Fields science program to the education community and the public in a cost-effective way.This talk features the goals and current status of the Frontier Fields E/PO program, with a particular emphasis on our education goals and achievements. We also highlight OPO�

Education and Outreach on Space Sciences and Technologies in Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Tiger Liu, Jann-Yeng; Chen, hao-Yen; Lee, I.-Te

2014-05-01

The Ionospheric Radio Science Laboratory (IRSL) at Institute of Space Science, National Central University in Taiwan has been conducting a program for public outreach educations on space science by giving lectures, organizing camps, touring exhibits, and experiencing hand-on experiments to elementary school, high school, and college students as well as general public since 1991. The program began with a topic of traveling/living in space, and was followed by space environment, space mission, and space weather monitoring, etc. and a series of course module and experiment (i.e. experiencing activity) module was carried out. For past decadal, the course modules have been developed to cover the space environment of the Sun, interplanetary space, and geospace, as well as the space technology of the rocket, satellite, space shuttle (plane), space station, living in space, observing the Earth from space, and weather observation. Each course module highlights the current status and latest new finding as well as discusses 1-3 key/core issues/concepts and equip with 2-3 activity/experiment modules to make students more easily to understand the topics/issues. Regarding the space technologies, we focus on remote sensing of Earth's surface by FORMOSAT-2 and occultation sounding by FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC of Taiwan space mission. Moreover, scientific camps are given to lead students a better understanding and interesting on space sciences/ technologies. Currently, a visualized image projecting system, Dagik Earth, is developed to demonstrate the scientific results on a sphere together with the course modules. This system will dramatically improve the educational skill and increase interests of participators.

UCLA's outreach program of science education in the Los Angeles schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Palacio-Cayetano, J; Kanowith-Klein, S; Stevens, R

1999-04-01

The UCLA School of Medicine's Interactive Multi-media Exercises (IMMEX) Project began its outreach into pre-college education in the Los Angeles area in 1993. The project provides a model in which software and technology are effectively intertwined with teaching, learning, and assessment (of both students' and teachers' performances) in the classroom. The project has evolved into a special collaboration between the medical school and Los Angeles teachers. UCLA faculty and staff work with science teachers and administrators from elementary, middle, and high schools. The program benefits ethnically and racially diverse groups of students in schools ranging from the inner city to the suburbs. The project's primary goal is to use technology to increase students' achievement and interest in science, including medicine, and thus move more students into the medical school pipeline. Evaluations from outside project evaluators (West Ed) as well as from teachers and IMMEX staff show that the project has already had a significant effect on teachers' professional development, classroom practice, and students' achievement in the Los Angeles area.

OUTREACH

CERN Multimedia

David Barney

The past three months have been very eventful for the CMS Outreach team. The majority of our efforts have concentrated on the update of the public web site at http://www.cern.ch/cmsinfo which was released to the public in time for the first LHC circulating beams. Congratulations in particular to Marzena Lapka and Lizzie Gibney for the excellent job that they have done. The layout of the new site roughly follows that of the main CERN public web site, a decision made long ago so that surfers do not feel lost when they jump from CERN to CMS. Both ALICE and LHCb also made this decision (after us!). The text of the new pages was made after interviewing many CMS collaborators, so has a very human feel to it. The site has been very well received by the community and the public/press alike. This is of course a first version so there will be more to come in the future, and comments are more than welcome. The 10th September is a date that few of us will forget. The world media (represented by nearly 300 journalists!...

Creating Chicago History: Making Outreach Craft Activities Meaningful

Science.gov (United States)

Karp, Madeline

2012-01-01

When it comes to having a traveling outreach activity for a museum, a craft can seem like the perfect solution. It can seemingly be all things at once--educational, quick and fun. But, if poorly constructed, crafts can also have serious fallbacks. Using the Chicago History Museum and the Millennium Park Family Fun Festival as a case study, this…

Web-based Tools for Educators: Outreach Activities of the Polar Radar for Ice Sheet Measurements (PRISM) Project

Science.gov (United States)

Braaten, D. A.; Holvoet, J. F.; Gogineni, S.

2003-12-01

The Radar Systems and Remote Sensing Laboratory at the University of Kansas (KU) has implemented extensive outreach activities focusing on Polar Regions as part of the Polar Radar for Ice Sheet Measurements (PRISM) project. The PRISM project is developing advanced intelligent remote sensing technology that involves radar systems, an autonomous rover, and communications systems to measure detailed ice sheet characteristics, and to determine bed conditions (frozen or wet) below active ice sheets in both Greenland and Antarctica. These measurements will provide a better understanding of the response of polar ice sheets to global climate change and the resulting impact the ice sheets will have on sea level rise. Many of the research and technological development aspects of the PRISM project, such as robotics, radar systems, climate change and exploration of harsh environments, can kindle an excitement and interest in students about science and technology. These topics form the core of our K-12 education and training outreach initiatives, which are designed to capture the imagination of young students, and prompt them to consider an educational path that will lead them to scientific or engineering careers. The K-12 PRISM outreach initiatives are being developed and implemented in a collaboration with the Advanced Learning Technology Program (ALTec) of the High Plains Regional Technology in Education Consortium (HPR*TEC). ALTec is associated with the KU School of Education, and is a well-established educational research center that develops and hosts web tools to enable teachers nationwide to network, collaborate, and share resources with other teachers. An example of an innovative and successful web interface developed by ALTec is called TrackStar. Teachers can use TrackStar over the Web to develop interactive, resource-based lessons (called tracks) on-line for their students. Once developed, tracks are added to the TrackStar database and can be accessed and modified

NASA's Coordinated Efforts to Enhance STEM Education: Bringing NASA Science into the Library

Science.gov (United States)

Meinke, B. K.; Thomas, C.; Eyermann, S.; Mitchell, S.; LaConte, K.; Hauck, K.

2015-11-01

Libraries are community-centered, free-access venues serving learners of all ages and backgrounds. Libraries also recognize the importance of science literacy and strive to include science in their programming portfolio. Scientists and educators can partner with local libraries to advance mutual goals of connecting the public to Earth and Space Science. In this interactive Special Interest Group (SIG) discussion, representatives from the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public Outreach (EPO) community's library collaborations discussed the opportunities for partnership with public and school libraries; explored the resources, events, and programs available through libraries; explored NASA science programming and professional development opportunities available for librarians; and strategized about the types of support that librarians require to plan and implement programs that use NASA data and resources. We also shared successes, lessons learned, and future opportunities for incorporating NASA science programming into library settings.

Astronomy Outreach Activites through the University of California, Irvine

Science.gov (United States)

Thornton, Carol E.; Smecker-Hane, T.

2006-06-01

We discuss our efforts to bring astronomy to local schools and classrooms through the UCI Astronomy Outreach program. This is part of a faculty-led outreach program entitled Outreach in Astronomy & Astrophysics with the UCI Observatory, funded by an NSF FOCUS grant to the University of California, Irvine. We primarily schedule visits with K-12 teachers in the Compton, Newport/Mesa and Santa Ana Unified School Districts, but often see scout troops and classes from other nearby schools. Often these schools don’t have the funding needed to bring their students to us, so we take small, portable telescopes to the schools, for both day and night visits, to give the students a chance to not only see a telescope, but to use one as well. For the schools that can find transportation to bring their students to campus, we include a tour of our observatory dome housing a 24-inch telescope used for outreach events and undergraduate research. In addition, we give interactive lectures and demonstrations to involve the students and get them excited about careers in science and science in general. We find that we help stimulate discussions before and after our visits, which can often help start or end a unit of astronomy within the schools’ curricula. We show feedback from teachers we have visited including the strengths of the program and suggestions/improvements for the future. For more information, see http://www.physics.uci.edu/%7Eobservat/tour_program.htmlFunding provided by NSF grant EHR-0227202 (PI: Ronald Stern).

ATLAS Outreach Highlights

CERN Document Server

Cheatham, Susan; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

The ATLAS outreach team is very active, promoting particle physics to a broad range of audiences including physicists, general public, policy makers, students and teachers, and media. A selection of current outreach activities and new projects will be presented. Recent highlights include the new ATLAS public website and ATLAS Open Data, the very recent public release of 1 fb-1 of ATLAS data.

The Swift MIDEX Education and Public Outreach Program

Science.gov (United States)

Feigelson, E. D.; Cominsky, L. R.; Whitlock, L. A.

1999-12-01

The Swift satellite is dedicated to an understanding of gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the Universe since the Big Bang. A multifaceted E/PO program associated with Swift is planned. Web sites will be constructed, including sophisticated interactive learning environments for combining science concepts with with exploration and critical thinking for high school students. The award-winning instructional television program "What's in the News?", produced by Penn State Public Broadcasting and reaching several million 4th-7th graders, will create a series of broadcasts on Swift and space astronomy. A teachers' curricular guide on space astronomy will be produced by UC-Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science as part of their highly successful GEMS guides promoting inquiry-based science education. Teacher workshops will be conducted in the Appalachian region and nationwide to testbed and disseminate these products. We may also assist the production of gamma-ray burst museum exhibits. All aspects of the program will be overseen by a Swift Education Committee and assessed by a professional educational evaluation firm. This effort will be supported by the NASA Swift MIDEX contract to Penn State.

Space Sciences Education and Outreach Project of Moscow State University

Science.gov (United States)

Krasotkin, S.

2006-11-01

sergekras@mail.ru The space sciences education and outreach project was initiated at Moscow State University in order to incorporate modern space research into the curriculum popularize the basics of space physics, and enhance public interest in space exploration. On 20 January 2005 the first Russian University Satellite “Universitetskiy-Tatyana” was launched into circular polar orbit (inclination 83 deg., altitude 940-980 km). The onboard scientific complex “Tatyana“, as well as the mission control and information receiving centre, was designed and developed at Moscow State University. The scientific programme of the mission includes measurements of space radiation in different energy channels and Earth UV luminosity and lightning. The current education programme consists of basic multimedia lectures “Life of the Earth in the Solar Atmosphere” and computerized practice exercises “Space Practice” (based on the quasi-real-time data obtained from “Universitetskiy-Tatyana” satellite and other Internet resources). A multimedia lectures LIFE OF EARTH IN THE SOLAR ATMOSPHERE containing the basic information and demonstrations of heliophysics (including Sun structure and solar activity, heliosphere and geophysics, solar-terrestrial connections and solar influence on the Earth’s life) was created for upper high-school and junior university students. For the upper-university students there a dozen special computerized hands-on exercises were created based on the experimental quasi-real-time data obtained from our satellites. Students specializing in space physics from a few Russian universities are involved in scientific work. Educational materials focus on upper high school, middle university and special level for space physics students. Moscow State University is now extending its space science education programme by creating multimedia lectures on remote sensing, space factors and materials study, satellite design and development, etc. The space

Putting out the welcome mat-targeting outreach efforts under the Affordable Care Act: Evidence from the Minnesota Community Application Agent Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Dybdal, Kristin; Blewett, Lynn A; Pintor, Jessie Kemmick; Johnson, Kelli

2015-01-01

An evaluation of the Minnesota Community Application Agent (MNCAA) Program was conducted for the MN Minnesota Department of Human Services and funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration's State Health Access Program grant. The MNCAA evaluation assessed effectiveness in reaching disparate populations, explored overall program value, and sought lessons applicable to the Navigator programs required under the Affordable Care Act. Mixed-methods approach using quantitative analysis of tracking and payment data and interviews with key informants to elicit "lessons learned" about the MNCAA program. The MNCAA program offers incentive payments and technical assistance to community partner organizations that assist individuals in applying for public health care coverage. A total of 140 unique community organizations participated in the MNCAA program in 2008 to 2012. Outreach staff and directors from participating MNCAAs and state/local government officials were interviewed. The article highlights a strategy for targeting outreach to individuals eligible for Medicaid coverage or subsidies under the Affordable Care Act by presenting evaluation findings from a unique outreach program to increase access to care for vulnerable populations in Minnesota. Almost two-thirds of applicants were successfully enrolled but lengthy waiting periods persisted. Seventy percent of applications came from health care organizations. Only 13% of applicants assisted by MNCAAs were new to public health care programs. Most MNCAAs believed that the incentive payment-$25 per successful enrollee-was insufficient. Significant expertise in enrolling individuals in public health care programs exists within a core group of community organizations. Incentives to leverage the capacity of community organizations must be accompanied by recruiting and training. Outreach providers and navigators also need timely access to client information. More investment in financial incentives will be required.

EarthScope's Education, Outreach, and Communications: Using Social Media from Continental to Global Scales

Science.gov (United States)

Bohon, W.; Frus, R.; Arrowsmith, R.; Fouch, M. J.; Garnero, E. J.; Semken, S. C.; Taylor, W. L.

2011-12-01

Social media has emerged as a popular and effective form of communication among all age groups, with nearly half of Internet users belonging to a social network or using another form of social media on a regular basis. This phenomenon creates an excellent opportunity for earth science organizations to use the wide reach, functionality and informal environment of social media platforms to disseminate important scientific information, create brand recognition, and establish trust with users. Further, social media systems can be utilized for missions of education, outreach, and communicating important timely information (e.g., news agencies are common users). They are eminently scaleable (thus serving from a few to millions of users with no cost and no performance problem), searchable (people are turning to them more frequently as conduits for information), and user friendly (thanks to the massive resources poured into the underlying technology and design, these systems are easy to use and have been widely adopted). They can be used, therefore, to engage the public interactively with the EarthScope facilities, experiments, and discoveries, and continue the cycle of discussions, experiments, analysis and conclusions that typify scientific advancement. The EarthScope National Office (ESNO) is launching an effort to utilize social media to broaden its impact as a conduit between scientists, facilities, educators, and the public. The ESNO will use the opportunities that social media affords to offer high quality science content in a variety of formats that appeal to social media users of various age groups, including blogs (popular with users 18-29), Facebook and Twitter updates (popular with users ages 18-50), email updates (popular with older adults), and video clips (popular with all age groups). We will monitor the number of "fans" and "friends" on social media and networking pages in order to gauge the increase in the percentage of the user population visiting the

Unraveling the Geologic History of Antarctica Through the Study of Sediment and Rock Cores: The ANDRILL Education and Public Outreach Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Rack, F. R.; Huffman, L.; Berg, M.; Levy, R.; Harwood, D.; Lacy, L.

2007-12-01

ANDRILL (ANtarctic geological DRILLing) is a multinational collaboration involving more than 250 scientists from Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United States. The ANDRILL Program has mobilized scientists, technicians, drillers, engineers, students and educators from four member nations to bring world-class science into focus and provide in-depth immersive experiences to educators through the ARISE (ANDRILL Research Immersion for Science Educators) Program and Project Iceberg. During two seasons of scientific drilling, encompassing the McMurdo Ice Shelf (MIS) Project and the Southern McMurdo Sound (SMS) Project, 15 educators have been immersed in ANDRILL science and have participated in both learning and teaching experiences. Blogs, video journals, images and other resources were generated and distributed online to teachers, students and the general public through the ANDRILL website as part of Project Iceberg, which was used as a unifying theme for the outreach effort. The video journals chronicled the journey from Lincoln, Nebraska to Antarctica and introduced viewers to many aspects of the ANDRILL program in an engaging manner. An accompanying guide provided background information, discussion starters, and engaging activities for students and adults alike. Subtitles in German and Italian were used on each of the video journals in addition to the English narrative, and the resulting product was entitled, ANDRILL: A REAL WORLD GEOSCIENCE ADVENTURE. The primary objective was to introduce teachers, students, and the general public to Antarctica and the ANDRILL Program, and to provide preliminary insights into the following questions: How do scientists from around the world come together in the coldest, windiest, driest place on Earth to uncover the secrets that have been shrouded beneath the ice for millions of years? What secrets do the rocks record? How can I join the journey to learn more about Antarctica and ANDRILL?

University of Maryland MRSEC - Education

Science.gov (United States)

Educational Education Pre-College Programs Homeschool Programs Undergraduate & Graduate Programs Teacher MRSEC Templates Opportunities Search Home » Education Education Outreach University of Maryland MRSEC : Championing Service-based Education Outreach Since 1996 Program Areas Pre-college Programs Project Lead the

Amphibious Encounters : Coral and People in Conservation Outreach in Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pauwelussen, A.P.; Verschoor, G.M.

2017-01-01

Drawing on long-term ethnographic research in Indonesia, this article describes a conservation outreach project that attempts to educate and convert local people into coral protectors. Both coral and the sea-dwelling Bajau people appear to be amphibious beings, moving between a changeable land-water

New Science, New Media: An Assessment of the Online Education and Public Outreach Initiatives of The Dark Energy Survey

OpenAIRE

Wolf, R. C.; Romer, A. K.; Nord, B.

2018-01-01

We present a case study of the online education and public outreach (EPO) program of The Dark Energy Survey (DES). We believe DES EPO is unique at this scale in astronomy, as it evolved organically from scientists' volunteerism. We find that DES EPO online products reach 2,500 social media users on average per post; 94% of these users are predisposed to science-related topics. We find projects which require scientist participation and collaboration support are most successful when they capita...

The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Education and Outreach (E/PO) Program: Changing Perceptions One Program at a Time

Science.gov (United States)

Drobnes, Emilie; Littleton, A.; Pesnell, William D.; Beck, K.; Buhr, S.; Durscher, R.; Hill, S.; McCaffrey, M.; McKenzie, D. E.; Myers, D.;

Bringing Physics, Synchrotron Light and Probing Neutrons to the Public: A Collaborative Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Micklavzina, Stanley; Almqvist, Monica; Sörensen, Stacey L.

2014-01-01

Stanley Micklavzina, a US physics educator on sabbatical, teams up with a Swedish national research laboratory, a synchrotron radiation experimental group and a university science centre to develop and create educational and public outreach projects. Descriptions of the physics, science centre displays and public demonstrations covering the…

Growing interest, growing programs, growing pains: Successfully customizing public outreach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wadkins, M.; Hill, C.; Hirsch, T.

1994-01-01

Since the mid-1980's, the Institutional and External Affairs staff of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP) has developed, coordinated, and maintained various public outreach programs to carry out the YMP's open door policy of keeping local communities informed. However, public involvement first requires public knowledge and, therefore, various information programs have been established over the past few years. First came the speakers bureau program, then the exhibits and science centers; and then came the tours and school district educational programs. All these programs were geared toward teaching the mainstream general public about the YMP and issues related to things nuclear. Today, the YMP outreach programs are established and known and the demand from the public has seen a shift. Over 150 top scientists and staff from around the country who have come to work at the YMP have joined the outreach participant pool to speak to the public not only about Yucca Mountain, but about their areas of expertise as well. For this reason, the public has realized a great opportunity for a general science and engineering education resource -- the YMP staff themselves. In a panel discussion, open-quotes Trust and credibility: The central issueclose quotes, proceedings of the National Conference on Risk Communication, it was shown that university professors and science teachers were among the most trusted individuals in terms of public perception and that government staff and contractors the least trusted. However, when you utilize the core educated knowledge of a YMP scientist in order to teach general science and math, you have, to some extent, placed that individual in an educational role and thus increased trust. The YMP scientists enjoy talking about their general science knowledge and we have found that the public likes to hear about it too

Entering a New ERA: Education Resources and AGU

Science.gov (United States)

Karsten, J. L.; Johnson, R. M.

2001-12-01

Professional societies play a unique role in the on-going battle to improve public education in the Earth and space sciences. With guidance from its Committee on Education and Human Resources (CEHR), AGU has traditionally sponsored strong programs that provide mechanisms for linking its research membership with the formal/informal science education communities. Among the most successful of these are tutorials for K-12 teachers taught by AGU members during national meetings (e.g., GIFT - Geophysical Information For Teachers) and internships that allow teachers to experience geophysical science research first-hand (e.g., STaRS - Science Teacher and Research Scientist). AGU also co-sponsors major symposia to discuss and develop strategies for Earth science education reform (e.g., the NSF-sponsored Shaping the Future workshop) and provides an annual forum for the Heads and Chairs of undergraduate geoscience departments to discuss common problems and share solutions. In the fall of 2001, AGU expects to unveil a major new education and outreach website that will provide enhanced opportunities for communicating to students, teachers and the public about AGU members' research and new directions in geophysical science education. The most important contribution that AGU makes, however, is to validate and prominently endorse the education and outreach efforts of its members, both by sponsoring well-attended, education-related special sessions at AGU national meetings and by annually honoring individuals or groups with the Excellence in Geoscience Education award. Recent staff changes at AGU headquarters have brought new opportunities to expand upon these successful existing programs and move in other directions that capitalize on the strengths of the organization. Among new initiatives being considered are programs that partner education efforts with those being developed as part of several large research programs, curriculum modules that will promote teaching earth sciences

Assessment of the Outreach Performance of Special Programme on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Assessment of the Outreach Performance of Special Programme on Food Security in Abia State, Nigeria. ... Four variables namely level of education, skill acquisition in off farm activities, farm size, and loan transaction costs produced significant influence on the amount of loan demanded. R2 value of 0.529 indicates that the ...

Fermilab Education: Physicists

Science.gov (United States)

Search Education and Outreach: Resources and Opportunties for Fermilab employees and Users A variety of resources and opportunities are available for physicists interested in education and outreach (For general Data (6–12) Physical Science/Physics Instructional Resources (K–12) US Particle Physics Education and

Utilizing social media for informal ocean conservation and education: The BioOceanography Project

Science.gov (United States)

Payette, J.

2016-02-01

Science communication through the use of social media is a rapidly evolving and growing pursuit in academic and scientific circles. Online tools and social media are being used in not only scientific communication but also scientific publication, education, and outreach. Standards and usage of social media as well as other online tools for communication, networking, outreach, and publication are always in development. Caution and a conservative attitude towards these novel "Science 2.0" tools is understandable because of their rapidly changing nature and the lack of professional standards for using them. However there are some key benefits and unique ways social media, online systems, and other Open or Open Source technologies, software, and "Science 2.0" tools can be utilized for academic purposes such as education and outreach. Diverse efforts for ocean conservation and education will continue to utilize social media for a variety of purposes. The BioOceanography project is an informal communication, education, outreach, and conservation initiative created for enhancing knowledge related to Oceanography and Marine Science with an unbiased yet conservation-minded approach and in an Open Source format. The BioOceanography project is ongoing and still evolving, but has already contributed to ocean education and conservation communication in key ways through a concerted web presence since 2013, including a curated Twitter account @_Oceanography and BioOceanography blog style website. Social media tools like those used in this project, if used properly can be highly effective and valuable for encouraging students, networking with researchers, and educating the general public in Oceanography.

Fermilab Education Office - Contacts

Science.gov (United States)

Search The Office of Education and Public Outreach: Contacts All telephone numbers require area code Presentations for Presenters 840-3094 Office of Education and Public Outreach Spencer Pasero spasero@fnal.gov Education Office 840-3076 Fermilab Friends for Science Education General Questions Susan Dahl sdahl@fnal.gov

Advancing Technology: GPS and GIS Outreach Training for Agricultural Producers

Science.gov (United States)

Flynn, Allison; Arnold, Shannon

2010-01-01

The use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Information Systems (GIS) has made significant impacts on agricultural production practices. However, constant changes in the technologies require continuing educational updates. The outreach program described here introduces the operation, use, and applications of GPS receivers and GIS…

Interest in Insects: The Role of Entomology in Environmental Education

Science.gov (United States)

Weeks, Faith J.; Oseto, Christian Y.

2018-01-01

University-based outreach programs have a long history of offering environmental education programs to local schools, but often these lessons are not evaluated for their impact on teachers and students. The impact of these outreach efforts can be influenced by many things, but the instructional delivery method can affect how students are exposed to new topics or how confident teachers feel about incorporating new concepts into the classroom. A study was conducted with a series of university entomology outreach programs using insects as a vehicle for teaching environmental education. These programs were used to assess differences between three of the most common university-based outreach delivery methods (Scientist in the Classroom, Teacher Training Workshops, and Online Curriculum) for their effect on student interest and teacher self-efficacy. Surveys administered to 20 fifth grade classrooms found that the delivery method might not be as important as simply getting insects into activities. This study found that the lessons had a significant impact on student interest in environmental and entomological topics, regardless of treatment. All students found the lessons to be more interesting, valuable, and important over the course of the year. Treatment also did not influence teacher self-efficacy, as it remained high for all teachers. PMID:29473884

An easy physics outreach and teaching tool for holography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voslion, T; Escarguel, A

2013-01-01

in the framework of scientific outreach at the 'Maison des Sciences' of the Aix-Marseilles University, we created a teaching kit for holography contained in a small case. It includes all the required equipment to produce holograms almost anywhere with a simple optical assembly with a very good vibration tolerance. The fundamental principles of holography and several applications are illustrated through simple experiments: reflection Denisyuk holograms, angular multiplexing, notch filters, holographic interferometry and diffraction holographic gratings. It is possible to use this tool for several purposes: science outreach, teaching for undergraduate and graduate students and continuing education. In this article, we explain the basis of holography, how the kit works, and give some applications and results that can be done with it.

Floating Classroom Outreach as an Introduction to Ocean Studies

Science.gov (United States)

McFadden, M.

2016-02-01

Many children and young adults living within only one hour of the coast never have the opportunity to explore a beach or go out on a boat because of financial challenges or lack of transportation.These types of experiences are the spark that helped many ocean scientists become fascinated with the ocean and later pursue a career related to the ocean. This presentation will discuss a variety of outreach projects and the efficacy of each. Projects vary in age, complexity and cost. These projects include a Beach Clean-Up open to students and their families at a community college organized by a campus volunteer group with a focus on social issues, a Marine Biology and Physical Oceanography class joint floating classroom trip open to college students to introduce non-STEM students to marine science in an exciting setting, and an education outreach trip for 8-12 years old children from the Boys and Girls Club in Newport, RI in collaboration with The International SeaKeepers Society, a non-profit that facilitates ocean research and education by working closely with the yachting community. Emphasis on environmental education in the U.S. has grown considerably over recent years, and the development of unique and innovative approaches to hands-on marine science education are needed to excite students to explore the marine environment and care about environmental stewardship.

Where the Wild Microbes Are: Education and Outreach on Sub-Seafloor Microbes

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, S. K.; Kurtz, K.; Orcutt, B.; Strong, L.; Collins, J.; Feagan, A.

2014-12-01

Sub-seafloor microbiology has the power to spark the imaginations of children, students and the general public with its mysterious nature, cutting-edge research, and connections to the search for extraterrestrial life. These factors have been utilized to create a number of educational and outreach products to bring subsurface microbes to non-scientist audiences in creative and innovative ways. The Adopt a Microbe curriculum for middle school students provides hands-on activities and investigations for students to learn about microbes and the on-going research about them, and provides opportunities to connect with active expeditions. A new series of videos engages non-scientists with stories about research expeditions and the scientists themselves. A poster and associated activities explore the nature of science using a microbiologist and her research as examples. A new e-book for young children will engage them with age-appropriate text and illustrations. These projects are multidisciplinary, involve science and engineering practices, are available to all audiences and provide examples of high level and meaningful partnerships between scientists and educators and the kinds of products that can result. Subseafloor microbiology projects such as these, aimed at K-12 students and the general public, have the potential to entice the interest of the next generation of microbe scientists and increase general awareness of this important science.

Integrating EarthScope Research and Education on a National Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Hall-Wallace, M. K.; Boyd, T.; Richard, G.; Ellins, K.; Meertens, C.; Semken, S.; Taber, J.; Benthien, M.; Wald, L.; Marvinney, R.

2002-12-01

EarthScope's education and outreach mission is to ensure the EarthScope experiment creates as its legacy a public more knowledgeable and understanding of the scientific and societal contributions made by the EarthScope experiment and Earth science. It will fulfill this commitment by developing and disseminating products that utilize the data, models, technology and discoveries of EarthScope and that support existing education and outreach programs. EarthScope EON will carry out educational activities ranging from research experiences for students in grades K-16 to professional development for technical professionals and educators in both formal (e.g. K-20 classrooms) and informal (e.g. museums and parks) venues. It will also provide a wide range of outreach activities from organizing town halls or other local meetings in advance of an instrument deployment, to developing radio, print and video materials that inform the public about the EarthScope experiment and discoveries. The EarthScope Education and Outreach Network (EON) will be facilitated and coordinated through a national center; however, the bulk of the effort will be distributed among local EON alliances of various sizes designed to respond quickly and to meet the specific needs in a region. This allows EarthScope EON to provide customized services that engage culturally, economically and geographically diverse audiences at the national and local scales. The network will be built through national and local partnerships with existing science education and outreach programs at colleges, universities, research facilities and professional societies within the EarthScope community as well as relevant programs at museums and parks, state geologic surveys and emergency management agencies, and K-12 schools. These partnerships will allow EON to use existing resources, networks and expertise to gear up quickly and efficiently. As EON develops, it will reciprocate by contributing new resources and expertise to the

Using Mixed Methods and Collaboration to Evaluate an Education and Public Outreach Program (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Shebby, S.; Shipp, S. S.

2013-12-01

Traditional indicators (such as the number of participants or Likert-type ratings of participant perceptions) are often used to provide stakeholders with basic information about program outputs and to justify funding decisions. However, use of qualitative methods can strengthen the reliability of these data and provide stakeholders with more meaningful information about program challenges, successes, and ultimate impacts (Stern, Stame, Mayne, Forss, David & Befani, 2012). In this session, presenters will discuss how they used a mixed methods evaluation to determine the impact of an education and public outreach (EPO) program. EPO efforts were intended to foster more effective, sustainable, and efficient utilization of science discoveries and learning experiences through three main goals 1) increase engagement and support by leveraging of resources, expertise, and best practices; 2) organize a portfolio of resources for accessibility, connectivity, and strategic growth; and 3) develop an infrastructure to support coordination. The evaluation team used a mixed methods design to conduct the evaluation. Presenters will first discuss five potential benefits of mixed methods designs: triangulation of findings, development, complementarity, initiation, and value diversity (Greene, Caracelli & Graham, 2005). They will next demonstrate how a 'mix' of methods, including artifact collection, surveys, interviews, focus groups, and vignettes, was included in the EPO project's evaluation design, providing specific examples of how alignment between the program theory and the evaluation plan was best achieved with a mixed methods approach. The presentation will also include an overview of different mixed methods approaches and information about important considerations when using a mixed methods design, such as selection of data collection methods and sources, and the timing and weighting of quantitative and qualitative methods (Creswell, 2003). Ultimately, this presentation will

Taking local optics outreach abroad for IYL 2015: administrative and logistical challenges and strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Nicholas H. L.; Posner, Matthew T.; Mittal, Vinita; Gray, David R.; John, Pearl V.

2016-09-01

The Lightwave Roadshow is an outreach program run by research students at the University of Southampton, UK, that seeks to educate and inspire young students with optics, through conducting workshops in local schools and exhibiting at local and regional educational fairs. Adopting a hands-on philosophy enabled by an extensive collection of experimental optical demonstrations, Lightwave aims to promote scientific interest and indirectly address the global STEM skills shortage. While Lightwave has become a well-established program in local schools since its inception in 1998, 2015 included an unprecedented number of overseas activities. Inspired by the In- ternational Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015), Lightwave organized a school workshop in a foreign country (Singapore) as well as exhibited at major events, including the IYL 2015 opening ceremony in France, which marked the first time that the roadshow used UK school students to deliver outreach activities beyond the UK. These recent successful overseas projects have encouraged the outreach team to continue expand- ing the reach of the roadshow internationally. Of particular note is the involvement of Lightwave at academic conferences, where experiences and best practices can be shared among outreach ambassadors from different programs, student chapters, universities, and organizations. This paper provides a review of these activities, and identifies the administrative and practical challenges of bringing a local outreach program abroad and some strategies to overcome them. We also outline our travel suite of experimental demonstration kit, a portable selection from our main equipment inventory. This won the recent OSA `IYL-To-Go' student competition.

Using EarthScope Construction of the Plate Boundary Observatory to Provide Locally Based Experiential Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, M.; Eriksson, S.; Barbour, K.; Venator, S.; Mencin, D.; Prescott, W.

2006-12-01

EarthScope is an NSF-funded, national science initiative to explore the structure and evolution of the North American continent and to understand the physical processes controlling earthquakes and volcanoes. This large-scale experiment provides locally based opportunities for education and outreach which engage students at various levels and the public. UNAVCO is responsible for the Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) component of EarthScope. PBO includes the installation and operations and maintenance of large networks of Global Positioning Satellite (GPS), strainmeter, seismometer, and tiltmeter instruments and the acquisition of satellite radar imagery, all of which will be used to measure and map the smallest movements across faults, the magma movement inside active volcanoes and the very wide areas of deformation associated with plate tectonic motion. UNAVCO, through its own education and outreach activities and in collaboration with the EarthScope E&O Program, uses the PBO construction activities to increase the understanding and public appreciation of geodynamics, earth deformation processes, and their relevance to society. These include programs for public outreach via various media, events associated with local installations, a program to employ students in the construction of PBO, and development of curricular materials by use in local schools associated with the EarthScope geographic areas of focus. PBO provides information to the media to serve the needs of various groups and localities, including interpretive centers at national parks and forests, such as Mt. St. Helens. UNAVCO staff contributed to a television special with the Spanish language network Univision Aquí y Ahora program focused on the San Andreas Fault and volcanoes in Alaska. PBO participated in an Education Day at the Pathfinder Ranch Science and Outdoor Education School in Mountain Center, California. Pathfinder Ranch hosts two of the eight EarthScope borehole strainmeters in the Anza

Engaging the Public Through an Interactive Astronomy Outreach Program

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Kristen

2018-01-01

The growing technology sector of the U.S. economy in an increasingly complex world has made it more important than ever for students to gather information, think critically, and solve problems. These skills are often acquired through the study of STEM disciplines. In an effort to inspire students and the public in the Charlotte, NC area to take an interest in STEM related fields, the Physics Department at Davidson College has recently developed an interactive astronomy community engagement program. This program is comprised of off-campus events that bring STEM programming to K-12 children, on-campus public star parties, and a day-long astronomy fair called Davidson Space Day. This presentation will illustrate the implementation of each of these components of our outreach program, present an evaluation of their success, and describe future goals and lessons learned thus far. This outreach program was made possible through funding from the NC Space Grant Consortium.

76 FR 22740 - Comment Request on Existing Private and Public Efforts To Educate Investors

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-22

... Existing Private and Public Efforts To Educate Investors AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission. ACTION: Request for comment. SUMMARY: In connection with a study regarding financial literacy among investors as... private and public efforts to educate investors. DATES: Comments should be received on or before June 21...

Cryosphere Science Outreach using the Ice Sheet System Model and a Virtual Ice Sheet Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, D. L. C.; Halkides, D. J.; Larour, E. Y.

2015-12-01

Understanding the role of Cryosphere Science within the larger context of Sea Level Rise is both a technical and educational challenge that needs to be addressed if the public at large is to trulyunderstand the implications and consequences of Climate Change. Within this context, we propose a new approach in which scientific tools are used directly inside a mobile/website platform geared towards Education/Outreach. Here, we apply this approach by using the Ice Sheet System Model, a state of the art Cryosphere model developed at NASA, and integrated within a Virtual Ice Sheet Laboratory, with the goal is to outreach Cryospherescience to K-12 and College level students. The approach mixes laboratory experiments, interactive classes/lessons on a website, and a simplified interface to a full-fledged instance of ISSM to validate the classes/lessons. This novel approach leverages new insights from the Outreach/Educational community and the interest of new generations in web based technologies and simulation tools, all of it delivered in a seamlessly integrated web platform. This work was performed at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory undera contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Cryosphere Science Program.

The IRIS Education and Outreach Program: Providing access to data and equipment for educational and public use

Science.gov (United States)

Taber, J.; Toigo, M.; Bravo, T. K.; Hubenthal, M.; McQuillan, P. J.; Welti, R.

2009-12-01

The IRIS Education and Outreach Program has been an integral part of IRIS for the past 10 years and during that time has worked to advance awareness and understanding of seismology and earth science while inspiring careers in geophysics. The focus on seismology and the use of seismic data has allowed the IRIS E&O program to develop and disseminate a unique suite of products and services for a wide range of audiences. One result of that effort has been increased access to the IRIS Data Management System by non-specialist audiences and simplified use of location and waveform data. The Seismic Monitor was one of the first Web-based tools for observing near-real-time seismicity. It continues to be the most popular IRIS web page, and thus it presents aspects of seismology to a very wide audience. For individuals interested in more detailed ground motion information, waveforms can be easily viewed using the Rapid Earthquake Viewer, developed by the University of South Carolina in collaboration with IRIS E&O. The Seismographs in Schools program gives schools the opportunity to apply for a low-cost educational seismograph and to receive training for its use in the classroom. To provide better service to the community, a new Seismographs in Schools website was developed in the past year with enhanced functions to help teachers improve their teaching of seismology. The site encourages schools to make use of seismic data and communicate with other educational seismology users throughout the world. Users can view near-real-time displays of other participating schools, upload and download data, and use the “find a teacher” tool to contact nearby schools that also may be operating seismographs. In order to promote and maintain program participation and communication, the site features a discussion forum to encourage and support the growing global community of educational seismograph users. Any data that is submitted to the Seismographs in Schools Website is also accessible

Computer-games for gravitational wave science outreach: Black Hole Pong and Space Time Quest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carbone, L; Bond, C; Brown, D; Brückner, F; Grover, K; Lodhia, D; Mingarelli, C M F; Fulda, P; Smith, R J E; Unwin, R; Vecchio, A; Wang, M; Whalley, L; Freise, A

2012-01-01

We have established a program aimed at developing computer applications and web applets to be used for educational purposes as well as gravitational wave outreach activities. These applications and applets teach gravitational wave physics and technology. The computer programs are generated in collaboration with undergraduates and summer students as part of our teaching activities, and are freely distributed on a dedicated website. As part of this program, we have developed two computer-games related to gravitational wave science: 'Black Hole Pong' and 'Space Time Quest'. In this article we present an overview of our computer related outreach activities and discuss the games and their educational aspects, and report on some positive feedback received.

Expanding Public Outreach: The Solar System Ambassadors Program

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, K.

2001-12-01

The Solar System Ambassadors Program is a public outreach program designed to work with motivated volunteers across the nation. These competitively selected volunteers organize and conduct public events that communicate exciting discoveries and plans in Solar System research, exploration and technology through non-traditional forums. In 2001, 206 Ambassadors from almost all 50 states bring the excitement of space to the public. Ambassadors are space enthusiasts, who come from all walks of life. Last year, Ambassadors conducted almost 600 events that reached more than one-half million people in communities across the United States. The Solar System Ambassadors Program is sponsored by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, an operating division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and a lead research and development center for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Participating JPL organizations include Cassini, Galileo, STARDUST, Outer Planets mission, Genesis, Ulysses, Voyager, Mars missions, Discovery missions NEAR and Deep Impact, Deep Space Network, Solar System Exploration Forum and the Education and Public Outreach Office. Each Ambassador participates in on-line (web-based) training sessions that provide interaction with NASA scientists, engineers and project team members. As such, each Ambassador's experience with the space program becomes personalized. Training sessions provide Ambassadors with general background on each mission and educate them concerning specific mission milestones, such as launches, planetary flybys, first image returns, arrivals, and ongoing key discoveries. Additionally, projects provide limited supplies of materials, online resource links and information. Integrating volunteers across the country in a public-engagement program helps optimize project funding set aside for education and outreach purposes, establishing a nationwide network of regional contacts. At the same time

Education and Public Outreach for MSFC's Ground-Based Observations in Support of the HESSI Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Mitzi L.; Hagyard, Mona J.; Newton, Elizabeth K.

1999-01-01

A primary focus of NASA is the advancement of science and the communication of these advances to a number of audiences, both within the science research community and outside it. The upcoming High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI) mission and the MSFC ground-based observing program, provide an excellent opportunity to communicate our knowledge of the Sun, its cycle of activity, the role of magnetic fields in that activity, and its effect on our planet. In addition to ground-based support of the HESSI mission, MSFC's Solar Observatory, located in North Alabama, will involve students and the local education community in its day-to-day operations, an experience which is more immediate, personal, and challenging than their everyday educational experience. Further, by taking advantage of the Internet, our program can reach beyond the immediate community. By joining with Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta, Georgia, we will leverage their almost 30 years'experience in science program delivery in diverse situations to a distance learning opportunity which can encompass the entire Southeast and beyond. This poster will outline our education and public outreach plans in support of the HESSI mission in which we will target middle and high school students and their teachers.

Build Your Own Particle Detector. Education and outreach through ATLAS LEGO models and events

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00220289; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

To support the outreach activities of ATLAS institutes and to grasp people’s attention in science exhibitions and during public events, a very detailed model of the experiment built entirely out of LEGO bricks as well as an outreach programme using LEGO bricks to get people to think about particle detectors and involve them into a conversation about particle physics in general have been created. A large LEGO model, consisting of about 9500 pieces, has been exported to more than 55 ATLAS institutes and has been used in numerous exhibitions to explain the proportion and composition of the experiment to the public. As part of the Build Your Own Particle Detector programme (byopd.org) more than 15 events have been conducted, either involving a competition to design and build the best particle detector from a random pile of pieces or to take part in the construction of one of the large models, as part of a full day outreach event. Recently, miniature models of all four main LHC experiments, that will be used at ...

Amphibious Encounters: Coral and People in Conservation Outreach in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annet Pauwelussen

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Drawing on long-term ethnographic research in Indonesia, this article describes a conservation outreach project that attempts to educate and convert local people into coral protectors. Both coral and the sea-dwelling Bajau people appear to be amphibious beings, moving between a changeable land-water interface, and between different, fluidly interwoven ontological constellations. We show that the failure of conservation organizations to recognize the ontologically ambiguous nature of “coral” and “people” translates to a breakdown of outreach goals. Mobilizing the concept of amphibiousness to engage this ambiguity and fluidity, we describe the moving land-water interface as the actual living environment for both coral and people. The notion of amphibiousness, we suggest, has practical and political value, in particular for reconsidering outreach and how it may be reframed as a process involving ontological dialogue. For conservation outreach to become seaworthy, it needs to cultivate an amphibious capacity, capable of moving in-between and relating partly overflowing ways of knowing and being. Providing room for ambiguity, thinking with amphibiousness furthermore encourages suspension of the (Western tendency to explain the Other, to fix what does not add up. As such, it is of heuristic relevance for the on-going discussions of ontological multiplicity that have proliferated at the intersection between STS and anthropology.

Cathedral outreach: student-led workshops for school curriculum enhancement in non-traditional environments

Science.gov (United States)

Posner, Matthew T.; Jantzen, Alexander; van Putten, Lieke D.; Ravagli, Andrea; Donko, Andrei L.; Soper, Nathan; Wong, Nicholas H. L.; John, Pearl V.

2017-08-01

Universities in the United Kingdom have been driven to work with a larger pool of potential students than just the more traditional student (middle-class white male), in order to tackle the widely-accepted skills-shortage in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), whilst honoring their commitment to fair access to higher education. Student-led outreach programs have contributed significantly to this drive. Two such programs run by postgraduate students at the University of Southampton are the Lightwave Roadshow and Southampton Accelerate!, which focus on photonics and particle physics, respectively. The program ambassadors have developed activities to enhance areas of the national curriculum through presenting fundamental physical sciences and their applications to optics and photonics research. The activities have benefitted significantly from investment from international organizations, such as SPIE, OSA and the IEEE Photonics Society, and UK research councils, in conjunction with university recruitment and outreach strategies. New partnerships have been formed to expand outreach programs to work in non-traditional environments to challenge stereotypes of scientists. This paper presents two case studies of collaboration with education learning centers at Salisbury Cathedral and Winchester Cathedral. The paper outlines workshops and shows developed for pupils aged 6-14 years (UK key stages 2-4) on the electromagnetic spectrum, particle physics, telecommunications and the human eye using a combination of readily obtainable items, hand-built kits and elements from the EYEST Photonics Explorer kit. The activities are interactive to stimulate learning through active participation, complement the UK national curriculum and link the themes of science with the non-traditional setting of a cathedral. We present methods to evaluate the impact of the activity and tools to obtain qualitative feedback for continual program improvement. We also

Fermilab Education Office - Volunteer

Science.gov (United States)

Search Opportunities for Education and Outreach for Employees and Users Fermilab employees, users, and contribute and let us know. If you have ideas for education and outreach that are not listed here, email presents the Director's Award for exceptional support to Fermilab's K–12 Education programs. Visit schools

Using evaluation to adapt health information outreach to the complex environments of community-based organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Olney, Cynthia A

2005-10-01

After arguing that most community-based organizations (CBOs) function as complex adaptive systems, this white paper describes the evaluation goals, questions, indicators, and methods most important at different stages of community-based health information outreach. This paper presents the basic characteristics of complex adaptive systems and argues that the typical CBO can be considered this type of system. It then presents evaluation as a tool for helping outreach teams adapt their outreach efforts to the CBO environment and thus maximize success. Finally, it describes the goals, questions, indicators, and methods most important or helpful at each stage of evaluation (community assessment, needs assessment and planning, process evaluation, and outcomes assessment). Literature from complex adaptive systems as applied to health care, business, and evaluation settings is presented. Evaluation models and applications, particularly those based on participatory approaches, are presented as methods for maximizing the effectiveness of evaluation in dynamic CBO environments. If one accepts that CBOs function as complex adaptive systems-characterized by dynamic relationships among many agents, influences, and forces-then effective evaluation at the stages of community assessment, needs assessment and planning, process evaluation, and outcomes assessment is critical to outreach success.

1 Outreach, Education and Domestic Market Enhancement 2 Export Promotion and Assistance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geothermal Energy Association

2004-03-15

Geothermal Energy Association supports the US geothermal industry in its efforts to bring more clean geothermal energy on-line throughout the world. Activities designed to accomplish this goal include: (1) developing and maintaining data bases, web pages, (2) commissioning of special studies and reports, (3) preparing, printing and distributing brochures and newsletters, (4) developing exhibits and displays, and participating in trade shows, (5) designing, producing and disseminating audio-video materials, (6) monitoring and coordinating programs carried out by US DOE and other Federal agencies, (7) holding workshops to facilitate communication between researchers and industry and to encourage their recognition of emerging markets for geothermal technology, (8) attending conferences, making speeches and presentation, and otherwise interacting with environmental and other renewable energy organizations and coalitions, (9) hosting events in Washington, DC and other appropriate locations to educate Federal, State and local representatives, environmental groups, the news media, and other about the status and potential of geothermal energy, (10) conducting member services such as the preparation and distribution of a member newsletter related to operating and maintaining s useful and viable association, and (11) performing similar kinds of activities designed to inform others about geothermal energy. The activities of the export promotion aim to assist industry in accomplishing the goal of successfully penetrating and developing energy in country with existing geothermal resources and a desire to develop them. Activities including in export promotion are: (1)needs analysis and assessment involve monitoring the progress of developing markets and projects overseas and working with US industry to determine what future activities by GEA would be of greatest assistance, (2) outreach includes the preparation and dissemination of brochures and videos for foreign professionals

Mini-med school for Aboriginal youth: experiential science outreach to tackle systemic barriers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita I. Henderson

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Addressing systemic barriers experienced by low-income and minority students to accessing medical school, the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine has spearheaded a year-round, mini-med school outreach initiative for Aboriginal students. Method: Junior and senior high school youth generally attend the half-day program in classes or camps of 15–25, breaking into small groups for multisession activities. Undergraduate medical education students mentor the youth in stations offering experiential lessons in physical examination, reading x-rays, and anatomy. All resources from the medical school are offered in-kind, including a pizza lunch at midday, whereas community partners organize transportation for the attendees. Results: Opening the medical school and its resources to the community offers great benefits to resource-constrained schools often limited in terms of science education resources. The model is also an effort to address challenges among the medical professions around attracting and retaining students from underserved populations. Conclusion: The prospect of increasing admission rates and successful completion of medical education among students from marginalized communities poses a real, though difficult-to-measure, possibility of increasing the workforce most likely to return to and work in such challenging contexts. A mini-medical school for Aboriginal youth highlights mutual, long-term benefit for diverse partners, encouraging medical educators and community-based science educators to explore the possibilities for deepening partnerships in their own regions.

Recent sexually transmitted disease prevention efforts and their implications for AIDS health education.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, M Z; DeJong, W

1986-01-01

In the absence of a cure or vaccine for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) educational and social marketing efforts to reduce the transmission of Human T-lymphotropic type III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus (HTLV-III/LAV) are currently our best hope for controlling the disease. Since 1983, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has funded a series of research studies to determine whether education efforts can successfully motivate the adoption of key behaviors relevant to the control of a variety of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Analysis of the first two studies which are now completed, and preliminary data from a third study, have documented dramatic changes in behavior, knowledge, and attitudes among clients in inner-city public health clinics. The authors describe the principles and underlying assumptions that have guided the design of their STD initiatives, drawing special attention to the implications for AIDS health education efforts.

Plate Boundary Observatory Infrastructure and Data Products in Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, S. C.; Barbour, K.; Lee, E.

2005-12-01

As one of three major components of NSF's EarthScope program, the Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) encourages the integration of research and education. Informing various communities about the current work of PBO and the scientific discoveries related to the use of this instrumentation has contributed to the success of PBO during the first two years of the EarthScope project. UNAVCO(PBO), IRIS (USArray), and the EarthScope project office work together to integrate Education and Outreach (E&O) opportunities into a program that is greater than the sum of its parts and yet maintains the identity of each organization. Building and maintaining the PBO website, documenting and archiving activities of PBO, providing short courses for professional development of scientists using EarthScope data, and developing higher level data products with an appropriate educational framework are a few of the activities that provide both challenges and opportunities. The internet, particularly the World Wide Web, has become the primary tool for disseminating information to various audiences. The primary goals of the PBO website are to provide current information on the progress of GPS and Strainmeter facility construction; to provide access to different levels of data products; and to facilitate networking with and among scientists. Challenges for the PBO website include publishing current stories on installation projects while coordinating with field engineers on a regular basis; providing near to real time updates and maintaining quality assurance processes; and defining personnel requirements for a maintaining a dynamic website. Currently, archived photographs, web diaries, and numerous web highlights document PBO's success and provide a visual record of PBO's accomplishments and behind-the-scene activities over the last two years. The community charged PBO with increasing the number of scientists using its data. UNAVCO does this by providing short courses for professional development

The Internet as an outreach tool: the UWC case | Keats | South ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

There are two web-based outreach projects based in the botany department at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), providing high-school level learning resources in the area of Biology and Environmental Education. An analysis of guestbook submissions and server logs was made to determine if the resources were ...

Growing Physics and Astronomy Public Outreach in Montreal

Science.gov (United States)

Simard, Gabrielle; Lepo, Kelly

2017-01-01

AstroMcGill was founded in 2011 by an enthusiastic group of undergraduate students, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. It serves as the education and public outreach (EPO) branch of the astronomy group within the Physics Department at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Over the last five years, AstroMcGill has grown from organizing sporadic visits in a couple primary schools to running a successful inquiry-based outreach programme for grade 4-6 students, the McGill Space Explorers. During the same time span, the attendance at public AstroNight lectures ramped up from attracting a few dozen people to over 500 people each month. We will highlight the recent successes of the programme and our best guesses for the reasons behind this success. We will also discuss the challenges of working in a bilingual city as we juggle our majority anglophone volunteers, a mandatory french science curriculum for primary school children and the (somewhat) overlapping English- and French-speaking communities in the city.

International Education Opportunities during the IHY: Bridging the Geographic, Cultural and Linguistic Divide between Participating IHY Nations

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, B.J.; Morrow, C.A.; Rabello-Soares, M.C.; Smith, R.W.

2006-01-01

Currently there are over 70 U.N. Member States participating in the International Heliophysical Year (IHY 2007- 8), and most of these nations do not use English as their primary language. The IHY contains four main program elements: Science, Observatory Development, Outreach, and History. For these elements to be successful, each requires successful communication within and adaptation for the individual member states. The IHY Outreach program contains many educational activities targeting a wide range of languages and contexts. The other three program elements, however, offer a means to extend the impact of the educational programs and reinforce educational activities. IHY's scientific activities involve partnerships with institutions and observatories, many of which have outreach activities in their local communities. Scientists and participation programs from around the world have begun translating materials into their local languages and adapting educational tools for use in their communities. IHY's Observatory Development program, which began deploying instrumentation worldwide in 2004, encourages a strong educational component to each new observatory site as a means of ensuring long-lasting viability of the research program. The history program gathers important information and educates the public about the development of space science. This presentation will discuss efforts occurring within the IHY program that support cross-cultural communication and education and present opportunities to reach new audiences.

International Education Opportunities During the IHY: Bridging the Geographic, Cultural and Linguistic Divide Between Participating IHY Nations

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, B. J.; Morrow, C. A.; Rabello-Soares, M. C.; Smith, R. W.

2006-12-01

Currently there are over 70 U.N. Member States participating in the International Heliophysical Year (IHY 2007- 8), and most of these nations do not use English as their primary language. The IHY contains four main program elements: Science, Observatory Development, Outreach, and History. For these elements to be successful, each requires successful communication within and adaptation for the individual member states. The IHY Outreach program contains many educational activities targetting a wide range of languages and contexts. The other three program elements, however, offer a means to extend the impact of the educational programs and reinforce educational activities. IHY's scientific activities involve partnerships with institutions and observatories, many of which have outreach activities in their local communities. Scientists and participation programs from around the world have begun translating materials into their local languages and adapting educational tools for use in their communities. IHY's Observatory Development program, which began deploying instrumentation worldwide in 2004, encourages a strong educational component to each new observatory site as a means of ensuring long-lasting viability of the research program. The history program gathers important information and educates the public about the development of space science. This presentation will discuss efforts occurring within the IHY program that support cross-cultural communication and education and present opportunities to reach new audiences.

Outreach on a National Scale: The Critical Role of Facilities

Science.gov (United States)

Bartel, B. A.; Charlevoix, D. J.

2015-12-01

Facilities provide infrastructure for science that would not be feasible at a single institution. Facilities are also a resource for development of outreach products and activities that reach a national audience of diverse stakeholders. UNAVCO manages the NSF geodetic facility GAGE (Geodesy Advancing Geosciences and Earthscope). Staff at UNAVCO with expertise in education, outreach, and communication translate the science and supporting infrastructure into materials consumable by a wide array of users including teachers, students, museum attendees, emergency managers, park interpreters, and members of the general public. UNAVCO has the ability to distribute materials to a national and international audience, thereby greatly increasing the impact of the science and increasing the value of the investment by the National Science Foundation. In 2014 and 2015, UNAVCO produced multiple print products focused on the Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO), the geodetic component of EarthScope. Products include a deck of playing cards featuring PBO GPS stations, a poster featuring GPS velocities of the Western United States, and another poster focused on GPS velocities in Alaska. We are distributing these products to a broad audience, including teachers, station permit holders, and community members. The Tectonics of the Western United States poster was distributed this year in the American Geosciences Institute Earth Science Week kit for teachers, reaching 16,000 educators around the country. These posters and the PBO playing cards (PBO-52) were distributed to more than 100 teachers through workshops led by UNAVCO, the EarthScope National Office, the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC), and more. Additionally, these cards serve as a way to engage landowners who host these scientific stations on their property. This presentation will address the strategies for creating nationally relevant materials and the tools used for dissemination of materials to a broad audience. We

"Optics 4 every1", the hands-on optics outreach program of the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon

Science.gov (United States)

Viera-González, Perla M.; Sánchez-Guerrero, Guillermo E.

2016-09-01

The Fisica Pato2 (Physics 4 every1) outreach group started as a need of hands-on activities and active Science demonstrations in the education for kids, teenagers and basic education teachers in Nuevo Leffon maintaining a main objective of spread the word about the importance of Optics and Photonics; for accomplish this objective, since November 2013 several outreach events are organized every year by the group. The program Optics 4 every1 is supported by the Facultad de Ciencias Fisico Matematicas of the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon and the International Society for Optics and Photonics and consist in quick hands-on activities and Optics demonstrations designed for teach basic optical phenomena related with light and its application in everyday life. During 2015, with the purpose of celebrate the International Year of Light 2015, the outreach group was involved in 13 different events and reached more than 8,000 people. The present work explains the activities done and the outcome obtained with this program.

Science Writer-At-Sea: A New InterRidge Education Outreach Project Joining Scientists and Future Journalists

Science.gov (United States)

Kusek, K. M.; Freitag, K.; Devey, C.

2005-12-01

The Science Writer-at-Sea program is one small step in a marathon need for improved coverage of science and environmental issues. It targets two significant links in the Earth science communication pipeline: marine scientists and journalists; and attempts to reconnect people with the Earth by boosting their understanding of Earth science and its relevance to society. How it works: Journalism graduate students are invited to participate in oceanographic expeditions affiliated with InterRidge, an international organization dedicated to promoting ocean ridge research. InterRidge's outreach coordinator and science writer prepares each student for the expedition experience using materials she developed based on years of at-sea reporting. The students work side-by-side with the science writer and the scientists to research and write innovative journalistic stories for a general audience that are featured on a uniquely designed multimedia website that includes videos and images. The science, journalism and public communities benefit from this cost-effective program: science research is effectively showcased, scientists benefit from interactions with journalists, science outreach objectives are accomplished; student journalists enjoy a unique hands-on, `boot camp' experience; and the website enhances public understanding of `real' Earth science reported `on scene at sea.' InterRidge completed its first pilot test of the program in August 2005 aboard a Norwegian research cruise. A student writer entering the science journalism program at Columbia University participated. The results exceeded expectations. The team discovered the world's northernmost vent fields on the cruise, which expanded the original scope of the website to include a section specifically designed for the international press. The student was inspired by the cruise, amazed at how much she learned, and said she entered graduate school with much more confidence than she had prior to the program. The site

NASA GSFC Science Communication Working Group: Addressing Barriers to Scientist and Engineer Participation in Education and Public Outreach Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Bleacher, L.; Hsu, B. C.; Campbell, B. A.; Hess, M.

2011-12-01

The Science Communication Working Group (SCWG) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has been in existence since late 2007. The SCWG is comprised of education and public outreach (E/PO) professionals, public affairs specialists, scientists, and engineers. The goals of the SCWG are to identify barriers to scientist and engineer engagement in E/PO activities and to enable those scientists and engineers who wish to contribute to E/PO to be able to do so. SCWG members have held meetings with scientists and engineers across GSFC to determine barriers to their involvement in E/PO. During these meetings, SCWG members presented examples of successful, ongoing E/PO projects, encouraged active research scientists and engineers to talk about their own E/PO efforts and what worked for them, discussed the E/PO working environment, discussed opportunities for getting involved in E/PO (particularly in high-impact efforts that do not take much time), handed out booklets on effective E/PO, and asked scientists and engineers what they need to engage in E/PO. The identified barriers were consistent among scientists in GSFC's four science divisions (Earth science, planetary science, heliophysics, and astrophysics). Common barriers included 1) lack of time, 2) lack of funding support, 3) lack of value placed on doing E/PO by supervisors, 4) lack of training on doing appropriate/effective E/PO for different audiences, 5) lack of awareness and information about opportunities, 6) lack of understanding of what E/PO really is, and 7) level of effort required to do E/PO. Engineers reported similar issues, but the issues of time and funding support were more pronounced due to their highly structured work day and environment. Since the barriers were identified, the SCWG has taken a number of steps to address and rectify them. Steps have included holding various events to introduce scientists and engineers to E/PO staff and opportunities including an E/PO Open House, brown bag seminars on

Astronomy4Kids: Extending STEM learning to the youngest student through an online educational outreach program

Science.gov (United States)

Pearson, Richard L.; Pearson, Sarah R.

2017-06-01

Astronomy4Kids is an online video series aimed at filling the void of effective and engaging education tools within early childhood learning. Much discussion and research has been conducted on the significance of early learning, with general trends showing significant benefits to early introductions to language, mathematics, and general science concepts. Ultimately, when ideas are introduced to a child at a young age, that child is better prepared for when the concept is re-introduced in its entirety later. National agencies—such as the AAS and NSF—have implemented Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) initiatives to expand learning in these areas. However, despite these many resources, the education outreach available to the youngest learners (under the age of 8 or those from pre-school to about 2nd-grade) is seriously lacking. Astronomy4Kids was created to bridge this gap and provide succinct, creative-learning videos following the principles of Fred Rogers, the founder of preschool education video. We present ways to incorporate the freely accessible YouTube videos within various classroom ages and discuss how to use simple activities to promote physics, astronomy, and math learning. Current development, video statistics, and future work will be discussed. The freely accessible videos can be found at www.astronomy4kids.net.

Parent Early Evaluation of Kids: PEEK Outreach Training Project. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Squires, Jane; Twombly, Liz; Yockelson, Sue

This report describes achievements and activities of the Parent Early Evaluation of Kids (PEEK) Outreach Project at the University of Oregon. This project focused on assisting state agencies, regional and tribal entities, and local health and education programs to develop comprehensive, low-cost systems for child-find and referral. Rural and inner…

Coffee Shops, Classrooms and Conversations: public engagement and outreach in a large interdisciplinary research Hub

Science.gov (United States)

Holden, Jennifer A.

2014-05-01

Public engagement and outreach activities are increasingly using specialist staff for co-ordination, training and support for researchers, they are also becoming expected for large investments. Here, the experience of public engagement and outreach a large, interdisciplinary Research Hub is described. dot.rural, based at the University of Aberdeen UK, is a £11.8 million Research Councils UK Rural Digital Economy Hub, funded as part of the RCUK Digital Economy Theme (2009-2015). Digital Economy research aims to realise the transformational impact of digital technologies on aspects of the environment, community life, cultural experiences, future society, and the economy. The dot.rural Hub involves 92 researchers from 12 different disciplines, including Geography, Hydrology and Ecology. Public Engagement and Outreach is embedded in the dot.rural Digital Economy Hub via an Outreach Officer. Alongside this position, public engagement and outreach activities are compulsory part of PhD student contracts. Public Engagement and Outreach activities at the dot.rural Hub involve individuals and groups in both formal and informal settings organised by dot.rural and other organisations. Activities in the realms of Education, Public Engagement, Traditional and Social Media are determined by a set of Underlying Principles designed for the Hub by the Outreach Officer. The underlying Engagement and Outreach principles match funding agency requirements and expectations alongside researcher demands and the user-led nature of Digital Economy Research. All activities include researchers alongside the Outreach Officer are research informed and embedded into specific projects that form the Hub. Successful public engagement activities have included participation in Café Scientifique series, workshops in primary and secondary schools, and online activities such as I'm a Scientist Get Me Out of Here. From how to engage 8 year olds with making hydrographs more understandable to members of

Longitudinal Youth-At-Risk Study (LYRIKS): outreach strategies based on a community-engaged framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitter, Natasha; Nah, Guo Quan Ryan; Bong, Yioe Ling; Lee, Jimmy; Chong, Siow-Ann

2014-08-01

Schizophrenia and psychoses are debilitating disorders often leading to serious functional impairments. Early detection efforts have shifted focus to the prodromal phase and the emphasis is now on individuals at risk of developing psychosis. The Longitudinal Youth-At-Risk Study (LYRIKS) seeks to elucidate the biological markers of psychosis. This paper describes the application of a community-engaged framework to the outreach strategies of LYRIKS. It describes the outreach goals, strategies used and their impact, as well as the various challenges faced by the research team and community partners. The target population was defined. Community organizations having close ties with the target population were identified and approached for collaboration. These included educational and healthcare institutions, and government and welfare organizations. Strategies were categorized as active or passive. Active strategies included clinical screening and recruitment, workshops, roadshows and student internships. Passive strategies included utilizing print and social media. Three thousand three hundred twenty-one youth were approached and 401 called the hotline to find out more about the study. Three thousand five hundred one were pre-screened; 864 were further screened using the Comprehensive Assessment of At Risk Mental State. One hundred seventy-eight and 346 were eventually recruited as subjects and controls, respectively. Challenges encountered included differing priorities, maintaining collaborative relationships, stigmatization and inadequate understanding of the profile of at risk youth. Future community-engaged research should be conducted more comprehensively to generate maximum benefits. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Opportunities for Space Science Education Using Current and Future Solar System Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Matiella Novak, M.; Beisser, K.; Butler, L.; Turney, D.

2010-12-01

The Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) office in The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) Space Department strives to excite and inspire the next generation of explorers by creating interactive education experiences. Since 1959, APL engineers and scientists have designed, built, and launched 61 spacecraft and over 150 instruments involved in space science. With the vast array of current and future Solar System exploration missions available, endless opportunities exist for education programs to incorporate the real-world science of these missions. APL currently has numerous education and outreach programs tailored for K-12 formal and informal education, higher education, and general outreach communities. Current programs focus on Solar System exploration missions such as the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM), Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) Moon explorer, the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP), New Horizons mission to Pluto, and the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) Satellite, to name a few. Education and outreach programs focusing on K-12 formal education include visits to classrooms, summer programs for middle school students, and teacher workshops. APL hosts a Girl Power event and a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Day each year. Education and outreach specialists hold teacher workshops throughout the year to train educators in using NASA spacecraft science in their lesson plans. High school students from around the U.S. are able to engage in NASA spacecraft science directly by participating in the Mars Exploration Student Data Teams (MESDT) and the Student Principal Investigator Programs. An effort is also made to generate excitement for future missions by focusing on what mysteries will be solved. Higher education programs are used to recruit and train the next generation of scientists and engineers. The NASA/APL Summer Internship Program offers a

Defying the Definition of Insanity: Assessing the Robust Nature of University Outreach in the Community Using Carnegie Community Engagement Classification and Lynch Outreach Assessment Model (LOAM)

Science.gov (United States)

Lynch-Alexander, Erin

2017-01-01

Duplicating processes and procedure with anticipation of deviating outcomes is the defining trait of insanity as attributed to a quote by Albert Einstein. It is the antithesis to innovation, which is what is needed in higher education to create impactful changes in the outreach we should be providing to the community. What is important for those…

NASA's explorer school and spaceward bound programs: Insights into two education programs designed to heighten public support for space science initiatives

Science.gov (United States)

Allner, Matthew; McKay, Christopher P; Coe, Liza; Rask, Jon; Paradise, Jim; Wynne, J. Judson

2010-01-01

IntroductionNASA has played an influential role in bringing the enthusiasm of space science to schools across the United States since the 1980s. The evolution of this public outreach has led to a variety of NASA funded education programs designed to promote student interest in science, technology, engineering, math, and geography (STEM-G) careers.PurposeThis paper investigates the educational outreach initiatives, structure, and impact of two of NASA's largest educational programs: the NASA Explorer School (NES) and NASA Spaceward Bound programs.ResultsSince its induction in 2003 the NES program has networked and provided resources to over 300 schools across the United States. Future directions include further development of mentor schools for each new NES school selected, while also developing a longitudinal student tracking system for NES students to monitor their future involvement in STEM-G careers. The Spaceward Bound program, now in its third year of teacher outreach, is looking to further expand its teacher network and scientific collaboration efforts, while building on its teacher mentorship framework.

75 FR 30364 - Information Collection; Outreach Opportunity Questionnaire

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-01

... Collection; Outreach Opportunity Questionnaire AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice; request for... approved information collection, Outreach Opportunity Questionnaire. DATES: Comments must be received in...: Outreach Opportunity Questionnaire. OMB Number: 0596-0207. Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 2010...

OUTREACH

CERN Multimedia

D. Barney

The main emphasis for the coming months is clearly the Open Days of April 5th and 6th, in all likelihood the last opportunities that visitors will get to see the LHC underground installations. Tens of thousands of visitors are expected, especially on Sunday 6th - the Open Day for the General Public. As announced recently in a mail to the collaboration, CMS collaborators are encouraged to sign-up to be guides. If you are interested in doing this, please contact Catherine Brandt. In addition to guides, we require introductory talks to be given at point 5 and are looking for volunteers (many thanks to those of you who have already volunteered!). If you are interested, please send an email to outreach@cern.ch stating the languages you prefer and your availability on the 6th between 9am and 7pm. The CMS Outreach team has been significantly strengthened recently with the arrival of journalist Elizabeth "Lizzie" Gibney. One of her main tasks over the coming months will be to interview many of you...

Research-informed Outreach informs Research: Using games to inform and understand farmer decisions in Sri Lanka

Science.gov (United States)

Gunda, T.; Yeung, K.; Hornberger, G. M.

2016-12-01

Researchers from the Agricultural Decision Making and Adaptation to Precipitation Trends in Sri Lanka (ADAPT-SL) team have been working for the past six years to understand Sri Lanka's agricultural vulnerability to climate change and how farmers and policy makers can adapt to and mitigate the variety of threats and uncertainties that climate change brings. In addition to academic publications, the compiled and developed knowledge from the ADAPT-SL research efforts are shared routinely with Sri Lankan stakeholders directly. While presentations are the norm for academic and government stakeholder outreach, we decided that an interactive component would increase farmers' learning. Drawing on teaching pedagogies, we designed a place-based, hands-on game that incorporated local climate and market characteristics to convey the impact of climate change on crop water needs for the Sri Lanka farmers. The process of developing the game, however, revealed gaps in our research knowledge, specifically regarding how farmers balance uncertainties associated with weather and market conditions. So we took advantage of the opportunity offered by the outreach effort to collect data; findings from the game led to the development of a system dynamics model. The game was well received by farmers and other Sri Lankan stakeholders in January 2016, with the former expressing that they played the game as if it was emulating actual farming decisions. The farmers also expressed a desire for more outreach efforts to be designed in such an interactive way. The game has since been used to engage U.S. students (from 5th grade to college seniors majoring in Sociology) regarding the complexities of tackling climate change issues.

Inclusive Planetary Science Outreach and Education: a Pioneering European Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Galvez, A.; Ballesteros, F.; García-Frank, A.; Gil, S.; Gil-Ortiz, A.; Gómez-Heras, M.; Martínez-Frías, J.; Parro, L. M.; Parro, V.; Pérez-Montero, E.; Raposo, V.; Vaquerizo, J. A.

2017-09-01

Abstract Universal access to space science and exploration for researchers, students and the public, regardless of physical abilities or condition, is the main objective of work by the Space Inclusive Network (SpaceIn). The purpose of SpaceIn is to conduct educational and communication activities on Space Science in an inclusive and accessible way, so that physical disability is not an impediment for participating. SpaceIn members aim to enlarge the network also by raising awareness among individuals such as undergraduate students, secondary school teachers, and members of the public with an interest and basic knowledge on science and astronomy. As part of a pilot experience, current activities are focused on education and outreach in the field of comparative Planetary Science and Astrobiology. Themes include the similarities and differences between terrestrial planets, the role of water and its interaction with minerals on their surfaces, the importance of internal thermal energy in shaping planets and moons and the implications for the appearance of life, as we know it, in our planet and, possibly, in other places in our Solar System and beyond. The topics also include how scientific research and space missions can shed light on these fundamental issues, such as how life appears on a planet, and thus, why planetary missions are important in our society, as a source of knowledge and inspiration. The tools that are used to communicate the concepts include talks with support of multimedia and multi-sensorial material (video, audio, tactile, taste, smell) and field trips to planetary analogue sites that are accessible to most members of the public, including people with some kind of disability. The field trips help illustrate scientific concepts in geology e.g. lava formations, folds, impact features, gullies, salt plains; biology, e.g. extremophiles, halophites; and exploration technology, e.g. navigation in an unknown environment, hazard and obstacle avoidance

Funding models for outreach ophthalmology services.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Angus W; Mulholland, Will; Taylor, Hugh R

2011-01-01

This paper aims to describe funding models used and compare the effects of funding models for remuneration on clinical activity and cost-effectiveness in outreach eye services in Australia. Cross-sectional case study based in remote outreach ophthalmology services in Australia. Key stake-holders from eye services in nine outreach regions participated in the study. Semistructured interviews were conducted to perform a qualitative assessment of outreach eye services' funding mechanisms. Records of clinical activity were used to statistically compare funding models. Workforce availability (supply of ophthalmologists), costs of services, clinical activity (surgery and clinic consultation rates) and waiting times. The supply of ophthalmologists (full-time equivalence) to all remote regions was below the national average (up to 19 times lower). Cataract surgery rates were also below national averages (up to 10 times lower). Fee-for-service funding significantly increased clinical activity. There were also trends to shorter waiting times and lower costs per attendance. For outreach ophthalmology services, the funding model used for clinician reimbursement may influence the efficiency and costs of the services. Fee-for-service funding models, safety-net funding options or differential funding/incentives need further exploration to ensure isolated disadvantaged areas prone to poor patient attendance are not neglected. In order for outreach eye health services to be sustainable, remuneration rates need to be comparable to those for urban practice. © 2011 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology © 2011 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Engaging High School and Engineering Students: A Multifaceted Outreach Program Based on a Mechatronics Platform

Science.gov (United States)

Habash, Riadh W. Y.; Suurtamm, Christine

2010-01-01

If we aim to enhance the interest of students in engineering and therefore produce the best engineers, it is essential to strengthen the pipeline to high school education. This paper discusses several outreach activities undertaken by the Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa (UO), Ottawa, ON, Canada, to help the…

BUILDING A NETWORK FOR NEUTRON SCATTERING EDUCATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pynn, Roger; Baker, Shenda Mary; Louca, Despo A.; McGreevy, Robert L.; Ekkebus, Allen E.; Kszos, Lynn A.; Anderson, Ian S.

2008-01-01

In a concerted effort supported by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Energy, the United States is rebuilding its leadership in neutron scattering capability through a significant investment in U.S. neutron scattering user facilities and related instrumentation. These unique facilities provide opportunities in neutron scattering to a broad community of researchers from academic institutions, federal laboratories, and industry. However, neutron scattering is often considered to be a tool for 'experts only' and in order for the U.S. research community to take full advantage of these new and powerful tools, a comprehensive education and outreach program must be developed. The workshop described below is the first step in developing a national program that takes full advantage of modern education methods and leverages the existing educational capacity at universities and national facilities. During March 27-28, 2008, a workshop entitled 'Building a Network for Neutron Scattering Education' was held in Washington, D.C. The goal of the workshop was to define and design a roadmap for a comprehensive neutron scattering education program in the United States. Successful implementation of the roadmap will maximize the national intellectual capital in neutron sciences and will increase the sophistication of research questions addressed by neutron scattering at the nation's forefront facilities. (See Appendix A for the list of attendees, Appendix B for the workshop agenda, Appendix C for a list of references. Appendix D contains the results of a survey given at the workshop; Appendix E contains summaries of the contributed talks.) The workshop brought together U.S. academicians, representatives from neutron sources, scientists who have developed nontraditional educational programs, educational specialists, and managers from government agencies to create a national structure for providing ongoing neutron scattering education. A

BUILDING A NETWORK FOR NEUTRON SCATTERING EDUCATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pynn, Roger [ORNL; Baker, Shenda Mary [ORNL; Louca, Despo A [ORNL; McGreevy, Robert L [ORNL; Ekkebus, Allen E [ORNL; Kszos, Lynn A [ORNL; Anderson, Ian S [ORNL

2008-10-01

In a concerted effort supported by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Energy, the United States is rebuilding its leadership in neutron scattering capability through a significant investment in U.S. neutron scattering user facilities and related instrumentation. These unique facilities provide opportunities in neutron scattering to a broad community of researchers from academic institutions, federal laboratories, and industry. However, neutron scattering is often considered to be a tool for 'experts only' and in order for the U.S. research community to take full advantage of these new and powerful tools, a comprehensive education and outreach program must be developed. The workshop described below is the first step in developing a national program that takes full advantage of modern education methods and leverages the existing educational capacity at universities and national facilities. During March 27-28, 2008, a workshop entitled 'Building a Network for Neutron Scattering Education' was held in Washington, D.C. The goal of the workshop was to define and design a roadmap for a comprehensive neutron scattering education program in the United States. Successful implementation of the roadmap will maximize the national intellectual capital in neutron sciences and will increase the sophistication of research questions addressed by neutron scattering at the nation's forefront facilities. (See Appendix A for the list of attendees, Appendix B for the workshop agenda, Appendix C for a list of references. Appendix D contains the results of a survey given at the workshop; Appendix E contains summaries of the contributed talks.) The workshop brought together U.S. academicians, representatives from neutron sources, scientists who have developed nontraditional educational programs, educational specialists, and managers from government agencies to create a national structure for providing ongoing neutron

Industry outreach a status report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Surek, D.; Sen, R. [R.K. Sen & Associates, Inc., Bethesda, MD (United States)

1995-09-01

The Outreach Project was initiated in October 1994 with the objective of developing a multi-year plan for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for targeted outreach activities for stakeholders in industry and the general public. This status report summarizes the work on industry outreach that has been completed since the inception of the project in October 1994. A three-pronged approach was taken to ascertain issues related to industry outreach. First, there was a review of on-going and past industry outreach activities at DOE and NHA. Next, a series of meetings with industry decision makers was arranged to get a better understanding of industry interests and concerns, and to discuss how DOE and industry could work collaboratively to develop hydrogen energy systems. Third, a workshop is scheduled where representatives from industry, DOE and other federal agencies can identify issues that would enhance partnering between the federal government and industry in the development of hydrogen energy systems. At this tiny, the review of on-going and past activities has been completed. Industry interviews are in progress and a majority of meetings have been held. Analysis of the information gained is in progress. The preliminary analysis of this information indicates that for appropriate near-term demonstration-type projects, the level of interest for collaboration between DOE and industry is high. The data also identifies issues industry is concerned with which impact the commercialization of hydrogen energy systems.

University of Georgia: Birthplace of public higher education in America

Science.gov (United States)

; Colleges Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Arts and Sciences Business Ecology Education Engineering Sciences Outreach Programs Odum School of Ecology Outreach Programs College of Education Outreach Programs and networking EOO/AA FERPA Compliance, ethics and reporting hotline Board of Regents Giving to UGA

Epoxi Has Its Sights On Hartley; Our Sights Are On Education And Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Feaga, Lori M.; EPOXI E/PO Team

2010-10-01

The Deep Impact eXtended Investigation (DIXI) of NASA's EPOXI Discovery Program continues its thematic investigation of comets with a flyby of comet 103P/Hartley 2 on November 4, 2010. During the approach, encounter, and departure phase of the mission, the remaining instruments on the Deep Impact spacecraft will further explore the properties of comets. Ultimately, the planetary science community wants to better understand the diversity between comets and how these protoplanetary building blocks have evolved throughout their history in the Solar System. A goal of EPOXI Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) is to share in the excitement of comet science and their potential to preserve details of our origins. The DIXI E/PO team has been publicizing the flyby at many events across the US. The E/PO program is focused on a hands-on approach to learning about comets and their place in the Solar System. Many of the activities available on our website (epoxi.umd.edu) have been adapted from existing education materials and encompass results from several cometary missions. A newly developed and released educational activity called Comparing Comets has been implemented successfully in classrooms. The activity encourages students to make observations, interpretations and think like scientists for the day. The activity guides students through a scientific comparative analysis of two previously visited cometary nuclei, Tempel 1 and Wild 2, a process similar to that which the DIXI science team members will be undertaking when the spacecraft arrives at Hartley 2 and captures images of another comet. Comparing Comets includes audio files from scientists that gives the students and educators insight into the type of data that can be obtained by a mission and the methods that observational astronomers employ when deriving real scientific results from data.

Cultural Clash and Educational Diversity: Immigrant Teachers' Efforts To Rescue the Education of Immigrant Children in Israel.

Science.gov (United States)

Epstein, Alek D.; Kheimets, Nina G.

2000-01-01

Presents the results of a study on the Mofet system (Israel), founded by immigrant teachers in 1991 as an effort to educate Russian immigrant children. Argues that although the success of the system is linked to the general education system's failure to meet immigrants' needs, it does not express Russian immigrant's desire for socio-cultural…

Lasers, penguins, and polar bears: Novel outreach and education approaches for NASA's ICESat-2 mission

Science.gov (United States)

Casasanto, Valerie A.; Campbell, Brian; Manrique, Adriana; Ramsayer, Kate; Markus, Thorsten; Neumann, Thomas

2018-07-01

NASA's Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat-2), to be launched in 2018, will measure the height of Earth from space using lasers, collecting the most precise and detailed account yet of our planet's elevation. The mission will allow scientists to investigate how global warming is changing the planet's icy polar regions and to take stock of Earth's vegetation. ICESat-2's emphasis on polar ice, as well as its unique measurement approach, will provide an intriguing and accessible focus for the mission's education and outreach programs. Sea ice and land ice are areas that have experienced significant change in recent years. It is key to communicate why we are measuring these areas and their importance. ICESat-2 science data will provide much-needed answers to climate change questions such as, "Is the ice really melting in the polar regions?" and "What does studying Earth's frozen regions tell us about our changing climate?" In this paper, lessons-learned and novel techniques for engaging and educating all audiences in the mission will be discussed, such as including results of a unique collaboration with art design school the Savannah College of Art Design (SCAD) to create fun and exciting products such as animated characters and interactive stories. Future collaborations with wildlife researchers, a new citizen science program in collaboration with GLOBE, and evidence from other STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) education approaches will also be detailed in this paper.

The role of information and communication technology in community outreach, academic and research collaboration, and education and support services (IT-CARES).

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Ashish; Meza, Jane; Costa, Sergio; Puricelli Perin, Douglas Marcel; Trout, Kate; Rayamajih, Atul

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in enhancing community outreach, academic and research collaboration, and education and support services (IT-CARES) in an academic setting. A survey was deployed to assess the ICT needs in an academic setting. The survey was developed using the Delphi methodology. Questionnaire development was initiated by asking key stakeholders involved in community outreach, academic, research, education, and support to provide feedback on current ICT issues and future recommendations for relevant ICT tools that would be beneficial to them in their job, and to capture current ICT issues. Participants were asked to rate the level of importance of each ICT question on five-point Likert scales. The survey was sent to 359 participants, including faculty, staff, and students. The total number of respondents was 96, for a 27 percent response rate. The majority of the participants (54.1 percent, n = 46) placed a high importance on learning the available research capabilities of the college. The majority of the participants placed moderate (43.5 percent, n = 37) to high importance (40 percent, n = 34) on having an intranet that could support collaborative grant writing. A majority of the participants attributed high importance to learning to interact with the online learning management system Blackboard. A majority of the participants agreed that social media should being more actively utilized for diverse activities for academic and research purposes. The study helped to identify the current needs and challenges faced by professionals and students when interacting with ICT. More research is needed in order to effectively integrate the use of ICT in the field of higher education, especially related to the modern global public health context.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Cetacean and Sound Mapping Effort: Continuing Forward with an Integrated Ocean Noise Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Jolie; Ferguson, Megan; Gedamke, Jason; Hatch, Leila; Southall, Brandon; Van Parijs, Sofie

2016-01-01

To help manage chronic and cumulative impacts of human activities on marine mammals, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) convened two working groups, the Underwater Sound Field Mapping Working Group (SoundMap) and the Cetacean Density and Distribution Mapping Working Group (CetMap), with overarching effort of both groups referred to as CetSound, which (1) mapped the predicted contribution of human sound sources to ocean noise and (2) provided region/time/species-specific cetacean density and distribution maps. Mapping products were presented at a symposium where future priorities were identified, including institutionalization/integration of the CetSound effort within NOAA-wide goals and programs, creation of forums and mechanisms for external input and funding, and expanded outreach/education. NOAA is subsequently developing an ocean noise strategy to articulate noise conservation goals and further identify science and management actions needed to support them.

Explaining Earths Energy Budget: CERES-Based NASA Resources for K-12 Education and Public Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Chambers, L. H.; Bethea, K.; Marvel, M. T.; Ruhlman, K.; LaPan, J.; Lewis, P.; Madigan, J.; Oostra, D.; Taylor, J.

2014-01-01

Among atmospheric scientists, the importance of the Earth radiation budget concept is well understood. Papers have addressed the topic for over 100 years, and the large Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) science team (among others), with its multiple on-orbit instruments, is working hard to quantify the details of its various parts. In education, Earth's energy budget is a concept that generally appears in middle school and Earth science curricula, but its treatment in textbooks leaves much to be desired. Students and the public hold many misconceptions, and very few people have an appreciation for the importance of this energy balance to the conditions on Earth. More importantly, few have a correct mental model that allows them to make predictions and understand the effect of changes such as increasing greenhouse gas concentrations. As an outreach element of the core CERES team at NASA Langley, a multi-disciplinary group of scientists, educators, graphic artists, writers, and web developers has been developing and refining graphics and resources to explain the Earth's Energy budget over the last few decades. Resources have developed through an iterative process involving ongoing use in front of a variety of audiences, including students and teachers from 3rd to 12th grade as well as public audiences.

Contributions of the College of Agriculture, University of Arizona, to education, research, and technology transfer in watershed management

Science.gov (United States)

Eugene Sander

2000-01-01

The College of Agriculture, University of Arizona, has been heavily involved in providing research, education, and outreach concerning the management of watersheds. The Barr Report of 1956, a cooperative effort of the Salt River Project, the State Land Department and the University of Arizona, was a significant beginning that addressed the productivity of watersheds in...

Implementation Issues in Federal Reform Efforts in Education: The United States and Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Paige

Multiple data sources are used in this study of educational change in the United States and Australia. The author considers political issues that may affect the implementation of educational reform efforts at the federal level, such as homogeneity versus heterogeneity, centralization versus decentralization, constitutional responsibility for…

Innovation in Astronomy Education

Science.gov (United States)

Pasachoff, Jay M.; Ros, Rosa M.; Pasachoff, Naomi

2013-01-01

Preface; Part I. General Strategies for Effective Teaching: Introduction; 1. Main objectives of SpS2; 2. Learning astronomy by doing astronomy; 3. Hands-on Universe-Europe; 4. Life on Earth in the atmosphere of the Sun; 5. A model of teaching astronomy to pre-service teachers; 6. How to teach, learn about, and enjoy astronomy; 7. Clickers: a new teaching tool of exceptional promise; 8. Educational opportunities in pro-am collaboration; 9. Teaching history of astronomy to second-year engineering students; 10. Teaching the evolution of stellar and Milky Way concepts through the ages; 11. Educational efforts of the International Astronomical Union; 12. Astronomy in culture; 13. Light pollution: a tool for astronomy education; 14. Astronomy by distance learning; 15. Edible astronomy demonstrations; 16. Amateur astronomers as public outreach partners; 17. Does the Sun rotate around Earth or Earth rotate around the Sun?; 18. Using sounds and sonifications for astronomy outreach; 19. Teaching astronomy and the crisis in science education; 20. Astronomy for all as part of a general education; Poster abstracts; Part II. Connecting Astronomy with the Public: Introduction; 21. A status report from the Division XII working group; 22. Outreach using media; 23. Astronomy podcasting; 24. IAU's communication strategy, hands-on science communication, and the communication of the planet definition discussion; 25. Getting a word in edgeways: the survival of discourse in audiovisual astronomy; 26. Critical evaluation of the new Hall of Astronomy; 27. Revitalizing astronomy teaching through research on student understanding; Poster abstracts; Part III. Effective Use of Instruction and Information Technology: Introduction; 28. ESO's astronomy education program; 29. U.S. student astronomy research and remote observing projects; 30. Global network of autonomous observatories dedicated to student research; 31. Remote telescopes in education: report of an Australian study; 32. Visualizing

38 CFR 61.81 - Outreach activities.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Outreach activities. 61.81 Section 61.81 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (CONTINUED) VA HOMELESS PROVIDERS GRANT AND PER DIEM PROGRAM § 61.81 Outreach activities. Recipients of capital...

Outreach and Efficiency of Microfinance Institutions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hermes, N.; Lensink, B.W.; Meesters, A.

2011-01-01

This paper uses stochastic frontier analysis to examine whether there is a trade-off between outreach to the poor and efficiency of microfinance institutions (MFIs). We find convincing evidence that outreach is negatively related to efficiency of MFIs. More specifically, we find that MFIs that have

Developing Bridges from Earth Magnetism Research to Pre-College Physics Education

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, K.; Smirnov, A. V.; Bluth, G. J.; Schepke, C.; Piispa, E. J.

2012-12-01

We present a 5-year NSF CAREER project incorporating educational outreach for high school science teachers. Teachers are integrated into field and research components of this project in order to provide the most meaningful and classroom-translatable experience. The associated research project is aimed at quantifying the strength and morphology of the Precambrian geomagnetic field via detailed paleomagnetic analyses of reliably dated mafic sequences known to contain pristine paleomagnetic records. Investigation of the geomagnetic field behavior is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of field generation, has important implications for the development of the Earth's atmosphere and biosphere, and can serve as a focus for connecting high-level Earth science research with a standard physics curriculum. Educational outreach objectives include developing effective methods for pre-college physics teachers to gain the experience and expertise to (1) use paleomagnetic research to motivate and help students understand the physics of magnetism, from microscopic to planetary scales; (2) transfer key experiences of scientific processes to classroom activities, specifically the skills of patience, innovation, flexibility, and collaboration; and (3) help students integrate mathematics and physics into logical problem-solving approaches. Because the teacher participants are directly involved with our research, they are able to provide significant contributions to project outreach and dissemination efforts. This year's work focused on sampling and analyzing mafic dikes from northern Wisconsin and Michigan. The summer phase featured a 3-week field/lab/classroom session. In week one, a 4-person field team (including two teacher participants) conducted field work - the small size of the team ensured that every participant gained skills on aspects of site location, rock identification, and paleomagnetic field procedures. During week two, participants gained proficiency at processing

Improving Geography Learning in the Schools: Efforts by the National Geographic Society.

Science.gov (United States)

Dulli, Robert E.

1994-01-01

Contends that the National Geographic Society's Geography Education Program continues to work on improving geography instruction and learning. Outlines future activities of the National Geographic Society including urban outreach and technology training. (CFR)

Outreach Materials for the Collision Repair Campaign

Science.gov (United States)

The Collision Repair Campaign offers outreach materials to help collision repair shops reduce toxic air exposure. Materials include a DVD, poster, training video, and materials in Spanish (materiales del outreach en español).

Launching and implementing FEMP`s 1997 outreach plan featuring the ``You Have the Power`` campaign

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-11-01

The Federal Energy Management Program`s (FEMP`s) mission is to help Federal agencies reduce energy costs by delivering effective technology transfer and outreach programs. It is important that FEMP provide leadership and good examples to the Federal sector so that FEMP`s programs and priorities can be transferred throughout Federal agencies and offices across the Nation. In order to achieve this mission, FEMP must send a clear message to everyone involved with the management of Federal facilities concerning its available resources, effective information and assistance, educational programs, tools, and training. To achieve this objective, American Ideas and Designs, Inc., d/b/a Greening America (hereinafter referred to as Recipient) has assisted FEMP in developing a comprehensive energy efficiency technology transfer program plan (hereinafter referred to as the outreach plan). A key component of the outreach plan involved the development and launch of a technology transfer campaign entitled ``You Have the Power.`` The outreach plan and the ``You Have the Power`` campaign emphasized the ability of individual Federal employees, Federal agencies, and stakeholder organizations to easily access FEMP`s energy efficiency tools and resources through a set of integrated interagency delivery programs.

Extravehicular Activity Systems Education and Public Outreach in Support of NASA's STEM Initiatives

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Heather L.

2011-01-01

The exploration activities associated with NASA?s goals to return to the Moon, travel to Mars, or explore Near Earth Objects (NEOs) will involve the need for human-supported space and surface extravehicular activities (EVAs). The technology development and human element associated with these exploration missions provide fantastic content to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). As NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden remarked on December 9, 2009, "We....need to provide the educational and experiential stepping-stones to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and leaders in STEM fields." The EVA Systems Project actively supports this initiative by providing subject matter experts and hands-on, interactive presentations to educate students, educators, and the general public about the design challenges encountered as NASA develops EVA hardware for these missions. This paper summarizes these education and public efforts.

10 years of Terra Outreach over the Internet

Science.gov (United States)

Yuen, K.; Riebeek, H.; Chambers, L. H.

2009-12-01

1 Author Yuen, Karen JPL (818) 393-7716 2 Author Riebeek, Holli Sigma Space Corporation (department) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Institution), Greenbelt, Maryland 3 Author Chambers, Lin NASA Abstract: Since launch, Terra has returned about 195 gigabytes (level 0) of data per day or 1 terabyte every 5 days. Few outlets were able to accommodate and quickly share that amount of information as well as the Internet. To honor the 10-year anniversary of the launch of Terra, we would like to highlight the education and outreach efforts of the Terra mission on the Internet and its reach to the science attentive public. The Internet or web has been the primary way of delivering Terra content to different groups- from formal and informal education to general public outreach. Through the years, many different web-based projects have been developed, and they were of service to a growing population of the science attentive public. One of Terra’s original EPO activities was the Earth Observatory. It was initially dedicated to telling the remote sensing story of Terra, but quickly grew to include science and imagery from other sensors. The web site allowed for collaboration across NASA centers, universities and other organizations by exchanging and sharing of story ideas, news and images. The award winning Earth Observatory helped pave the way for the more recently funded development of the Climate Change website. With its specific focus on climate change studies, once again, Terra stories and images are shared with an even more specific audience base. During the last 10 years, Terra as a mission has captured the imagination of the public through its visually stunning and artistically arresting images. With its five instruments of complementary but unique capabilities, the mission gave the world not just pretty pictures, but scientific data-based images. The world was able to see from space everything from calving icebergs to volcanic eruption plumes and the eye of a

Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Mining Matters: A Model of Effective Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Hymers, L.; Heenan, S.

2009-05-01

, effectiveness and suitability of Mining Matters resources and training workshops for classroom instruction. Mining Matters also operates an Aboriginal Youth Outreach Program that promotes the importance of the minerals industry to Aboriginal youth through the distribution of educational resources, the provision of educational opportunities, and exposure to mineral and mining industry career opportunities and professionals. The Aboriginal Youth Outreach Program is designed to engage youth in Earth Sciences, providing them with the opportunity to develop skills, competencies and knowledge through Earth science, career, and skills development education. The Mining Matters program is effective and has garnered a National reputation for excellence. The Mining Matters program is a model of effective partnerships between industry, academia, and education outreach organizations. Our resources are currently used in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, with new partnerships being developed in Quebec and Nova Scotia.

Police Community Outreach

Data.gov (United States)

Allegheny County / City of Pittsburgh / Western PA Regional Data Center — Community outreach activities attended by Pittsburgh Police Officers, starting from January 1 2016. Includes Zone, Event Name, Location, Date and Time.

VISL: A Virtual Ice Sheet Laboratory For Outreach and K-12 Education

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, D. L. C.; Halkides, D. J.; Larour, E. Y.; Moore, J.; Dunn, S.; Perez, G.

2015-12-01

We present an update on our developing Virtual Ice Sheet Laboratory (VISL). Geared to K-12 classrooms and the general public, VISL's main goal is to improve climate literacy, especially in regards to the crucial role of the polar ice sheets in Earth's climate and sea level. VISL will allow users to perform guided experiments using the Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM), a state-of-the-art ice flow model developed at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and UC Irvine that simulates the near-term evolution of the ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica. VISL users will access ISSM via a graphical interface that can be launched from a web browser on a computer, tablet or smart phone. Users select climate conditions and run time by moving graphic sliders then watch how a given region evolves in time under those conditions. Lesson plans will include conceptual background, instructions for table top experiments related to the concepts addressed in a given lesson, and a guide for performing model experiments and interpreting their results. Activities with different degrees of complexity will aim for consistency with NGSS Physical Science criteria for different grade bands (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12), although they will not be labeled as such to encourage a broad user base. Activities will emphasize the development of physical intuition and critical thinking skills, understanding conceptual and computational models, as well as observation recording, concept articulation, hypothesis formulation and testing, and mathematical analysis. At our present phase of development, we seek input from the greater science education and outreach communities regarding VISL's planned content, as well as additional features and topic areas that educators and students would find useful.

Consultant paediatric outreach clinics--a practical step in integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, N J

1993-04-01

Ten years' experience of paediatric outreach clinics is reviewed and evaluated. The advantages and disadvantages of paediatric outreach and its possible place in the new era of contracting and more developed community paediatric services are discussed. It is concluded that paediatric outreach increases parental and professional choice and access to paediatric consultant services, increases service flexibility, reduces unnecessary hospital visits, and enables more rational and relevant clinical decision making. Outreach is particularly relevant in areas of deprivation where paediatric needs are greatest.

The Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE): Progress and Opportunities for Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Marlino, M. R.; Pandya, R. E.

2003-12-01

The Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) is a community-led, NSF-funded effort to promote access to high-quality digital resources for teaching and learning about the Earth. Now in its fourth year of development, DLESE is used by tens of thousands of educators and learners a month, and provides access to over 5000 educational resources. These resources include a variety of media formats, from text-based lesson plans to sophisticated tools for interactive three-dimensional visualization of authentic scientific data. In August of 2003, DLESE introduced Version 2.0 of the library. The new version features enhanced educational services including: the ability to search by National Science and Geography Standards, the ability to search over multiple, discrete collections, and annotation services that allow educators to evaluate resources and supply tips for their effective use. With version 2.0, DLESE can better provide services to support researchers through the entire cycle of their educational and outreach efforts. These services are of particular value to researchers when developing, disseminating, and evaluating educational materials in their efforts to meet the National Science Foundation's Criteria Two, for proposals. To support development efforts, we have published best-practices guides for developing resources; we actively broker relationships between the scientific community, instructional designers, and educational researchers; and we are leading efforts to integrate data into educational materials. The DLESE Evaluation Services offers broad support to a variety of research efforts. The DLESE Program Center provides technology integration and operational systems to support partnerships with the research community.

Fostering Environmental Literacy For A Changing Earth: Interactive and Participatory Outreach Programs at Biosphere 2

Science.gov (United States)

Pavao-Zuckerman, M.; Huxman, T.; Morehouse, B.

2008-12-01

Earth system and ecological sustainability problems are complex outcomes of biological, physical, social, and economic interactions. A common goal of outreach and education programs is to foster a scientifically literate community that possesses the knowledge to contribute to environmental policies and decision making. Uncertainty and variability that is both inherent in Earth system and ecological sciences can confound such goals of improved ecological literacy. Public programs provide an opportunity to engage lay-persons in the scientific method, allowing them to experience science in action and confront these uncertainties face-on. We begin with a definition of scientific literacy that expands its conceptualization of science beyond just a collection of facts and concepts to one that views science as a process to aid understanding of natural phenomena. A process-based scientific literacy allows the public, teachers, and students to assimilate new information, evaluate climate research, and to ultimately make decisions that are informed by science. The Biosphere 2 facility (B2) is uniquely suited for such outreach programs because it allows linking Earth system and ecological science research activities in a large scale controlled environment setting with outreach and education opportunities. A primary outreach goal is to demonstrate science in action to an audience that ranges from K-12 groups to retired citizens. Here we discuss approaches to outreach programs that focus on soil-water-atmosphere-plant interactions and their roles in the impacts and causes of global environmental change. We describe a suite of programs designed to vary the amount of participation a visitor has with the science process (from passive learning to data collection to helping design experiments) to test the hypothesis that active learning fosters increased scientific literacy and the creation of science advocates. We argue that a revised framing of the scientific method with a more

Watershed Outreach Professionals' Behavior Change Practices, Challenges, and Needs

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Meghan; Little, Samuel; Phelps, Kaitlin; Roble, Carrie; Zint, Michaela

2012-01-01

This study investigated the practices, challenges, and needs of Chesapeake Bay watershed outreach professionals, as related to behavior change strategies and best outreach practices. Data were collected through a questionnaire e-mailed to applicants to the Chesapeake Bay Trust's environmental outreach grant program (n = 108, r = 56%). Almost all…

Best Practices in Pulic Outreach Events

Science.gov (United States)

Cobb, Whitney; Buxner, Sanlyn; Shipp, Stephanie

2015-11-01

IntroductionEach year the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sponsors public outreach events designed to increase student, educator, and general public engagement in its missions and goals. NASA SMD Education’s review of large-scale events, “Best Practices in Outreach Events,” highlighted planning and implementation best practices, which were used by the Dawn mission to strategize and implement its Ceres arrival celebration event, i C Ceres.BackgroundThe literature review focused on best identifying practices rising from evaluations of large-scale public outreach events. The following criteria guided the study:* Public, science-related events open to adults and children* Events that occurred during the last 5 years* Evaluations that included information on data collected from visitors and/or volunteers* Evaluations that specified the type of data collected, methodology, and associated resultsBest Practices: Planning and ImplementationThe literature review revealed key considerations for planning implement large-scale events. Best practices included can be pertinent for all event organizers and evaluators regardless of event size. A summary of related best practices is presented below.1) Advertise the event2) Use and advertise access to scientists* Attendees who reported an interaction with a science professional were 15% to 19% more likely to report positive learning impacts, (SFA, 2012, p. 24).3) Recruit scientists using findings such as:* High percentages of scientists (85% to 96%) from most events were interested in participating again (SFA, 2012).4) Ensure that the event is group and, particularly, child friendly5) Target specific event outcomesBest Practices Informing Real-world Planning, Implementation and EvaluationDawn mission’s collaborative design of a series of events, i C Ceres, including in-person, interactive events geared to families and live presentations, will be shared, with focus on the family event, and the evidence

Physics Education Research efforts to promote diversity: Challenges and opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Brahmia, Suzanne

2015-04-01

We begin this talk with a brief description of the gender and ethnic diversity of the physics community. We then discuss several current efforts within Physics Education Research that have the potential to further our understanding of issues surrounding underrepresentation. These efforts include research into (1) the role of community and strategies for developing effective communities; (2) physics identity and self-efficacy; (3) the affordances that students from underrepresented groups bring to physics learning; (4) socioeconomics and its impact on mathematization. One of the challenges to conducting this research is the relatively small proportion of underrepresented minority students in current physics classes, and the small number of women in physics and engineering majors. In collaboration with Stephen Kanim, New Mexico State University.

Emerging Leader for Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Bartholow, S.

2013-12-01

Polar Educators International (PEI) is a global professional network for those who educate in, for, and about the polar regions. Our goal is to connect educators, scientists, and community members to share expertise around the world and to rekindle student and public engagement with global environmental change. The growing membership in over 30 countries is now recognized as a leading organization capable of fulfilling E&O goals of international science organizations and training educators to facilitate outstanding polar science and climate change education in classrooms. This session will address the importance of dedicated, high-caliber, interpersonal professional networks that are linked directly to the expert science community to better serve science goals and education in classrooms. Discover that the educators and scientists in the network are resources themselves to help you become a leader in polar and climate education; arguably our most important content at the international level.

Factors associated with receipt of pension and compensation benefits for homeless veterans in the VBA/VHA Homeless Outreach Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Joyce H; Rosenheck, Robert A; Greenberg, Greg A; Seibyl, Catherine

2007-03-01

Public support payments may facilitate exit from homelessness for persons with mental illness. We examined data from 10,641 homeless veterans contacted from October 1, 1995 to September 30, 2002 in a collaborative outreach program designed to facilitate access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability benefits. Those who were awarded benefits (22% of contacted veterans) were more likely to report disability, poor to fair self-rated health, and were more likely to have used VA services in the past. Thus, this program achieved only modest success and was most successful with veterans who were already receiving VA services and who might have received benefits even without the outreach effort.

Health sciences library outreach to family caregivers: a call to service.

Science.gov (United States)

Howrey, Mary M

2018-04-01

This commentary discusses the information needs of family caregivers and care recipients in the United States. Health sciences library services and outreach activities that support family caregivers include: (1) advocacy, (2) resource building, and (3) programming and education. Ethical issues related to the privacy and confidentiality of clients are outlined in the commentary for information service providers. Also, continuing professional education resources are identified to assist librarians in providing high-quality information services for this special family caregiver population, such as those designed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) through the NLM 4 Caregivers program.

Health sciences library outreach to family caregivers: a call to service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary M. Howrey

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This commentary discusses the information needs of family caregivers and care recipients in the United States. Health sciences library services and outreach activities that support family caregivers include: (1 advocacy, (2 resource building, and (3 programming and education. Ethical issues related to the privacy and confidentiality of clients are outlined in the commentary for information service providers. Also, continuing professional education resources are identified to assist librarians in providing high-quality information services for this special family caregiver population, such as those designed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM through the NLM 4 Caregivers program.

Making Stuff Outreach at the Ames Laboratory and Iowa State University

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ament, Katherine; Karsjen, Steven; Leshem-Ackerman, Adah; King, Alexander

2011-04-01

The U. S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory in Ames, Iowa was a coalition partner for outreach activities connected with NOVA's Making Stuff television series on PBS. Volunteers affiliated with the Ames Laboratory and Iowa State University, with backgrounds in materials science, took part in activities including a science-themed Family Night at a local mall, Science Cafes at the Science Center of Iowa, teacher workshops, demonstrations at science nights in elementary and middle schools, and various other events. We describe a selection of the activities and present a summary of their outcomes and extent of their impact on Ames, Des Moines and the surrounding communities in Iowa. In Part 2, results of a volunteer attitude survey are presented, which shed some light on the volunteer experience and show how the volunteers participation in outreach activities has affected their views of materials education.

Utilizing a MOOC as an education and outreach tool for geoscience: case study from Tokyo Tech's MOOC on "Deep Earth Science"

Science.gov (United States)

Tagawa, S.; Okuda, Y.; Hideki, M.; Cross, S. J.; Tazawa, K.; Hirose, K.

2016-12-01

Massive open online courses (MOOC or MOOCs) have attracted world-wide attention as a new digital educational tool. However, utilizing MOOCs for teaching geoscience and for outreach activity are limited so far. Mainly due to the fact that few MOOCs are available on this topic. The following questions are usually asked before undertaking MOOC development. How many students will potentially enroll in a course and what kind of background knowledge do they have? What is the best way to market the course and let them learn concepts easily? How will the instructor or staff manage discussion boards and answer questions? And, more simply, is a MOOC an effective educational or outreach tool? Recently, Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) offered our first MOOC on "Deep Earth Science" on edX, which is one of the largest worldwide MOOC platforms. This brand new course was released in the Fall of 2015 and will re-open during the winter of 2016. This course contained materials such as structure of inside of the Earth, internal temperature of the earth and how it is estimated, chemical compositions and dynamics inside the earth. Although this course mainly dealt with pure scientific research content, over 5,000 students from 156 countries enrolled and 4 % of them earned a certificate of completion. In this presentation, we will share a case study based upon what we learned from offering "Deep Earth Science". At first, we will give brief introduction of our course. Then, we want to introduce tips to make a better MOOC by focusing on 1) students' motivation on studying, scientific literacy background, and completion rate, 2) offering engaging content and utilization of surveys, and 3) discussion board moderation. In the end, we will discuss advantages of utilizing a MOOC as an effective educational tool for geoscience. We welcome your ideas on MOOCs and suggestions on revising the course content.

A Library approach to establish an Educational Data Curation Framework (EDCF) that supports K-12 data science sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Branch, B. D.; Wegner, K.; Smith, S.; Schulze, D. G.; Merwade, V.; Jung, J.; Bessenbacher, A.

2013-12-01

It has been the tradition of the libraries to support literacy. Now in the realm of Executive Order, Making Open and Machine Readable the New Default for Government Information, May 9, 2013, the library has the responsibility to support geospatial data, big data, earth science data or cyber infrastructure data that may support STEM for educational pipeline stimulation. (Such information can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/05/09/executive-order-making-open-and-machine-readable-new-default-government-.) Provided is an Educational Data Curation Framework (EDCF) that has been initiated in Purdue research, geospatial data service engagement and outreach endeavors for future consideration and application to augment such data science and climate literacy needs of future global citizens. In addition, this endorsement of this framework by the GLOBE program may facilitate further EDCF implementations, discussion points and prototypes for libraries. In addition, the ECDF will support teacher-led, placed-based and large scale climate or earth science learning systems where such knowledge transfer of climate or earth science data is effectively transferred from higher education research of cyberinfrastructure use such as, NOAA or NASA, to K-12 teachers and school systems. The purpose of this effort is to establish best practices for sustainable K-12 data science delivery system or GLOBE-provided system (http://vis.globe.gov/GLOBE/) where libraries manage the data curation and data appropriateness as data reference experts for such digital data. Here, the Purdue University Libraries' GIS department works to support soils, LIDAR and water science data experiences to support teacher training for an EDCF development effort. Lastly, it should be noted that the interdisciplinary collaboration and demonstration of library supported outreach partners and national organizations such the GLOBE program may best foster EDCF development. This trend in data

NASA and the United States educational system - Outreach programs in aeronautics, space science, and technology

Science.gov (United States)

Owens, Frank C.

1990-01-01

The role of NASA in developing a well-educated American work force is addressed. NASA educational programs aimed at precollege students are examined, including the NASA Spacemobile, Urban Community Enrichment Program, and Summer High School Apprenticeship Program. NASA workshops and programs aimed at helping teachers develop classroom curriculum materials are described. Programs aimed at college and graduate-level students are considered along with coordination efforts with other federal agencies and with corporations.

Universities Conducting STEM Outreach: A Conceptual Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Eilam, Efrat; Bigger, Stephen W.; Sadler, Kirsten; Barry, Fiachra; Bielik, Tom

2016-01-01

This paper addresses the positioning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outreach programmes within universities' operations. Though universities in many respects form a rather homogenous international community, there is wide diversity in regard to the provision of STEM outreach by different institutions. To explain this…

Communicating Earth Science Through Music: The Use of Environmental Sound in Science Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Brenner, C.

2017-12-01

The need for increased public understanding and appreciation of Earth science has taken on growing importance over the last several decades. Human society faces critical environmental challenges, both near-term and future, in areas such as climate change, resource allocation, geohazard threat and the environmental degradation of ecosystems. Science outreach is an essential component to engaging both policymakers and the public in the importance of managing these challenges. However, despite considerable efforts on the part of scientists and outreach experts, many citizens feel that scientific research and methods are both difficult to understand and remote from their everyday experience. As perhaps the most accessible of all art forms, music can provide a pathway through which the public can connect to Earth processes. The Earth is not silent: environmental sound can be sampled and folded into musical compositions, either with or without the additional sounds of conventional or electronic instruments. These compositions can be used in conjunction with other forms of outreach (e.g., as soundtracks for documentary videos or museum installations), or simply stand alone as testament to the beauty of geology and nature. As proof of concept, this presentation will consist of a musical composition that includes sounds from various field recordings of wind, swamps, ice and water (including recordings from the inside of glaciers).

An Analog Rover Exploration Mission for Education and Outreach

Science.gov (United States)

Moores, John; Campbell, Charissa L.; Smith, Christina L.; Cooper, Brittney A.

2017-10-01

This abstract describes an analog rover exploration mission designed as an outreach program for high school and undergraduate students. This program is used to teach them about basic mission control operations, how to manage a rover as if it were on another planetary body, and employing the rover remotely to complete mission objectives. One iteration of this program has been completed and another is underway. In both trials, participants were shown the different operation processes involved in a real-life mission. Modifications were made to these processes to decrease complexity and better simulate a mission control environment in a short time period (three 20-minute-long mission “days”). In the first run of the program, participants selected a landing site, what instruments would be on the rover - subject to cost, size, and weight limitations - and were randomly assigned one of six different mission operations roles, each with specific responsibilities. For example, a Science Planner/Integrator (SPI) would plan science activities whilst a Rover Engineer (RE) would keep on top of rover constraints. Planning consisted of a series of four meetings to develop and verify the current plan, pre-plan the next day's activities and uplink the activities to the “rover” (a human colleague). Participants were required to attend certain meetings depending upon their assigned role. To conclude the mission, students viewed the site to understand any differences between remote viewing and reality in relation to the rover. Another mission is currently in progress with revisions from the earlier run to improve the experience. This includes broader roles and meetings and pre-selecting the landing site and rover. The new roles are: Mission Lead, Rover Engineer and Science Planner. The SPI role was previously popular so most of the students were placed in this category. The meetings were reduced to three but extended in length. We are also planning to integrate this program

Effect of a brief outreach educational intervention on the translation of acute poisoning treatment guidelines to practice in rural Sri Lankan hospitals: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Senarathna, Lalith; Buckley, Nick A; Dibley, Michael J; Kelly, Patrick J; Jayamanna, Shaluka F; Gawarammana, Indika B; Dawson, Andrew H

2013-01-01

In developing countries, including Sri Lanka, a high proportion of acute poisoning and other medical emergencies are initially treated in rural peripheral hospitals. Patients are then usually transferred to referral hospitals for further treatment. Guidelines are often used to promote better patient care in these emergencies. We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial (ISRCTN73983810) which aimed to assess the effect of a brief educational outreach ('academic detailing') intervention to promote the utilization of treatment guidelines for acute poisoning. This cluster RCT was conducted in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. All peripheral hospitals in the province were randomized to either intervention or control. All hospitals received a copy of the guidelines. The intervention hospitals received a brief out-reach academic detailing workshop which explained poisoning treatment guidelines and guideline promotional items designed to be used in daily care. Data were collected on all patients admitted due to poisoning for 12 months post-intervention in all study hospitals. Information collected included type of poison exposure, initial investigations, treatments and hospital outcome. Patients transferred from peripheral hospitals to referral hospitals had their clinical outcomes recorded. There were 23 intervention and 23 control hospitals. There were no significant differences in the patient characteristics, such as age, gender and the poisons ingested. The intervention hospitals showed a significant improvement in administration of activated charcoal [OR 2.95 (95% CI 1.28-6.80)]. There was no difference between hospitals in use of other decontamination methods. This study shows that an educational intervention consisting of brief out-reach academic detailing was effective in changing treatment behavior in rural Sri Lankan hospitals. The intervention was only effective for treatments with direct clinician involvement, such as administering activated

Evaluation of Changes in Ghanaian Students' Attitudes Towards Science Following Neuroscience Outreach Activities: A Means to Identify Effective Ways to Inspire Interest in Science Careers.

Science.gov (United States)

Yawson, Nat Ato; Amankwaa, Aaron Opoku; Tali, Bernice; Shang, Velma Owusua; Batu, Emmanuella Nsenbah; Asiemoah, Kwame; Fuseini, Ahmed Denkeri; Tene, Louis Nana; Angaandi, Leticia; Blewusi, Isaac; Borbi, Makafui; Aduku, Linda Nana Esi; Badu, Pheonah; Abbey, Henrietta; Karikari, Thomas K

2016-01-01

The scientific capacity in many African countries is low. Ghana, for example, is estimated to have approximately twenty-three researchers per a million inhabitants. In order to improve interest in science among future professionals, appropriate techniques should be developed and employed to identify barriers and correlates of science education among pre-university students. Young students' attitudes towards science may affect their future career choices. However, these attitudes may change with new experiences. It is, therefore, important to evaluate potential changes in students' attitudes towards science after their exposure to experiences such as science outreach activities. Through this, more effective means of inspiring and mentoring young students to choose science subjects can be developed. This approach would be particularly beneficial in countries such as Ghana, where: (i) documented impacts of outreach activities are lacking; and (ii) effective means to develop scientist-school educational partnerships are needed. We have established an outreach scheme, aimed at helping to improve interaction between scientists and pre-university students (and their teachers). Outreach activities are designed and implemented by undergraduate students and graduate teaching assistants, with support from faculty members and technical staff. Through this, we aim to build a team of trainee scientists and graduates who will become ambassadors of science in their future professional endeavors. Here, we describe an approach for assessing changes in junior high school students' attitudes towards science following classroom neuroscience outreach activities. We show that while students tended to agree more with questions concerning their perceptions about science learning after the delivery of outreach activities, significant improvements were obtained for only two questions, namely "I enjoy science lessons" and "I want to be a scientist in the future." Furthermore, there was a

Astrobites and GeoSciBites: Using Online Research Digests for Outreach to Undergraduates and the Broader Community

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjan, S.; Kohler, S.; Sanders, N.; Morey, S.

2013-12-01

Effective science communication is imperative for the sharing of scientific ideas, continued funding and support from policy makers, and education of the public. As future researchers and educators, it is particularly important to engage graduate students in science communication. Astrobites (http://astrobites.org) is an innovative education initiative developed by graduate students in planetary science, astronomy, and astrophysics. Our goal is to help undergraduates make the transition from the classroom to careers in research by introducing them to the astronomical literature in a pedagogical, approachable, and comprehensible way. Every day we select one new journal article posted to the astrophysics preprint server (arXiv.org/astro-ph) and prepare a brief summary describing methods and results, explain jargon, and provide context. We also write regular blog posts containing career advice, such as tips for applying for fellowships or demystifying the publishing process. The articles are written by 30 graduate students in astrophysics from throughout the US and Europe and are read by 1000 daily readers worldwide, including undergraduates, researchers, and interested non-scientists. We describe lessons learned in starting, sustaining, and expanding science outreach blogs like Astrobites. We survey our readership and present analysis summarizing our reader base and impact. We report on the foundation of other ';bites blogs, focusing on the foundation of GeoSciBites, a geophysical sciences outreach blog. We discuss future opportunities for additional outreach initiatives in new disciplines.

University/Science Center Collaborations (A Science Center Perspective): Developing an Infrastructure of Partnerships with Science Centers to Support the Engagement of Scientists and Engineers in Education and Outreach for Broad Impact

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Eric

2009-03-01

Science centers, professional associations, corporations and university research centers share the same mission of education and outreach, yet come from ``different worlds.'' This gap may be bridged by working together to leverage unique strengths in partnership. Front-end evaluation results for the development of new resources to support these (mostly volunteer-based) partnerships elucidate the factors which lead to a successful relationship. Maintaining a science museum-scientific community partnership requires that all partners devote adequate resources (time, money, etc.). In general, scientists/engineers and science museum professionals often approach relationships with different assumptions and expectations. The culture of science centers is distinctly different from the culture of science. Scientists/engineers prefer to select how they will ultimately share their expertise from an array of choices. Successful partnerships stem from clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Scientists/engineers are somewhat resistant to the idea of traditional, formal training. Instead of developing new expertise, many prefer to offer their existing strengths and expertise. Maintaining a healthy relationship requires the routine recognition of the contributions of scientists/engineers. As professional societies, university research centers and corporations increasingly engage in education and outreach, a need for a supportive infrastructure becomes evident. Work of TryScience.org/VolTS (Volunteers TryScience), the MRS NISE Net (Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network) subcommittee, NRCEN (NSF Research Center Education Network), the IBM On Demand Community, and IEEE Educational Activities exemplify some of the pieces of this evolving infrastructure.

Pediatric neurosurgery outreach: sustainability appraisal of a targeted teaching model in Kiev, Ukraine.

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Michael L; Duenas, Vincent J; Hambrecht, Amanda C; Hahn, Edward J; Aryan, Henry E; Jandial, Rahul

2012-01-01

This study evaluates the efficacy of operative skill transfer in the context of targeted pediatric outreach missions completed in Kiev, Ukraine. In addition the ability to create sustainable surgical care improvement is investigated as an efficient method to improve global surgical care. Three 1-week targeted neurosurgical missions were performed (2005-2007) to teach neuroendoscopy, which included donation of the necessary surgical equipment, so the host team can deliver newly acquired surgical skills to their citizens after the visiting mission team departs. The neuroendoscopy data for the 4 years after the final mission in 2007 was obtained. After performing pediatric neurosurgery missions in 2005-2007, with a focus on teaching neuroendoscopy, the host team demonstrated the sustainability of our educational efforts in the subsequent 4 years by performing cases independently for their citizens. Since the last targeted mission of 2007, neuroendoscopic procedures have continued to be performed by the trained host surgeons. In 2008, 33 cases were performed. In 2009 and 2010, 29 and 22 cases were completed, respectively. In 2011, local neurosurgeons accomplished 27 cases. To date, a total of 111 operations have been performed over the past 4 years independent of any visiting team, illustrating the sustainability of educational efforts of the missions in 2005-2007. Effective operative skill transfer to host neurosurgeons can be accomplished with limited international team visits using a targeted approach that minimizes expenditures on personnel and capital. With the priority being teaching of an operative technique, as opposed to perennially performing operations by a visiting mission team, sustainable surgical care was achieved and perpetuated after missions officially concluded. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Institute for Scientific and Educational Technology (ISET)-Education, Research and Training Programs in Engineering and Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Tiwari, S. N. (Principal Investigator); Massenberg, Samuel E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

to carry out the above mentioned activities. 6) The implementation of various activities of the ISET programs is carried out through cooperative efforts between Old Dominion University (ODU) and the Office of Education at LaRC. At present, major efforts are directed on the following ISET Programs: ICAM Programs, Academic Programs, Educational Research, Outreach Programs, Educational Technology and Cooperative Programs. These programs are described in the following sections.

Outreach and education to ensure a clean energy future for all - 59339

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hess, Susan M.

2012-01-01

As the nuclear industry continues to grow throughout the world, we find that support from government officials, local business leaders and the general public is becoming more and more important. In order to help raise awareness and inform these various publics, AREVA expanded upon a best practice from its worldwide operations and recently established a Community Advisory Council in the United States. The member organizations represent a variety of grassroots and minority organizations from across the United States and are active in various ways in local, state and federal arenas. AREVA's objective for the Council is simple - listen to concerns, engage in dialogue and raise awareness about the intrinsic link existing between energy, CO 2 emissions, global warming, and economic growth, so these same people can make decisions when it comes to energy sources in the future. We want our members to help us better understand their communities, listen to their concerns and answer their questions openly and honestly. AREVA understands that this outreach and education are just the first steps toward helping clean energy sources grow. We must maintain regular dialog and operate in a safe manner, because in the long run, it is these community members who will ensure energy security for the country. And it is only by working together as an industry that we can ensure a safe, clean air future for generations to come, no matter where in the world we live. (authors)

Strategies and Exemplars for Public Outreach Events: Planning, Implementation, Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Cobb, W. H.; Buxner, S.; Shipp, S. S.; Shebby, S.

2015-12-01

IntroductionEach year the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sponsors a variety of public outreach events to share information with educators, students, and the general public. These events are designed to increase interest in and awareness of the mission and goals of NASA. Planning and implementation best practices gleaned from the NASA SMD Education's review of large-scale events, "Best Practices in Outreach Events" will be shared. Outcomes from an event, i C Ceres, celebrating the Dawn mission's arrival at dwarf planet Ceres that utilized these strategies will be shared. Best practices included can be pertinent for all event organizers and evaluators regardless of event size. BackgroundThe literature review focused on identifying evaluations of large-scale public outreach events—and, within these evaluations, identifying best practices. The following criteria for identifying journal articles and reports to potentially include: Public, science-related events open to adults and children. Events with more than 1,000 attendees. Events that occurred during the last 5 years. Evaluations that included information on data collected from visitors and/or volunteers. Evaluations that specified the type of data collected, methodology, and associated results. Planning and Implementation Best PracticesThe literature review revealed key considerations for planning and of large-scale events implementing events. A summary of related best practices is presented below. 1) Advertise the event 2) Use and advertise access to scientists 3) Recruit scientists using these findings 4) Ensure that the event is group and particularly child friendly 5) Target specific event outcomes Best Practices Informing Real-world Planning, Implementation and EvaluationDawn mission's collaborative design of a series of events, i C Ceres, including in-person, interactive events geared to families and live presentations will be shared. Outcomes and lessons learned will be imparted