Sample records for education public outreach

  1. Engaging Scientists in NASA Education and Public Outreach: Informal Science Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lawton, Brandon L.; Smith, D. A.; Bartolone, L.; Meinke, B. K.; Discovery Guides Collaborative, Universe; Collaborative, NASAScience4Girls; SEPOF Informal Education Working Group; 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 opportunities for the astronomy community to participate in collaborations supporting the NASA SMD efforts in the Informal Science Education and Outreach communities. Members of the Informal Science Education and Outreach communities include museum/science center/planetarium professionals, librarians, park rangers, amateur astronomers, and other out-of-school-time educators. The Forums’ efforts for the Informal Science Education and Outreach communities include a literature review, appraisal of informal educators’ needs, coordination of audience-based NASA resources and opportunities, and professional development. Learn how to join in our collaborative efforts to reach the informal science education and outreach communities based upon mutual needs and interests.

  2. NAI Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grymes, Rose; Tsairides, Catherine

    2000-01-01

    The NAI's Education and Public Outreach Office is committed to building a strong partnership with each member institute to develop a comprehensive interest in educating the public and global community on the activities of the institute and the field of Astrobiology.

  3. Enhancing the Impact of NASA Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach: Community Collaborations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Denise A.; Lawton, B. L.; Bartolone, L.; Schultz, G. R.; Blair, W. P.; Astrophysics E/PO Community, NASA; NASA Astrophysics Forum Team

    2013-01-01

    The NASA Astrophysics Science Education and Public Outreach Forum is one of four scientist-educator teams that support NASA's Science Mission Directorate and its nationwide education and public outreach community in increasing the coherence, efficiency, and effectiveness of their education and public outreach efforts. NASA Astrophysics education and outreach teams collaborate with each other through the Astrophysics Forum to place individual programs in context, connect with broader education and public outreach activities, learn and share successful strategies and techniques, and develop new partnerships. This poster highlights examples of collaborative efforts designed to engage youth and adults across the full spectrum of learning environments, from public outreach venues, to centers of informal learning, to K-12 and higher education classrooms. These include coordinated efforts to support major outreach events such as the USA Science and Engineering Festival; pilot "Astro4Girls" activities in public libraries to engage girls and their families in science during Women’s History Month; and a pilot "NASA's Multiwavelength Universe" online professional development course for middle and high school educators. Resources to assist scientists and Astro101 instructors in incorporating NASA Astrophysics discoveries into their education and public outreach efforts are also discussed.

  4. The NASA SMD Science Education and Public Outreach Forums: Engaging Scientists in NASA Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Denise A.; Peticolas, L.; Schwerin, T.; Shipp, S.

    2014-01-01

    The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program provides a direct return on the public’s investment in NASA’s science missions and research programs through a comprehensive suite of educational resources and opportunities for students, educators, and the public. Four Science Education and Public Outreach Forums work with SMD-funded missions, research programs, and grantees to organize individual E/PO activities into a coordinated, effective, and efficient nationwide effort, with easy entry points for scientists, educators, and the public. We outline the Forums’ role in 1) facilitating communication and collaboration among SMD E/PO programs, scientists, and educators; 2) supporting utilization of best practices and educational research; 3) creating clear paths of involvement for scientists interested in SMD E/PO; and, 4) enabling efficient and effective use of NASA content and education products. Our work includes a cross-Forum collaboration to inventory existing SMD education materials; identify and analyze gaps; and interconnect and organize materials in an accessible manner for multiple audiences. The result is NASAWavelength.org, a one-stop-shop for all NASA SMD education products, including tools to help users identify resources based upon their needs and national education standards. The Forums have also collaborated with the SMD E/PO community to provide a central point of access to metrics, evaluation findings, and impacts for SMD-funded E/PO programs (http://smdepo.org/page/5324). We also present opportunities for the astronomy community to participate in collaborations supporting NASA SMD efforts in the K - 12 Formal Education, Informal Education and Outreach, Higher Education and Research Scientist communities. See Bartolone et al., Lawton et al., Meinke et al., and Buxner et al. (this conference), respectively, to learn about Forum resources and opportunities specific to each of these communities.

  5. Engaging Scientists in NASA Education and Public Outreach: Higher Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meinke, Bonnie K.; Smith, D. A.; Schultz, G. R.; Lawton, B. L.; Bianchi, L.; Blair, W. P.; Buxner, S.; SEPOF Higher Education Working Group; 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 opportunities for the astronomy community to participate in collaborations supporting the NASA SMD efforts in the Higher Education community. Members of the Higher Education community include instructors, faculty, and students at community colleges and four-year colleges/universities. The Forums’ efforts for the Higher Education community include a literature review, appraisal of instructors’ needs, coordination of audience-based NASA resources and opportunities, and classroom support materials. Learn how to join in our collaborative efforts to support the Higher Education community based upon mutual needs and interests.

  6. Fermilab Office of Education and Public Outreach - About Us

    Science.gov Websites

    Search Office of Education and Public Outreach About Us Education Office Staff Marge Bardeen Susan Dahl . Fermilab's Education Office supports programming for educators, families, young people and the general public change and a resource to schools and districts nationwide. The Fermilab Education Office provides

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  8. Explorations in K-12 Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Limaye, S. S.; Pertzborn, R. A.; Sromovsky, L. A.

    1997-07-01

    Space exploration remains a topic of immense interest and excitement for children and the general public. A diverse approach has been utilized at the Space Science and Engineering Center to initiate outreach and K-12 education activities. The hands-on experience gained through a working relationships with educators has been useful in understanding the challenges, usefulness and limitations of scientists' involvement in the education process. Our efforts have included school visits, development of lesson plans (KidSat), internet based activities (Planet Exploration Toolkit for Live from Mars, a Passport to Knowledge Project), World Wide Web, Public Lectures, summer teacher enhancement workshops, internships, and substitute teaching in science classes. The feedback and comments from teachers and students has demonstrated the usefulness and need for these efforts. The experience has also demonstrated that a committed effort in outreach is ultimately satisfying although immensely time consuming. Our outreach efforts have been partially supported by a NASA/IDEA grant, Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, NOAA and more recently, the Evjue Foundation (Madison-Wisconsin).

  9. TERRA Education and Public Outreach: Bringing Earth Science Resources to the Public, Students, Educators, and Citizen Scientists

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lewis, N.; Thome, K. J.; Bounoua, L.; Owen, T.

    2014-12-01

    Leaping advances in the capability to accurately measure global atmospheric and surficial conditions from space have created an abundance of educationally relevant images, discoveries, and products. In attempt to fully utilize these abundant resources, TERRA has allocated a portion of its mission toward education and public outreach. From highly interactive websites allowing users to view the latest satellite images and discoveries, to partnerships with museums encouraging enhanced primary and secondary scholastic experiences, TERRA has successfully applied a multifaceted range of tools to aid in the furthering of education for students, educators, scientists, and the general public. This presentation aims to increase publicity regarding these many methods of outreach, and to highlight particular outreach success stories. With the increasing emphasis on STEM education in current school systems, the invaluable resources and opportunities that TERRA provides for young scientists have become a necessity and will continue to help inspire the next generation of Earth Scientists.

  10. Education and Public Outreach at the American Astronomical Society

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fienberg, R. T.

    2011-09-01

    Recently the Council of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) adopted its first-ever mission-and-vision statement. Independently, the Astronomy Education Board (AEB), which has oversight of the Society's educational activities, adopted new goals for the AAS education program. Much of the responsibility for aligning the AAS mission-and-vision statement and AEB goals and implementing them is vested in a new position: AAS Press Officer and Education and Outreach Coordinator. Here I describe the AAS's priorities for education and public outreach and explain how they are being, or will be, achieved.

  11. ARES Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Allen, Jaclyn; Galindo, Charles; Graff, Paige; Willis, Kim

    2014-01-01

    The ARES Directorate education team is charged with translating the work of ARES scientists into content that can be used in formal and informal K-12 education settings and assisting with public outreach. This is accomplished through local efforts and national partnerships. Local efforts include partnerships with universities, school districts, museums, and the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) to share the content and excitement of space science research. Sharing astromaterials and exploration science with the public is an essential part of the Directorate's work. As a small enclave of physical scientists at a NASA Center that otherwise emphasizes human space operations and engineering, the ARES staff is frequently called upon by the JSC Public Affairs and Education offices to provide presentations and interviews. Scientists and staff actively volunteer with the JSC Speaker's Bureau, Digital Learning Network, and National Engineers Week programs as well as at Space Center Houston activities and events. The education team also participates in many JSC educator and student workshops, including the Pre-Service Teacher Institute and the Texas Aerospace Scholars program, with workshop presentations, speakers, and printed materials.

  12. Opportunities and Resources for Scientist Participation in Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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/.

  13. Developing STEM Leaders Through Space Science Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gibbs, M. G.; Veenstra, D.

    2012-08-01

    Capitol College, located in Laurel, Maryland, established the Center for Space Science Education and Public Outreach with the mission to assist in educating future leaders in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This presentation shares emerging best practices through innovative methods to create awareness regarding STEM outreach programs and activities related workforce development and career pathways.

  14. LSST: Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  15. SALT/HET cooperation in education and public outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hemenway, Mary Kay; Preston, Sandra

    The "Science with SALT" meeting in March 1998 opened avenues of cooperation between SAAO and the University of Texas at Austin in education and public outreach. This paper will review past interactions and future plans. SAAO personnel have visited the HET and McDonald Observatory and have taken part in planning meetings for the Texas Astronomy Education Center museum area and educational programming. Discussions concerning the extension of the daily radio show StarDate (English), Universo (Spanish) and Sternzeit (German) versions to a southern hemisphere version are underway. In addition, we are cooperatively planning a workshop to discuss an international collaborative for educational outreach for state-of-the-art telescopes for which a regional collaborative in southwestern U.S. (SCOPE) serves as a model. The towns of Sutherland and Fort Davis are discussing forming a "twin-town" relationship. Projects and plans that link cutting-edge astronomical research to classrooms and the public will be reviewed.

  16. Activities in GPM Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kirschbaum, Dalia

    2011-01-01

    This presentation will discuss the diverse and exciting activities planned for the GPM mission. I will present of our Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) strategy and will then outline our plans for some of the unique initiatives we are developing through this effort.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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.

  19. Education and public outreach at the SIRTF science center

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Daou, D.

    2002-01-01

    Communicating the world of infrared astronomy to the public is the main vocation of the Education and Public Outreach Office of the SIRTF Science Center; but certainly not its only goal. In the past few years we have created a wide variety of educational products that explains the infrared as well as the multi-wavelength universe.

  20. Engaging Scientists in NASA Education and Public Outreach: K - 12 Formal Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bartolone, Lindsay; Smith, D. A.; Eisenhamer, B.; Lawton, B. L.; Universe Professional Development Collaborative, Multiwavelength; NASA Data Collaborative, Use of; SEPOF K-12 Formal Education Working Group; 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 opportunities for the astronomy community to participate in collaborations supporting the NASA SMD efforts in the K - 12 Formal Education community. Members of the K - 12 Formal Education community include classroom educators, homeschool educators, students, and curriculum developers. The Forums’ efforts for the K - 12 Formal Education community include a literature review, appraisal of educators’ needs, coordination of audience-based NASA resources and opportunities, professional development, and support with the Next Generation Science Standards. Learn how to join in our collaborative efforts to support the K - 12 Formal Education community based upon mutual needs and interests.

  1. The Education and Public Outreach Program at the University of Virginia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murphy, E. M.; Rood, R. T.; Patterson, R. J.

    2003-12-01

    The Department of Astronomy at the University of Virginia has embarked on an ambitious program to expand their education and public outreach (E/PO) program. The comprehensive program addresses undergraduate education for non-science majors, teacher professional development, outreach programs for local schools, informal science education through collaborations with museums, and outreach through the public night program at McCormick Observatory. This poster presents example programs and their outcomes, including funding and staffing strategies. We believe that this E/PO program could serve as a model for other departments wishing to begin, or expand, an E/PO program. The E/PO program has been supported by funding from the Celerity Foundation, the University of Virginia, and NASA E/PO supplements to Chandra, HST, SIM, and FUSE science programs.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  3. Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sakimoto, Philip (Editor)

    2000-01-01

    This Annual Report is a summary of nearly 400 Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) products and activities developed or carried out in FY2000 under NASA's Office of Space Science (OSS) E/PO program. It includes products and activities developed by OSS missions and research programs, innovative space science concepts developed under the Initiative to Develop Education through Astronomy and Space Science (IDEAS) Program, projects initiated under the Minority University Education and Research Partnership Initiative in Space Science, and a number of additional comprehensive or special purpose programs managed by OSS at NASA Headquarters. Taking into account the fact that many of the activities reported involve multiple events that took place in a variety of venues, the total number of E/PO events reported for FY2000 is over 1,500, with events having taken place in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, one US Territory (Guam), and four foreign nations (Australia, Canada, Mexico, and Peru).

  4. Education and public outreach in astronomy and beyond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  5. Amateur Astronomers As Public Outreach Partners

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bennett, M. A.

    2006-08-01

    Amateur astronomers involved in public outreach represent a huge, largely untapped source of energy and enthusiasm to help astronomers reach the general public. Even though many astronomy educators already work with amateur astronomers, the potential educational impact of amateur astronomers as public outreach ambassadors remains largely unrealized. Surveys and other work by the ASP in the US show that more than 20% of astronomy club members routinely participate in public engagement and educational events, such as public star parties, classroom visits, work with youth and community groups, etc. Amateur astronomers who participate in public outreach events are knowledgeable about astronomy and passionate about sharing their hobby with other people. They are very willing to work with astronomers and astronomy educators. They want useful materials, support, and training. In the USA, the ASP operates "The Night Sky Network," (funded by NASA). We have developed specialized materials and training, tested by and used by amateur astronomers. This project works with nearly 200 local astronomy clubs in 50 states to help them conduct more effective public outreach events. It has resulted in nearly 3,600 outreach events (reaching nearly 300,000 people) in just two years. In this presentation we examine key success factors, lessons learned, and suggest how astronomers outside the US can recruit and work with "outreach amateur astronomers" in their own countries.

  6. 77 FR 66082 - NASA Advisory Council; Education and Public Outreach Committee; Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-01

    ... NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice 12-089] NASA Advisory Council; Education and... amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the Education and Public... Education and Public Outreach Committee, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC 20546...

  7. 75 FR 54190 - NASA Advisory Council; Education and Public Outreach Committee; Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-03

    ... NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice: (10-104)] NASA Advisory Council; Education... amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the Education and Public... interested person should contact Ms. Erika G. Vick, Executive Secretary for the Education and Public Outreach...

  8. 75 FR 17438 - NASA Advisory Council; Education and Public Outreach Committee; Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-06

    ... NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice (10-041)] NASA Advisory Council; Education and Public Outreach Committee; Meeting AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ACTION... amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the Education and Public...

  9. Jaasc Cooperation League for Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watanabe, Jun-Ichi; JAASC Committee

    The JAASC Japanese Astronomy Aeronautical Science Space Science cooperation league has been established in 2000 among the related institutes for education and public outreach. The participating institutes are National Astronomical Observatory of Japan Institute of Space and Astronautical Science National Space Development Agency of Japan National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan Young Astronomers Club Japan Science and Technology Corporation and Japan Space Forum. These institutes started several joint efforts such as making web site for beginners in general public or educational materials for junior high school. This is a challenging trial for Japanese institutes to cooperate beyond the barrier of the

  10. Education & Public Outreach | CTIO

    Science.gov Websites

    Apoyo de la Didáctica de la Astronomía" is a center for the support to the astronomy didactics . Public Outreach Astro Chile Is an EPO Program in charge of innovate in astronomy teaching. Robotic

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  12. Cool Astronomy: Education and Public Outreach for the WISE mission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mendez, Bryan J.

    2011-01-01

    The Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) aims to educate and engage students, teachers, and the general public in the endeavor of science. We bring a collection of accomplished professionals in formal and informal astronomy education from around the nation to create learning materials and experiences that appeal to broad audiences. Our E/PO program trains teachers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics related to WISE; creates standards-based classroom resources and lessons using WISE data and WISE-related STEM topics; develops interactive programming for museums and science centers; and inspires the public with WISE science and images.

  13. Customer interviews to improve NASA office of space science education and public outreach leveraging success

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lowes, L. L.

    2002-01-01

    Leveraging with organizations that serve our customers and focusing on the needs of those organizations are two prime elements of the NASA Office of Space Science (OSS) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Strategy. On behalf of NASA OSS, the Solar System Exploration (SSE) Education and Public Outreach Forum has conducted a series of customer interviews with representatives from leading organizations who serve some of the audiences we wish to reach.

  14. SOFIA Education and Public Outreach (EPO): Scientist/Educator Partnerships at 41,000 Feet

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Backman, D.; Devore, E.; Bennett, M.

    2003-12-01

    NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) represents a unique opportunity for education and public outreach (EPO). SOFIA is the first research observatory -- airborne or ground-based -- in which close participation by educators and journalists is being designed into both the physical facility and the administrative structure of the observatory. With the overall goal of contributing to the public's awareness and understanding of science in general and astronomy in particular, the SOFIA EPO program will include formal K-12 and undergraduate educational activities, informal education, public outreach, and media relations. One of the most exciting and unique aspects of the SOFIA EPO program is the observatory's ability to carry up to 10 educators on science flights, enabling those educators to partner with scientists and participate in real research. Some 200 formal and informal educators per year are expected to participate in the SOFIA Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program once full-scale operation is achieved. Educators who have participated in the Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program will be encouraged to continue their scientific partnerships and will be supported in their efforts to carry new-found knowledge and enthusiasm to their students, other educators in their communities and the general public. The Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors will be supported as a national network via continued communications and material support from the SOFIA EPO program office, and will constitute a wide-spread outreach cadre for NASA and space sciences based on their experiences with airborne astronomy. Scientists, engineers, and other members of the SOFIA team will be encouraged to partner with local teachers and visit their classrooms as a part of the SOFIA Education Partners Program. Training for scientist-educators will be offered via the Astronomical Society of the Pacific's Project ASTRO network of astronomy education sites around the USA. This

  15. Public Outreach in Astronomy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fierro, J.

    2009-05-01

    In this paper I will address ways in which astronomy can be conveyed to the general public. I believe that the workings of the cosmos are an effective way to interest the public in science due to their multidisciplinary nature and appeal. This paper is based on the idea that outreach is part of informal education and therefore must be encouraged since it is the way adults learn throughout their lives. We must take advantage of year 2009 to address astronomy in Galileo's honor. I think that outreach should be carried out in the way we enjoy learning about subjects outside our field of expertise. It must be done with passion and for the joy of giving; the gift that outreach conveys is knowledge.

  16. Science Education and Public Outreach in Asia - experiences in ACCENT

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schuepbach, E.

    2006-12-01

    ACCENT is the European Network of Excellence in Atmospheric Composition Change (www.accent- network.org). Its Task Training and Education aims at disseminating ACCENT results to a variety of target groups, including emerging countries. Until now, fellowships have been offered for early-career scientists to participate in European science training events. A teacher training workshop has concentrated on cross- cultural aspects of PhD supervision. The involvement of new Associated Partners from Asia has triggered reflections on science education and outreach to politicians and the public in this part of the world. Joint educational and outreach programmes and products are currently developed with China and Mongolia for training activities scheduled in autumn 2006 and autumn 2007. First experiences in joint science education programmes for early-career scientists will be presented, and the challenges associated with communicating science to non-scientists in Asia will be discussed.

  17. Public Education and Outreach. Building Community Systems for Young Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glik, Deborah; Halpert-Schilt, Elena

    As part of a series of reports designed to support the implementation of Proposition 10: The California Children and Families Act and to provide comprehensive and authoritative information on critical issues concerning young children and families in California, this report focuses on the role of public education and outreach and provides…

  18. Microgravity Outreach and Education

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rogers, Melissa J. B.; Rosenberg, Carla B.

    2000-01-01

    The NASA Microgravity Research Program has been actively developing classroom activities and educator's guides since the flight of the First United States Microgravity Laboratory. In addition, various brochures, posters, and exhibit materials have been produced for outreach efforts to the general public and to researchers outside of the program. These efforts are led by the Microgravity Research Outreach/Education team at Marshall Space Flight Center, with classroom material support from the K-12 Educational Program of The National Center for Microgravity Research on Fluids and Combustion (NCMR), general outreach material development by the Microgravity Outreach office at Hampton University, and electronic/media access coordinated by Marshall. The broad concept of the NCMR program is to develop a unique set of microgravity-related educational products that enable effective outreach to the pre-college community by supplementing existing mathematics, science, and technology curricula. The current thrusts of the program include summer teacher and high school internships during which participants help develop educational materials and perform research with NCMR and NASA scientists; a teacher sabbatical program which allows a teacher to concentrate on a major educational product during a full school year; frequent educator workshops held at NASA and at regional and national teachers conferences; a nascent student drop tower experiment competition; presentations and demonstrations at events that also reach the general public; and the development of elementary science and middle school mathematics classroom products. An overview of existing classroom products will be provided, along with a list of pertinent World Wide Web URLs. Demonstrations of some hands on activities will show the audience how simple it can be to bring microgravity into the classroom.

  19. The GLAST Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2004-12-01

    The Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST), due to launch in 2007, is a NASA mission designed to observe gamma rays from the most energetic objects in the Universe. The NASA Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Group at Sonoma State University is the lead institution for GLAST E/PO. Given the size of the mission itself, we have planned and are executing an ambitious outreach program, including 1) an educators guide with activities (and a beautiful poster) designed to bring the science of active galaxies into the classroom; 2) a series of classroom modules by TOPS Learning Systems, Inc. that uses the GLAST mission to teach logarithms, powers of ten, and the scale of the Universe; 3) a robotic telescope in Sonoma County, California to observe GLAST targets, aiding not only GLAST science but also teaching students how astronomers process astronomical data; 4) ten Educator Ambassadors: award-winning teachers who help the E/PO group develop, test, and disseminate educational products; 5) an interactive Virtual Visitor Center web site for the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, featuring an interactive simulation of GLAST's main gamma ray detector, which is being built by the US Department of Energy, and institutions in Italy, Japan, France and Sweden; 6) a one-hour PBS NOVA television show about black holes; 7) an interactive web-based Space Mystery which teaches students about active galaxies; 8) a series of educator workshops across the country to train teachers how to use the GLAST products; 9) an educators guide based on the high-energy physics of supernovae; and 10) extensive assessment by external evaluators at WestEd. More educational materials and information about the GLAST E/PO program can be found at http://glast.sonoma.edu.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  1. Catalyzing Effective Science Education: Contributions from the NASA Science Education and Public Outreach Forums

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Denise A.; Bartolone, L.; Eisenhamer, B.; Lawton, B. L.; Schultz, G. R.; Peticolas, L.; Schwerin, T.; Shipp, S.; Astrophysics E/PO Community, NASA; NASA Astrophysics Forum Team

    2013-06-01

    Advancing scientific literacy and strengthening the Nation’s future workforce through stimulating, informative, and effective learning experiences are core principles of the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) education and public outreach (E/PO) program. To support and coordinate its E/PO community in offering a coherent suite of activities and experiences that effectively meet the needs of the education community, NASA SMD has created four Science Education and Public Outreach Forums (Astrophysics, Planetary Science, Heliophysics, Earth Science). Forum activities include: professional development to raise awareness of the existing body of best practices and educational research; analysis and cataloging of SMD-funded education materials with respect to AAAS Benchmarks for Science Literacy; Working Groups that assemble needs assessment and best practices data relevant to Higher Education, K-12 Formal Education, and Informal Science Education audiences; and community collaborations that enable SMD E/PO community members to develop new partnerships and to learn and share successful strategies and techniques. This presentation will highlight examples of Forum and community-based activities related to astronomy education and teacher professional development, within the context of the principles articulated within the NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards. Among these are an emerging community of practice for K-12 educators and online teacher professional development and resources that incorporate misconception research and authentic experiences with NASA Astrophysics data.

  2. MESSENGER Education and Public Outreach Arranges a Ride to the Innermost Planet

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weir, H. M.; Chapman, C. R.; Edmonds, J.; Goldstein, J.; Hallau, K. G.; Hirshon, B.; Vanhala, H.; Solomon, S. C.; Messenger Education; Public Outreach Team

    2010-12-01

    Exploration of the mysterious planet Mercury offers an unprecedented opportunity for teachers, students, and citizens to tag along for the ride, and the Education and Public Outreach (EPO) Team for MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) is making sure the public gets quite a show. Since 2004, when MESSENGER was launched, MESSENGER has been gathering intriguing data and information about the Solar System's innermost planet. That journey will continue at a quickened pace after March 18, 2011, when MESSENGER enters into orbit around Mercury for one year of observations of the planet and its environment. The EPO Team - an extensive network of individuals and institutions - has sought to convey the excitement and complexity of the mission as MESSENGER's team overcomes challenges, achieves triumphs, and shares the adventure of space exploration with the American and global public. The EPO Team has developed a broad and comprehensive set of educational and outreach activities, ranging from curricular materials, teacher training, and unique mission-related student investigations to museum displays and special outreach to underserved communities and minority students. One of the most visible aspects of this effort is the MESSENGER Educator Fellows program: master science educators who conduct teacher training workshops throughout the nation for pre-K-12 educators. Educator Fellows train teachers on the EPO Team's MESSENGER Education Modules, which are also relevant to other NASA missions reaching important milestones this year (see http://www.messenger-education.org/teachers/educ_modules.php). By the time MESSENGER goes into orbit, Educator Fellows will have trained an estimated 18,000 teachers, who in turn, facilitate classroom experiences to over 1.8 million students. The EPO Team comprises individuals from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); Carnegie Academy for Science Education (CASE); Center for

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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/.

  4. Observatory for education and public outreach controlled through the World Wide Web

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guzik, T. Gregory; Motl, Patrick M.; Burks, Geoffrey S.; Fisher, Paul; Giammanco, James; Landolt, Arlo U.; Stacy, J. G.; Tohline, Joel E.; Wefel, Katrina

    1998-05-01

    For the last two and a half years the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Louisiana State University has been engaged in a collaborative effort with the Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge and the Baton Rouge Astronomical Society to develop a observatory that can be used for astronomy education from primary school; through graduate studies as well as for recreation and public outreach. The observatory includes a 2,300 square feet facility, a 20-inch diameter Ritchey-Chretien telescope, a black-thinned CCD camera, a computer control system and an internet T1 link. The on site public outreach and education program has been fully active since Fall, 1997 and we are currently in the process of developing a platform- independent system for remotely controlling the observatory over the internet. The initial version of the Java/World Wide Web based software is currently functioning and provides interactive control of the observatory via any Java compatible web browser. The main principles of the remote control system are presented in this paper, along with a discussion of the education and outreach goals of the observatory, details of the facility and hardware, initial measurements of system performance, and a discussion of our future development plans.

  5. The LunaRace - a public outreach, involvement, education and support mission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spitzl, H.; Bouquet, F.; Arafune, K.; Contino, M.-C.; Fontaine, T. H.; Freihoefer, J.; Grey, I.; Leindecker, W.; Lintchik, E.; Meierink, G.; Pauly, K.; Shen, Z.; Simi, N.; Summerer, L.; Weinmann, G.; Yoon, J.

    2002-10-01

    Today's level of technology allows for many fantastic missions to space. Funding of these missions is a problem, because government are cutting space budgets and commercial expenditure in space is minimal. The major obstacle to achieving global involvement into large scale, economically viable space enterprises is the lack of public involvement, education and support. At the 1999 Summer Session of the International Space University, the LunaRace (LR) mission has been desgined. With its extensive public outreach program before, during and after the race, this mission could be the first to bridge the gap between space and public. In national and international design contests, the most promising rover designs will be selected. Similar to the Tour de France and Paris-Dakar, the LR will be a staged event from the Apollo 17 to the Luna 21 landing site and back, during one Lunar Day. During the remaining sunlight after the race the surviving rovers will be used for public outreach purposes. This LunaRace will be a stepping stone for future human space exploration beyond low Earth orbit. Next to the technology pull it implies, it has a high chance of boosting public support and education that brings the institution of commercially viable space enterprises a step closer.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  7. Education and outreach bring NASA heliophysics to the public

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barbier, Beth

    2011-11-01

    Educating and inspiring students, teachers, and the public by communicating advances in heliophysics science is the objective of the education and public outreach (E/PO) specialists at the Heliophysics Science Division (HSD) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Md. The specialists carry out NASA's E/PO goal to enhance the nation's formal education system and contribute to the broad public understanding of science, math, and technology. HSD E/PO projects exploit community best practices to meet or surpass NASA's requirements, which include attention to quality; leverage through internal and external partnerships; and a focus on customer needs, project sustainability, and audience diversity. One key to the group's success is the involvement of enthusiastic HSD research scientists who directly interface with E/PO specialists and various audiences, verify scientific content, and/or provide data access or other resources. Scientists also mentor interns from high school to graduate school through NASA and GSFC programs, and several have shared their science with the public via appearances on national media, including the National Geographic and History channels as well as local news.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  10. Using Kepler Light Curves for Astronomy Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cash, Jennifer; Rivers, S.; Eleby, J.; Gould, A.; Komatsu, T.

    2014-01-01

    We will present our efforts related to Education and Public Outreach activities using Kepler Light Curves. We are currently developing interactive web based activities to introduce the public to the general topic of Stellar Variability and Intrinsic Variable Stars in particular using the high quality light curves of over a dozen Kepler targets. Along with the public website, we are exploring areas to develop teacher guides to use Kepler Light Curves in the middle and high school classrooms. These efforts are supported through a NASA EPSCoR grant "South Carolina Joint Venture Program" via a subaward to SC State University.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  12. Explorations in Education and Public Outreach in Space Sciences - a Wisconsin Experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Limaye, S. S.; Pertzborn, R. A.

    1999-09-01

    To better serve the Education and Public Outreach needs of federally funded space science research programs at the University of Wisconsin, an Office of Space Science Education has recently been established on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. This office also acts as the campus focus for the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, and has undertaken a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary space science programs in the past several years. These activities range from a public exhibition focusing on current space exploration in conjunction with the DPS '98 meeting in Madison, WI that attracted over 5,000 students and teachers from across the state, to organizing state-of-the-art HDTV presentations on earth remote sensing topics at a Milwaukee science museum. Programs for students have included development and support of a six week solar system exploration program in the Milwaukee Public Schools for at-risk students, a two week college access program for minority middle school students, the NASA/QEM/SHARP Plus program for minority high school students, and a web based journal for middle school science projects (SPARK). Teacher professional development efforts include summer workshops for academic credit, year-round classroom support for pilot school programs, and support for development of standards-based curriculum in both space science and earth remote sensing topics. Public outreach activities have included evening family activities and public lectures at the Space Place, an off-campus outreach center, and an ask-a-scientist web based program. These efforts continue to affirm the need for effective outreach programs for diverse and multigenerational communities. In spite of the growing recognition at both the state and federal level for an improved level of literacy in the space-related sciences, sustainable support, program opportunities and logistical implementation continue to pose significant challenges. We gratefully acknowledge the support we have received

  13. STEREO/Waves Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    MacDowall, R. J.; Bougeret, J.; Bale, S. D.; Goetz, K.; Kaiser, M. L.

    2005-05-01

    We present the education and public outreach plan and activities of the STEREO Waves (aka SWAVES) investigation. SWAVES measures radio emissions from the solar corona, interplanetary medium, and terrestrial magnetosphere, as well as in situ waves in the solar wind. In addition to the web site components that display stereo/multi-spacecraft data in a graphical form and explain the science and instruments, we will focus on the following three areas of EPO: class-room demonstrations using models of the STEREO spacecraft with battery powered radio receivers (and speakers) to illustrate spacecraft radio direction finding, teacher developed and tested class-room activities using SWAVES solar radio observations to motivate geometry and trigonometry, and sound-based delivery of characteristic radio and plasma wave events from the SWAVES web site for accessibility and esthetic reasons. Examples of each element will be demonstrated.

  14. STEREO-IMPACT Education and Public Outreach: Sharing STEREO Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  16. Guides, Tools, and Clearinghouses: A Presentation of Resources for Scientists Involved in Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grier, Jennifer A.; Buxner, Sanlyn; Meinke, Bonnie; Gross, Nick; Woroner, Morgan

    2014-11-01

    The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education Forums help scientists with their engagement in education and public outreach (E/PO) activities. The Forums provide professional development, resources, as well as opportunities to interact with the larger E/PO community. We have conducted both interviews and surveys of space scientists regarding their needs and attitudes about E/PO. The most recent of these was a series of semi-structured interviews with two-dozen DPS members, which allowed the Forums to identify those areas where new or additional resources and support are needed for scientists regarding their E/PO involvement. This poster will present key resources that scientists can use to learn more about the nature of E/PO, how to become involved, how to leverage their efforts, how to find effective and vetted demonstrations and activities, and where to go to make the most impact. The first two of an upcoming series of one-page guides includes “The Quick Introduction to Education and Public Outreach” as well as “Making the Most of Your E/PO Time - Increasing your Efficiency and Impact.” http://smdepo.org/post/7202. The Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach Resource Sampler offers a list of activities specifically selected for quick access and ease of use. These resources are organized by major science questions, and then by topics such as “Impacts in the Solar System,” “Windy Worlds,” and “Scale in the Solar System.” http://smdepo.org/data/uploads/PS_EPO_Resources_2.pdf Wavelength is a repository of resources for learning at all levels, from outreach programs and after school to formal K-college. All activities held within Wavelength have passed the NASA SMD peer-review for products, ensuring that each has sound content both in science and education. http://nasawavelength.org. The poster will also present the SMD Speaker’s Bureau, Community Workspace, and resources developed by partners, such as the AAS Ambassador Program

  17. ANDRILL Education and Public Outreach: A Legacy of the IPY

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  18. Multiple Perspectives on the Topic of Scientists and Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peticolas, L. M.

    2011-12-01

    This presentation aims to share the author's understanding of the complex topic of scientist involvement in and attitudes about Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) by approaching the topic from four viewpoints. The first perspective is from the author's own journey starting as a post-doctoral fellow engaged in limited ways in education and public outreach to full-time E/PO professional. The second perspective comes from discussions with scientists on the topic of E/PO. Evaluation data of scientists' involvement in a community college space science seminar series provides a third perspective. And the final perspective approaches the topic from the vantage point of research on scientist involvement in E/PO. From these multiple perspectives, there is evidence that that there exists ample passion for education and outreach in the scientific community. However, the path from passion to meaningful engagement of audiences and understandings of educational pedagogies continues to be difficult for a variety of reasons, such as: 1) a tendency to teach as one was taught rather than changing teaching practices based on research on how people learn, 2) a lack of time to collaborate and partner with appropriate educational professionals or institutions, 3) a lack of awareness (or a lack of time to develop an awareness) of an audience need or audience baseline understandings, and 4) a belief that science is supra-cultural and can be shared outside of a cultural context. It is suggested that the most effective way for scientists to engage in E/PO is to develop professional relationships with educators in the field of education and outreach for which the scientist is passionate (such as a middle school teacher if the passion lies in sharing science with middle school students.) E/PO professionals can also support and guide the passion with an understanding of best practices in E/PO. Spending time within the culture of the audience one wishes to work with can also be helpful in

  19. NASA's New Science Education and Public Outreach Forums: Bringing Communities and Resources Together to Increase Effectiveness and Sustainability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Denise A.; Mendez, B.; Shipp, S.; Schwerin, T.; Stockman, S.; Cooper, L. P.; Sharma, M.

    2010-01-01

    Scientists, engineers, educators, and public outreach professionals have a rich history of creatively using NASA's pioneering scientific discoveries and technology to engage and educate youth and adults nationwide in core science, technology, engineering, and mathematics topics. We introduce four new Science Education and Public Outreach Forums that will work in partnership with the community and NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) to ensure that current and future SMD-funded education and public outreach (E/PO) activities form a seamless whole, with easy entry points for general public, students, K-12 formal and informal science educators, faculty, scientists, engineers, and E/PO professionals alike. The new Science Education and Public Outreach Forums support the astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary and Earth science divisions of NASA SMD in three core areas: 1) E/PO community engagement and development activities will provide clear paths of involvement for scientists and engineers interested - or potentially interested - in participating in SMD-funded E/PO activities. Collaborations with scientists and engineers are vital for infusing current, accurate SMD mission and research findings into educational products and activities. Forum activities will also yield readily accessible information on effective E/PO strategies, resources, and expertise; context for individual E/PO activities; and opportunities for collaboration. 2) A rigorous analysis of SMD-funded K-12 formal, informal, and higher education products and activities will help the community and SMD to understand how the existing collection supports education standards and audience needs, and to strategically identify areas of opportunity for new materials and activities. 3) Finally, a newly convened Coordinating Committee will work across the four SMD science divisions to address systemic issues and integrate related activities. By supporting the NASA E/PO community and facilitating coordination of E

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  1. Evaluation of “The Space Place,” a NASA Integrated, Multi-mission Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fisher, Diane K.; Leon, N. J.

    2006-12-01

    The Space Place is an integrated NASA education and public outreach program, so far representing over 40 different NASA missions. It combines Web-based, printed, and externally published media to reach underserved audiences across the nation. Its primary mission is to develop and provide a highly desirable suite of attractive and educational products designed to appeal to and immerse the general public in space exploration. Its primary target audience is elementary school age kids. The program has developed an extensive network of partnerships with museums and libraries in rural areas, English and Spanish language newspapers, astronomy societies, rocketry clubs, and national youth organizations. Materials are distributed monthly through all these channels. Originally a New Millennium Program (NMP) outreach effort only, it is open to all NASA missions. NMP (a NASA-level program managed out of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory) continues to provide the base of support to build and maintain the outreach program’s infrastructure. Obtaining independent evaluation and reporting of the effectiveness of the program is one of NASA’s requirements for education and public outreach efforts. The Program Evaluation and Research Group (PERG) at Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, was retained to perform this service for The Space Place. PERG is also evaluating education and public outreach programs for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. PERG recently delivered a report evaluating The Space Place program. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, PERG surveyed representative samples of Space Place partner museums, astronomy clubs, and newspapers. The survey included questions about all the products the program provides. The report concludes that The Space Place fills a niche by serving small institutions, giving them a personal alliance with NASA that they would otherwise not have. By providing free, quality materials, The Space Place program provides these under

  2. Educational Outreach by the NSF Polymers Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lovinger, Andrew J.

    2002-03-01

    Education and outreach have been NSF priority areas over the last few years. Reviewers of all proposals are explicitly asked to evaluate not only the "intellectual merit" of a research proposal but also its "broader impacts", including specifically "integration of research and education". The NSF Polymers Program has strongly emphasized these areas and has initiated and supported a wide variety of outreach activities designed to bring out the importance of polymeric materials to diverse communities and to encourage young students to develop interests in this area. Specific activities have included: Workshops and their broad dissemination through the media; press releases on important polymer-related developments; interviews to the scientific and popular press; outreach to Congress; establishment of widely publicized and broadly attended lecture series; funding and support of conferences, symposia, and workshops aimed at students and teachers from kindergarten to graduate school; support of web-based educational projects aimed at the general public and schoolchildren; participation in web-based "ask-the-experts" resources to answer science questions from children or the general public; and personal outreach to middle- and high-schools through talks and demonstrations on polymers and plastics, participation at science fairs, career days, etc.

  3. UCLA's Institute for Planets and Exoplanets: Structuring an Education and Public Outreach Program from the Ground Up

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Curren, I. S.; Jewitt, D. C.

    2014-12-01

    Geoscience education and public outreach efforts (EPO), both formal and informal, are critical to increasing science literacy amongst members of the public and securing the next generation of geoscientists. At UCLA, the Institute for Planets and Exoplanets (iPLEX) has developed a multifaceted program to administer meaningful and original hands-on education and outreach to the public, teachers/professors, and students. To build the program, we first developed a virtual "home base" using Wordpress. With the needs of our community in mind, we structured the website to serve three categories of individuals: the public, teachers/professors, and volunteers. To serve the public, we have developed a series of informal education events (e.g., Exploring Your Universe) that bring thousands of science enthusiasts to campus. For those unable to participate in hands-on demonstrations or for those who would like to see them again, informational videos were developed and made available on our online Physical Demonstrations Digital Library (PDDL). The PDDL contains a second set of videos that are tutorial in nature and specifically designed with teachers, TAs and professors in mind. In addition, we have produced a publicly available annual newsletter written at the level of the informed public that details exciting and current planetary research at UCLA. Another facet of the program, designed with teachers in mind is our application-based private outreach event system in which teachers may choose to have volunteers come to their school with interactive demos or to come to UCLA to speak with scientists and tour laboratories. The final branch of the iPLEX EPO and education program caters to volunteers and includes an online "hub" where volunteers can register for events, download demonstration information packets, and discuss tips with other volunteers. We have recently developed a "Science Education, Outreach, and Communication" course to be integrated into UCLA's undergraduate

  4. Solar System Samples for Research, Education, and Public Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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.

  5. Public Education and Targeted Outreach to Underserved Women Through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program

    PubMed Central

    Levano, Whitney; Miller, Jacqueline W.; Leonard, Banning; Bellick, Linda; Crane, Barbara E.; Kennedy, Stephenie K.; Haslage, Natalie M.; Hammond, Whitney; Tharpe, Felicia S.

    2015-01-01

    The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) was established to provide low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women access to cancer screening and diagnostic services with the goal of increasing the early detection and prevention of breast and cervical cancer. Although this is a valuable resource for women who might not have the means to get screened otherwise, providing services at no cost, by itself, does not guarantee uptake of screening services. Public education and targeted outreach facilitate the critical link between public service programs and the communities they serve. The purpose of public education and outreach in the NBCCEDP is to increase the number of women who use breast and cervical cancer screening services by raising awareness, providing education, addressing barriers, and motivating women to complete screening exams and follow-up. Effective strategies focus on helping to remove structural, physical, interpersonal, financial, and cultural barriers; educate women about the importance of screening and inform women about the services available to them. This article provides an overview of the importance of public education and targeted outreach activities for cancer screening through community-based programs including examples from NBCCEDP grantees that highlight successes, challenges, and solutions, encountered when conducting these types of interventions. PMID:25099902

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  7. Opportunities in Education and Public Outreach for Scientists at the School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hicks, T.

    2004-12-01

    The School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is home to twelve diverse research institutes, programs and academic departments that focus on a wide range of earth and planetary sciences. SOEST's main outreach goals at the K-12 level are to increase the awareness of Hawaii's schoolchildren regarding earth, ocean, and space science, and to inspire them to consider a career in science. Education and public outreach efforts in SOEST include a variety of programs that engage students and the public in formal as well as informal educational settings, such as our biennial Open House, expedition web sites, Hawaii Ocean Science Bowl, museum exhibits, and programs with local schools. Some of the projects that allow for scientist involvement in E/PO include visiting local classrooms, volunteering in our outreach programs, submitting lessons and media files to our educational database of outreach materials relating to earth and space science research in Hawaii, developing E/PO materials to supplement research grants, and working with local museum staff as science experts.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  15. Influencing the Future: Special Considerations for IPY Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beitler, J.

    2004-12-01

    The International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957-1958 created a valuable legacy, by not only advancing the sciences involved, but by also stimulating interest in and support for science, and by inspiring many to enter science careers. Successful education and outreach efforts in conjunction with IGY transmitted this energy to the public and helped researchers to create this legacy. The International Polar Year (IPY) for 2007-2008 again holds promise to generate new scientific insights and leave a similar legacy -- if the sciences are once again successful in connecting with the public. Despite the fine example of the IGY of 1958 -1959, the way forward for meaningful education and outreach for IPY isn't entirely clear. Every element affecting science education and outreach today is considerably more complex, and the distinct challenges and opportunities of today may not always be addressed by simply extending what has been helpful in the past. Whether a large research group or an individual researcher, whether working with a dedicated outreach staff or conducting outreach more informally, whether already operating successful outreach programs or starting from scratch, any project intending an education and outreach effort will significantly increase its relevance and effectiveness by taking pause to formulate specific goals and objectives for IPY. Such thinking shouldn't be entirely delegated to non-researchers. The engagement of the scientists themselves in setting objectives for education and outreach will provide the strongest outcome. This discussion analyzes the communication setting for IPY as it affects outreach and education efforts, and proposes a model for discussing and formulating outreach and education objectives. It poses the key questions that should be asked and answered in order to ensure that researchers take full advantage of education and outreach opportunities with IPY, whatever the scope of their efforts. Education and outreach programs that

  16. Education And Public Outreach For NASA's EPOXI Mission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McFadden, Lucy-Ann A.; Warner, E. M.; Crow, C. A.; Ristvey, J. D.; Counley, J.

    2008-09-01

    NASA's EPOXI mission has two scientific objectives in using the Deep Impact flyby spacecraft for further studies of comets and adding studies of extra-solar planets around other stars. During the Extrasolar Planetary Observations and Characterization (EPOCh) phase of the mission, observations of extrasolar planets transiting their parent stars are observed to further knowledge and understanding of planetary systems. Observations of Earth allow for comparison with Earth-like planets around other stars. A movie of Earth during a day when the Moon passed between Earth and the spacecraft is an educational highlight with scientific significance. The Deep Impact Extended Investigation (DIXI) continues the Deep Impact theme of investigating comets with a flyby of comet Hartley 2 in November 2010 to further explore the properties of comets and their formation. The EPOXI Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program builds upon existing materials related to exploring comets and the Deep Impact mission, updating and modifying activities based on results from Deep Impact. An educational activity called Comparing Comets is under development that will guide students in conducting analyses similar to those that DIXI scientists will perform after observing comet Hartley 2. Existing educational materials related to planet finding from other NASA programs are linked from EPOXI's web page. Journey Through the Universe at the National Air and Space Museum encourages education in family and community groups and reaches out to underrepresented minorities. EPOXI's E/PO program additionally offers a newsletter to keep the public, teachers, and space enthusiasts apprised of mission activities. For more information visit: http://epoxi.umd.edu.

  17. Education and Outreach: Advice to Young Scientists

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lopes, R. M. C.

    2005-08-01

    Carl Sagan set an example to all scientists when he encouraged us to reach out to the public and share the excitement of discovery and exploration. The prejudice that ensued did not deter Sagan and, with the passing of years, more and more scientists have followed his example. Although at present scientists at all ranks are encouraged by their institutions to do outreach, the balancing of a successful scientific career with teaching and outreach is often not an easy one. Young scientists, in particular, may worry about how their outreach efforts are viewed in the community and how they will find the time and energy for these efforts. This talk will offer suggestions on how to balance an active science research program with outreach activities, the many different ways to engage in education and public outreach, and how the rewards are truly priceless.

  18. EarthScope Education and Outreach: Accomplishments and Emerging Opportunities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robinson, S.; Ellins, K. K.; Semken, S. C.; Arrowsmith, R.

    2014-12-01

    EarthScope's Education and Outreach (E&O) program aims to increase public awareness of Earth science and enhance geoscience education at the K-12 and college level. The program is distinctive among major geoscience programs in two ways. First, planning for education and public engagement occurred in tandem with planning for the science mission. Second, the NSF EarthScope program includes funding support for education and outreach. In this presentation, we highlight key examples of the program's accomplishments and identify emerging E&O opportunities. E&O efforts have been collaboratively led by the EarthScope National Office (ESNO), IRIS, UNAVCO, the EarthScope Education and Outreach Subcommittee (EEOSC) and PI-driven EarthScope projects. Efforts by the EEOSC, guided by an EarthScope Education and Outreach Implementation Plan that is periodically updated, focus EarthScope E&O. EarthScope demonstrated early success in engaging undergraduate students (and teachers) in its mission through their involvement in siting USArray across the contiguous U.S. Funded E&O programs such as TOTLE, Illinois EarthScope, CEETEP (for K-12), InTeGrate and GETSI (for undergraduates) foster use of freely available EarthScope data and research findings. The Next Generation Science Standards, which stress science and engineering practices, offer an opportunity for alignment with existing EarthScope K-12 educational resources, and the EEOSC recommends focusing efforts on this task. The EEOSC recognizes the rapidly growing use of mobile smart devices by the public and in formal classrooms, which bring new opportunities to connect with the public and students. This will capitalize on EarthScope's already prominent social media presence, an effort that developed to accomplish one of the primary goals of the EarthScope E&O Implementation Plan to "Create a high-profile public identity for EarthScope" and to "Promote science literacy and understanding of EarthScope among all audiences through

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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).

  20. Outreach and Education with Europlanet 2020 RI

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heward, Anita R.; Barrosa, Mariana; Europlanet 2020 RI

    2016-10-01

    Since 2005, Europlanet has provided a framework to bring together Europe's widespread planetary science community. The project has evolved through a number of phases, and currently comprises a Research Infrastructure (RI) funded through the European Commission's Horizon 2020 program, as well as a self-sustaining membership organization. Launched in September 2015, Europlanet 2020 RI provides support, services, access to facilities, new research tools and a virtual planetary observatory. Europlanet 2020 RI's outreach and education program aims to engage members of the public, schools, teachers, policy makers and industrial partners across Europe with planetary science and the opportunities that it provides for innovation, inspiration and job creation. Europlanet's outreach and education activities are led by Science Office Ltd, a Portuguese-based SME, and a network of partners spread across nine countries including University College London, the University of Leiden, University of Latvia, Vilnius University, the Institute of Accelerating Systems and Applications, the Observatoire de Paris, CAB-INTA and the Austrian Space Forum.Europlanet supports educators and outreach providers within the planetary science community by organizing meetings, best practice workshops and communication training sessions, offering a seed-funding scheme for outreach activities, and awarding an annual prize for public engagement. Europlanet is also developing its own education and outreach resources, including an animation on 'Jupiter and its Icy Moons' (the first in a series of video "shorts") and kits for hands-on comparative planetology activities. The Europlanet Media Centre uses traditional and social media channels to communicate newsworthy results and activities to diverse audiences in Europe and worldwide. Using tools like Google Hangouts, the project connects planetary researchers directly with the public and school groups. In addition, Europlanet engages with policy makers in the

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  2. The Efforts of the American Geophysical Union Space Physics and Aeronomy Section Education and Public Outreach Committee to Use NASA Research in Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bering, E. A., III; Dusenbery, P.; Gross, N. A.; Johnson, R.; Lopez, R. E.; Lysak, R. L.; Moldwin, M.; Morrow, C. A.; Nichols-Yehling, M.; Peticolas, L. M.; Reiff, P. H.; Scherrer, D. K.; Thieman, J.; Wawro, M.; Wood, E. L.

    2017-12-01

    The American Geophysical Union Space Physics and Aeronomy Section Education and Public Outreach Committee (AGU SPA-EPO Committee) was established in 1990 to foster the growth of a culture of outreach and community engagement within the SPA Section of the AGU. The SPA was the first AGU Section to establish an EPO Committee. The Committee has initiated several key Section EPO programs that have grown to become Union programs. NASA sponsored research is central to the mission of the SPE-EPO. Programs highlighting NASA research include the Student Paper Competition, Exploration Station, a precursor to the GIFT workshops, the Student mixer, and more. The Committee played a key role in coordinating the AGU's outreach activities relating to the International Heliophysical Year in 2007-2008. This paper will review the triumphs, the failures, and the lessons learned about recruiting colleagues to join with us from the last quarter century of effort.

  3. Building Effective Scientist-Educator Communities of Practice: NASA's Science Education and Public Outreach Forums

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schwerin, T. G.; Peticolas, L. M.; Shipp, S. S.; Smith, D. A.

    2014-12-01

    Since 1993, NASA has embedded education and public outreach (EPO) in its Earth and space science missions and research programs on the principle that science education is most effective when educators and scientists work hand-in-hand. Four Science EPO Forums organize the respective NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Astrophysics, Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Planetary Science EPO programs into a coordinated, efficient, and effective nationwide effort. The result is significant, evaluated EPO impacts that support NASA's policy of providing a direct return-on-investment for the American public, advance STEM education and literacy, and enable students and educators to participate in the practices of science and engineering as embodied in the 2013 Next Generation Science Standards. This presentation by the leads of the four NASA SMD Science EPO Forums provides big-picture perspectives on NASA's effort to incorporate authentic science into the nation's STEM education and scientific literacy, highlighting tools that were developed to foster a collaborative community and examples of program effectiveness and impact. The Forums are led by: Astrophysics - Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI); Earth Science - Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES); Heliophysics - University of California, Berkeley; and Planetary Science - Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI).

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  5. Education and Public Outreach Programs at Columbus State University's Mead Observatory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cruzen, S.; Rutland, C.; Carr, D.; Seckinger, M.

    2003-12-01

    Columbus State University (CSU) has made a substantial commitment to community education in astronomy and space science. Through the programs of the Mead Observatory at CSU's Coca-Cola Space Science Center, students, staff and faculty have been providing public outreach programs in astronomy for more than seven years. Recently, a generous grant from a private foundation has facilitated an astounding growth in the observatory's astronomy outreach activities. The grant made possible the purchase of a van, a portable planetarium, and additional telescope and computer equipment. It also funded a two-year scholarship that has supported a pair of CSU's science education majors who have staffed the program and made it a success. NASA, through the Georgia Space Grant Consortium, has provided additional funding for scholarships for 2003-2004. Prior to receiving these funds, the observatory program consisted of monthly open houses, occasional public observing nights at remote locations and approximately 6 to 8 school visits per year. Annually, these programs served approximately 3500 people. Since beginning the new phase of this program in October of 2001, the number of people served has soared to more than 23,000 in only 24 months. Over 60 schools have been visited, increasing our previous annual rate by nearly five times. Additional groups served include boys and girls scouting groups, state parks and other community organizations. School presentations have been designed to assist K-12 teachers in meeting science education standards. More than 200 teachers were asked to assess the program, and their responses were quite positive. More information about the program is available at our website (http://www.ccssc.org).

  6. The International Heliophysical Year Education and Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2006-12-01

    The International Heliophysical Year (IHY) will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) and will continue its tradition of international research collaboration. The term "heliophysical" is an extension of the term "geophysical", where the Earth, Sun & Solar System are studied not as separate domains but through the universal processes governing the heliosphere. IHY represents a logical next-step, extending the studies into the heliosphere and thus including the drivers of geophysical change. 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 the IHY Education and Outreach Program, how to participate and the benefits in doing so. ~

  7. Refining Our Mission: Continuing Education's Role in Engagement, Outreach and Public Service. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education (69th, Roanoke, VA, October 27-30, 2007)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barrineau, Irene T., Ed.

    2007-01-01

    The 2007 Annual Meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education was themed "Refining Our Mission: Continuing Education's Role in Engagement, Outreach and Public Service." Opportunities were available to participate in sessions relating to outreach, partnerships and public service and perspectives on this theme were presented…

  8. Partnering to Enhance Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach Programs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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/.

  9. NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Education and Public Outreach Forums: A Six-Year Retrospective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Denise Anne; Peticolas, Laura; Schwerin, Theresa; Shipp, Stephanie; Lawton, Brandon L.; Meinke, Bonnie; Manning, James G.; Bartolone, Lindsay; Schultz, Gregory

    2015-08-01

    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 NASA SMD education and public engagement community and Forum teams have worked together to share the science, the story, and the adventure of SMD's science missions with students, educators, and the public. In doing so, SMD's programs have emphasized collaboration between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise. The goal of the Education Forums has been to maximize program efficiency, effectiveness, and coherence by organizing collaborations that reduce duplication of effort; sharing best practices; aligning products to national education standards; creating and maintaining the NASA Wavelength online catalog of SMD education products; and disseminating metrics and evaluation findings. We highlight examples of our activities over the past six years, along with the role of the scientist-educator partnership and examples of program impact. We also discuss our community’s coordinated efforts to expand the Astro4Girls pilot program into the NASA Science4Girls and Their Families initiative, which partners NASA science education programs with public libraries to engage underrepresented audiences in science.

  10. Evaluation Framework for NASA's Educational Outreach Programs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Berg, Rick; Booker, Angela; Linde, Charlotte; Preston, Connie

    1999-01-01

    The objective of the proposed work is to develop an evaluation framework for NASA's educational outreach efforts. We focus on public (rather than technical or scientific) dissemination efforts, specifically on Internet-based outreach sites for children.The outcome of this work is to propose both methods and criteria for evaluation, which would enable NASA to do a more analytic evaluation of its outreach efforts. The proposed framework is based on IRL's ethnographic and video-based observational methods, which allow us to analyze how these sites are actually used.

  11. Improving Education and Public Outreach Through Astronomy Education Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Slater, Timothy F.

    2005-04-01

    Following in the footsteps of physics education research, the relatively new field of astronomy education research is already making dramatic improvements to the teaching and learning of astronomy. Whereas physics education research has focused predominantly on the introductory physics course, astronomy education is working on developing instruments and models to understand widely ranging domains that span K-12, undergraduate majors and non-majors, and even into the realms of public outreach. As one example, the repeated call for a more student-centered approach to teaching due to the ineffectiveness of lecture has been gaining prominence in the astronomy teaching community. At the beginning of a large-enrollment introductory astronomy survey course, we administered 68-multiple choice items as a pretest to 81 students. At the end of each lecture we administered the specific items related to that particular day's lecture a second time as a posttest. The pretest was 30% correct and the test, when given after lecture alone showed 52% correct. These results illustrate that instructor-centered strategies are largely ineffective at promoting meaningful conceptual gains. Alternatively, when using curriculum materials created from a basis of astronomy education research, we find that the posttest average score grows beyond 70%. Each 15-minute Lecture-Tutorial poses a carefully crafted sequence of conceptually challenging, Socratic-dialogue driven questions, along with graphs and data tables, all designed to encourage students to reason critically about difficult concepts in astronomy. A significant effort was focused on carefully evaluating changes in students' conceptual understanding and attitudes toward learning astronomy. The quantitative and qualitative results strongly suggest that the Lecture-Tutorials help students make significant conceptual gains.

  12. Education and Outreach from the End of the Earth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Landsberg, R. H.

    1998-05-01

    For the past eight years the Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica (CARA) has operated an observatory at the South Pole; and for the past nine years CARA has organized educational and outreach efforts that capitalize on the appeal and uniqueness of Antarctica. CARA's programs have reached all levels of the education continuum with an emphasis on minority precollege students. The kinds of educational activities that have been developed are as varied as the audiences. CARA outreach efforts have included hands-on laboratories, nationally televised events (Live from Antarctica), science camps, web based activities, industrial design courses (Extreme Cold Weather Design at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh), public lectures, and educational trips to the South Pole. We partially attribute the success of such a wide variety of programs to the subject matter. In addition to providing a natural laboratory, the continent of snow and ice is a powerful tool for education and outreach efforts. Antarctica , like dinosaurs, is a topic that perpetually captures the public's imagination. This inherent fascination facilitates outreach efforts, because it helps to surmount that first and most difficult step of gaining attention. Antarctica's lure provides a hook to engage students, researchers in different fields, policy makers and the general public. The continent is a rich source of topics to study as well. Antarctica's geography, climate, unique view of the sky, position on the globe, history, and role in the global environment are compelling topics in the classroom or for informal education. CARA is an NSF Science Technology Center and is headquartered at the University of Chicago.

  13. Partnering to Enhance Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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/.

  14. Dawn Mission Education and Public Outreach: Science as Human Endeavor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2012-12-01

    Dawn Education and Public Outreach strives to reach diverse learners using multi-disciplinary approaches. In-depth professional development workshops in collaboration with NASA's Discovery Program, MESSENGER and Stardust-NExT missions focusing on STEM initiatives that integrate the arts have met the needs of diverse audiences and received excellent evaluations. Another collaboration on NASA ROSES grant, Small Bodies, Big Concepts, has helped bridge the learning sequence between the upper elementary and middle school, and the middle and high school Dawn curriculum modules. Leveraging the Small Bodies, Big Concepts model, educators experience diverse and developmentally appropriate NASA activities that tell the Dawn story, with teachers' pedagogical skills enriched by strategies drawn from NSTA's Designing Effective Science Instruction. Dawn mission members enrich workshops by offering science presentations to highlight events and emerging data. Teachers' awareness of the process of learning new content is heightened, and they use that experience to deepen their science teaching practice. Activities are sequenced to enhance conceptual understanding of big ideas in space science and Vesta and Ceres and the Dawn Mission 's place within that body of knowledge Other media add depth to Dawn's resources for reaching students. Instrument and ion engine interactives developed with the respective science team leads help audiences engage with the mission payload and the data each instrument collects. The Dawn Dictionary, an offering in both audio as well as written formats, makes key vocabulary accessible to a broader range of students and the interested public. Further, as Dawn E/PO has invited the public to learn about mission objectives as the mission explored asteroid Vesta, new inroads into public presentations such as the Dawn MissionCast tell the story of this extraordinary mission. Asteroid Mapper is the latest, exciting citizen science endeavor designed to invite the

  15. Learn about effective collaboration processes, tools and outcomes for science education professionals and scientists: NASA's Heliophysics Science Education and Public Outreach Forum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peticolas, L. M.; Bartolone, L. M.; Cobabe-Ammann, E. A.; Paglierani, R.; Mendez, B. J.; Nichols, M.; Davis, H.; Ali, N. A.

    2012-12-01

    NASA has funded four Science Education and Public Outreach Forums (SEPOFs) that work closely with NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and with each other to support and coordinate NASA's science education and public outreach activities. The Heliophysics E/PO Forum is one of these forums. The currently funded program has been operating for 3 years. The work of the Heliophysics E/PO Forum has resulted in several deliverables. 1) We have continued and further developed a 'community of practice' for Heliophysics E/PO professionals, which includes an on-line workspace for the heliophysics community (and other NASA SEPOF communities), monthly features of Heliophysics educational programs and products and the people who run the programs and develop the products, monthly tag-ups for Heliophysics E/PO professionals funded by NASA, an annual 'internal' workshop for this community, professional development opportunities, a structure for reporting information to NASA, and a weekly newsletter; 2) We have created tools for scientists interested in doing education and public outreach; 3) We have created workshops for faculty teaching Heliophysics topics; 4) We have analyzed heliophysics educational products in order to classify them both for 'gap analysis' as well as for use in a digital catalogue of science educational resources; and 5) We have worked on several cross-forum initiatives including professional development opportunities, working groups, a digital library of science educational resources, reporting support for NASA SMD, and the on-line workspace infrastructure and design. We present evaluation data on the impact of these deliverables in meeting our goals and objectives specifically for the Heliophysics E/PO Forum. We also discuss our perspectives on the benefits of working closely with the other NASA science E/PO Forums. We share how the Heliophysics E/PO Forum can benefit scientists in their E/PO efforts as well.

  16. NASA's Swift Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2003-05-01

    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 December 2003, 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. Three to four segments about Swift are being broadcast each year to millions of middle-school children as part of "What's In The News," an educational television series based at Penn State University. We are also creating 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, more formal educational activities, and additions to the Swift E/PO website (http://swift.sonoma.edu) that will excite and inspire students to learn more about space science.

  17. The 2015 Chile-U.S. Astronomy Education Outreach Summit in Chile

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Preston, Sandra Lee; Arnett, Dinah; Hardy, Eduardo; Cabezón, Sergio; Spuck, Tim; Fields, Mary Sue; Smith, R. Chris

    2015-08-01

    The first Chile-U.S. Astronomy Education Outreach Summit occurred March 22-28, 2015. The Summit was organized and supported by the U.S. Embassy in Chile, Associated Universities Inc., Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, the Carnegie Institution for Science, the Image of Chile Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and La Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica. The Summit brought together a team of leading experts and officials from Chile and the U.S. to share best practices in astronomy education and outreach. In addition, Summit participants discussed enhancing existing partnerships, and building new collaborations between U.S. Observatories and astronomy education outreach leaders in Chile.The Summit was an exciting and intense week of work and travel. Discussions opened in Santiago on March 22 with a variety of astronomy education and public outreach work sessions, a public forum, and on March 23 the U.S. Embassy sponsored a Star Party. On Tuesday, March 24, the Summit moved to San Pedro de Atacama, where activities included work sessions, a visit to the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array telescope facilities, and a second public forum. From San Pedro, the team traveled to La Serena for additional work sessions, visits to Gemini and Cerro Tololo, a third public forum, and the closing session. At each stop, authorities and the broader community were invited to participate and provide valuable input on the current state, and the future, of astronomy education and public outreach.Following the Summit a core working committee has continued meeting to draft a “roadmap document” based on findings from the Summit. This document will help to identify potential gaps in astronomy outreach efforts, and how the U.S. facilities and Chilean institutions might work together strategically to address these needs. The first draft of this “roadmap document” will be made available for comment in both Spanish and

  18. THE SPACE PUBLIC OUTREACH TEAM (SPOT)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Williamson, Kathryn; National Radio Astronomy Observatory; Montana Space Grant Consortium; West Virginia Space Grant Consortium; NASA Independent Verification and Validation Center

    2014-01-01

    The Space Public Outreach Team (SPOT) has shown over 17 years of success in bringing astronomy and space science-themed presentations to approximately 10,000 students per year in Montana, and the program is now being piloted in West Virginia through a joint partnership between the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), the West Virginia Space Grant Consortium, and NASA Independent Verification and Validation Center. SPOT recruits and trains undergraduate presenters from all over the state to learn interactive slide shows that highlight the state’s on-going and world-class space science research. Presenters then travel to K-12 schools to deliver these presentations and provide teachers additional supplemental information for when the SPOT team leaves. As a large-scale, low-cost, and sustainable program being implemented in both Montana and West Virginia, SPOT has the potential to become a nation-wide effort that institutions in other states can model to increase their education and public outreach presence.

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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

  20. Global Outreach: Formal and Non-Formal Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Mary Oakes; Bradsher, Monica

    "Global outreach" refers to the international delivery of education, health, public information, commercial, and other services using appropriate communications technology. International organizations are partnering in various ways with developing-country governments, private companies, local communities, and non-governmental…

  1. MRO's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE): Education and Public Outreach Plans

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gulick, V.; McEwen, A.; Delamere, W. A.; Eliason, E.; Grant, J.; Hansen, C.; Herkenhoff, K.; Keszthelyi, L.; Kirk, R.; Mellon, M.

    2003-01-01

    The High Resolution Imaging Experiment, described by McEwen et al. and Delamere et al., will fly on the Mars 2005 Orbiter. In conjunction with the NASA Mars E/PO program, the HiRISE team plans an innovative and aggressive E/PO effort to complement the unique high-resolution capabilities of the camera. The team is organizing partnerships with existing educational outreach programs and museums and plans to develop its own educational materials. In addition to other traditional E/PO activities and a strong web presence, opportunities will be provided for the public to participate in image targeting and science analysis. The main aspects of our program are summarized.

  2. Expanding Public Outreach: The Solar System Ambassadors Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  3. Sharing Planetary Exploration: The Education and Public Outreach Program for the NASA MESSENGER Mission to Orbit Mercury

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Solomon, S. C.; Stockman, S.; Chapman, C. R.; Leary, J. C.; McNutt, R. L.

    2003-12-01

    The Education and Public Outreach (EPO) Program of the MESSENGER mission to the planet Mercury, supported by the NASA Discovery Program, is a full partnership between the project's science and engineering teams and a team of professionals from the EPO community. The Challenger Center for Space Science Education (CCSSE) and the Carnegie Academy for Science Education (CASE) are developing sets of MESSENGER Education Modules targeting grade-specific education levels across K-12. These modules are being disseminated through a MESSENGER EPO Website developed at Montana State University, an Educator Fellowship Program managed by CCSSE to train Fellows to conduct educator workshops, additional workshops planned for NASA educators and members of the Minority University - SPace Interdisciplinary Network (MU-SPIN), and existing inner-city science education programs (e.g., the CASE Summer Science Institute in Washington, D.C.). All lessons are mapped to national standards and benchmarks by MESSENGER EPO team members trained by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Project 2061, all involve user input and feedback and quality control by the EPO team, and all are thoroughly screened by members of the project science and engineering teams. At the college level, internships in science and engineering are provided to students at minority institutions through a program managed by MU-SPIN, and additional opportunities for student participation across the country are planned as the mission proceeds. Outreach efforts include radio spots (AAAS), museum displays (National Air and Space Museum), posters and traveling exhibits (CASE), general language books (AAAS), programs targeting underserved communities (AAAS, CCSSE, and MU-SPIN), and a documentary highlighting the scientific and technical challenges involved in exploring Mercury and how the MESSENGER team has been meeting these challenges. As with the educational elements, science and engineering team members

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  5. Education and Public Outreach for NASA's EPOXI Mission.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  6. Opportunities for IPY Higher Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sparrow, E. B.

    2007-12-01

    A very rich network for higher education and outreach during the fourth International Polar Year (IPY) exists through the University of the Arctic (UArctic, www.uarctic.org), a collaborative consortium of more than ninety institutions e.g. universities, colleges, and other organizations committed to higher education and research in the North, as well as eighteen other projects submitted as Expression of Intents to the IPY Joint Committee formed into an IPY cluster. The coordination office for this UArctic IPY education outreach efforts is located at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (www.uaf.edu and www.alaska.edu/ipy). The education outreach programs reflect a continuum of learning as a lifelong process that targets different audiences and approaches: 1) primary and secondary students through teacher professional development workshops on science teaching and research; 2) undergraduate students via education and research experience; 3) graduate students through integrated education and research; 4) early career scientists/university faculty via professional development; and 5) communities/ general public via continuing education/adult education either through formal or informal ways. Additionally there are organizations such as the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) and the Youth Steering Committee (YSC) including a newly formed group on tertiary education to nurture the next generation of polar and non-polar scientists and foster the leadership of the next IPY.

  7. The Seven Deadly Sins of Public Outreach Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Kivi Leroux

    2003-01-01

    Lists seven approaches not to take when developing a public outreach campaign on recycling. Methods include: (1) environmental education will increase participation; (2) everyone cares about recycling; (3) guilt works; (4) keep repeating the same ads; (5) non-English speakers need translated literature; (6) scheduling workshops; and (7) kids will…

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  9. Educational and public outreach programs using four-dimensional presentation of the earth and planetary science data with Dagik Earth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saito, A.; Tsugawa, T.; Nagayama, S.; Iwasaki, S.; Odagi, Y.; Kumano, Y.; Yoshikawa, M.; Akiya, Y.; Takahashi, M.

    2011-12-01

    We are developing educational and public outreach programs of the earth and planetary science data using a four-dimensional digital globe system, Dagik Earth. Dagik Earth is a simple and affordable four dimensional (three dimension in space and one dimension in time) presentation system of the earth and planetary scientific results. It can display the Earth and planets in three-dimensional way without glasses, and the time variation of the scientific data can be displayed on the Earth and planets image. It is easier to handle and lower cost than similar systems such as Geocosmos by Miraikan museum, Japan and Science On a Sphere by NOAA. At first it was developed as a presentation tool for public outreach programs in universities and research institutes by earth scientists. And now it is used in classrooms of schools and science museums collaboration with school teachers and museum curators. The three dimensional display can show the Earth and planets in exact form without any distortion, which cannot be achieved with two-dimensional display. Furthermore it can provide a sense of reality. Several educational programs have been developed and carried out in high schools, junior high schools, elementary schools and science centers. Several research institutes have used Dagik Earth in their public outreach programs to demonstrate their novel scientific results to public in universities, research institutes and science cafe events. A community of users and developers of Dagik Earth is being formed in Japan. In the presentation, the outline of Dagik Earth and the educational programs using Dagik Earth will be presented.

  10. The Solar Dynamics Observatory Education and Public Outreach Program: The First Years

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wawro, M.; Drobnes, E.; van Doren, A.; Scherrer, D. K.

    2010-12-01

    The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program began as a series of discrete programs implemented by each of the instrument teams and has evolved into a well-rounded program with a full suite of national and international programs: student, teacher, and journalist workshops, international research programs, family programs, etc. In this presentation, we provide an overview of our philosophy and approach and of some of the programs developed and implemented prior to launch. In conclusion we will summarize our successes, our failures, our lessons learned, and present guiding principles in the hope that future missions will use our platform as a guide to build upon for future programs, incorporating their own content to enhance the public's appreciation of the science that NASA does and its benefit to society.

  11. The organizations for space education and outreach programs in the Republic of Korea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Jeongwon; Jo, Hyun-Jung; Choi, Jae Dong

    2011-09-01

    Korea has a short history in space development compared to neighboring countries like Japan, China, India and Russia. During the past 20 years, Korea has focused on developing satellite and rocket space technology under the national space development plan. KOMPSAT-1 and 2, and KSLV-1 are the results of the selection and concentration policy of the Korean government. Due to the arduous mission of developing hardware oriented space technology, the topic of space education and outreach for the general public has not received much in the national space program. But recently, the Korean government has begun planning a space science outreach program in the detailed action plan of the mid-long term national space development plan. This paper introduces and analyzes the organizations performing space education and outreach programs for primary and secondary schools in the Republic of Korea. "Young Astronaut Korea (YAK)" is one such program. This is a non-profit organization established to provide space education for students in 1989 when Korea just started its space development program. "YAK" is a unique group in Korea for space education and outreach activities because it is organized by branches at each school in the nation and it is much like the Boy Scout and Girl Scout programs. Space Science Museum and National Youth Space Center (NYSC), which are located near NARO space center in the southernmost part of the Korean peninsula are other examples of space education and outreach programs. NARO space center, which is the only launch site in Korea became the center of public interest by showing the KSLV-1 launch in 2009 and will be expected to play a key role for the space education of students in the Republic of Korea. The NYSC will perform many mission oriented space education programs for students as Space Camp in the USA does. This paper introduces the status of the space education and outreach programs of each organization and presents the future direction of space

  12. Effective Tools and Resources from the MAVEN Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mason, T.

    2015-12-01

    Since 2010, NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) team has developed and implemented a robust and varied suite of projects, serving audiences of all ages and diverse backgrounds from across the country. With a program designed to reach formal K-12 educators and students, afterschool and summertime communities, museum docents, journalists, and online audiences, we have incorporated an equally varied approach to developing tools, resources, and evaluation methods to specifically reach each target population and to determine the effectiveness of our efforts. This poster will highlight some of the tools and resources we have developed to share the complex science and engineering of the MAVEN mission, as well as initial evaluation results and lessons-learned from each of our E/PO projects.

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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.

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  16. Lessons Learned at LPI for Scientists in Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shupla, C. B.; Kramer, G. Y.; Gross, J.; Shaner, A. J.; Dalton, H.; Grier, J.; Buxner, S.; Shipp, S. S.; Hackler, A. S.

    2015-12-01

    The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) has engaged scientists in a variety of education programs, including teacher workshops, family events, public presentations, informal educator trainings, communication workshops, and outreach events. Scientists have helped conduct hands-on activities, participated in group discussions, and given talks, while sharing their own career paths and interests; these activities have provided audiences with a clearer vision of how science is conducted and how they can become engaged in science themselves. We will share the lessons we have learned through these experiences, including the value of collaborations between scientists and educators, the importance of understanding the audience's interests and knowledge, and the insights that audiences gain during unstructured discussion and interactions with scientists. LPI has also worked with the NASA Science Mission Directorate E/PO community to determine ways to enable scientists and engineers to engage in E/PO and STEM learning, including examining the research and programs for becoming involved in the preparation of future teachers (see the Menu of Opportunities at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/pre_service_edu/). We will share key research-based best practices that are recommended for scientists and engineers interested in participating in E/PO activities.

  17. 77 FR 50121 - Office of Direct Service and Contracting Tribes National Indian Health Outreach and Education...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-08-20

    ... Contracting Tribes National Indian Health Outreach and Education Program Funding Opportunity Announcement Type... Education (NIHOE-III) program funding opportunity that includes outreach and education activities on the... Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, Public Law 111- 152, collectively known as the...

  18. Satellite Power System (SPS) public outreach experiment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcneal, S. R.

    1980-01-01

    An outreach experiment was conducted to improve the results of the satellite power system (SPS) concept development and evaluation program. 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. The response to the outreach effort was positive, suggesting that the effort extended by the SPS project division to encourage an information exchange with the public was well received. The responses were analyzed and from them some questions and answers about the satellite power system are presented.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  20. Aqua Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Graham, S. M.; Parkinson, C. L.; Chambers, L. H.; Ray, S. E.

    2011-12-01

    NASA's Aqua satellite was launched on May 4, 2002, with six instruments designed to collect data about the Earth's atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and cryosphere. Since the late 1990s, the Aqua mission has involved considerable education and public outreach (EPO) activities, including printed products, formal education, an engineering competition, webcasts, and high-profile multimedia efforts. The printed products include Aqua and instrument brochures, an Aqua lithograph, Aqua trading cards, NASA Fact Sheets on Aqua, the water cycle, and weather forecasting, and an Aqua science writers' guide. On-going formal education efforts include the Students' Cloud Observations On-Line (S'COOL) Project, the MY NASA DATA Project, the Earth System Science Education Alliance, and, in partnership with university professors, undergraduate student research modules. Each of these projects incorporates Aqua data into its inquiry-based framework. Additionally, high school and undergraduate students have participated in summer internship programs. An earlier formal education activity was the Aqua Engineering Competition, which was a high school program sponsored by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Morgan State University, and the Baltimore Museum of Industry. The competition began with the posting of a Round 1 Aqua-related engineering problem in December 2002 and concluded in April 2003 with a final round of competition among the five finalist teams. The Aqua EPO efforts have also included a wide range of multimedia products. Prior to launch, the Aqua team worked closely with the Special Projects Initiative (SPI) Office to produce a series of live webcasts on Aqua science and the Cool Science website aqua.nasa.gov/coolscience, which displays short video clips of Aqua scientists and engineers explaining the many aspects of the Aqua mission. These video clips, the Aqua website, and numerous presentations have benefited from dynamic visualizations showing the Aqua launch

  1. Drilling Deep Into STEM Education with JOIDES Resolution Education and Outreach Officers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Christiansen, E. A.

    2015-12-01

    During International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) expeditions, IODP scientists and Education/Outreach (E/O) Officers enter classrooms and informal science venues via live Internet video links between the JOIDES Resolution (JR) and land-based learning centers. Post-expedition, E/O Officers, serving as JR Ambassadors, deepen and broaden the learning experience by bringing STEM from the JR to the general public through targeted outreach events at those land-based sites. Youth and adult learners participate in scientific inquiry through interactive activities linked directly to the video broadcast experience. Outreach venues include museums, summer camps, and after-school programs; classroom visits from E/O Officers encompass kindergarten to undergraduate school groups and often include professional development for educators. Events are hands-on with simulations, expedition samples, core models, and equipment available for interaction. This program can serve as a model for linking virtual and real experiences; deepening the educational value of virtual field trip events; and bringing cutting edge science into both classrooms and informal science venues.

  2. Centennial of Flight Educational Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McCarthy, Marianne (Technical Monitor); Miller, Susan (Technical Monitor); Vanderpool, Celia

    2003-01-01

    The Centennial of Flight Education Outreach project worked with community partners to disseminate NASA Education materials and the Centennial of Flight CD-ROM as a vehicle to increase national awareness of NASA's Aerospace Education products, services and programs. The Azimuth Education Foundation and the Ninety Nines, an International Women Pilots Association, Inc. were chartered to conduct education outreach to the formal and informal educational community. The Dryden Education Office supported the development of a training and information distribution program that established a national group of prepared Centennial of Flight Ambassadors, with a mission of community education outreach. These Ambassadors are members of the Ninety Nines and through the Azimuth Foundation, they assisted the AECC on the national level to promote and disseminate Centennial of Flight and other educational products. Our objectives were to explore partnership outreach growth opportunities with consortium efforts between organizations. This project directly responded to the highlights of NASA s Implementation Plan for Education. It was structured to network, involve the community, and provide a solid link to active educators and current students with NASA education information. Licensed female pilots who live and work in local communities across the nation carried the link. This partnership has been extremely gratifying to all of those Ninety-Nines involved, and they eagerly look forward to further work opportunities.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  4. NASA's Swift Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    PubMed

    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.

  7. Fusion Science Education Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Danielson, C. A.; DIII-D Education Group

    1996-11-01

    This presentation will focus on education outreach activities at General Atomics that have been expanded to include the general population on science education with a focus on fusion energy. Outreach materials are distributed upon request both nationally and internationally. These materials include a notebook containing copies of DIII--D tour panels, fusion poster, new fusion energy video, new fusion energy brochure, and the electromagnetic spectrum curriculum. The 1996 Fusion Forum (held in the House Caucus Room) included a student/ teacher lunch with Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary and a private visit to the Forum exhibits. The continuing partnership with Kearny High School includes lectures, job shadowing, internship, equipment donations and an award-winning electric car-racing program. Development of distribution by CD of the existing interactive fusion energy kiosk and a virtual reality tour of the DIII--D facility are underway. The DIII--D fusion education WWW site includes e-mail addresses to ``Ask the Wizard,'' and/or receive GA's outreach materials. Steve Rodecker, a local science teacher, aided by DIII--D fusion staff, won his second Tapestry Award; he also was named the ``1995 National Science Teacher of the Year'' and will be present to share his experiences with the DIII--D educational outreach program.

  8. MRO's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) Education And Public Outreach program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gulick, V. C.; Davatzes, A.; McEwen, A.

    2006-12-01

    HiRISE provides an innovative education and public outreach program with a variety of formal and informal educational activities. The centerpiece of HiRISE's E/PO program is it's interactive website called HiWeb (http://marsoweb.nasa.nasa.gov/hirise and http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu). HiWeb provides an image suggestion facility where the public can submit suggestions for HiRISE images and view HiRISE images in context with other available Mars data. HiRISE EPO has developed K-14 educational materials including activity, coloring and comic books that focus on Mars geology, the image suggestion process, understanding the HiRISE camera and working with digital image data. In addition, we have developed interactive educational games including Mars crosswords, jigsaws, word searches, and flash cards to provide fun ways for students to learn more about Mars. All educational materials and games are aligned with the National Science Standards. HiRISE Clickworkers will provide online opportunities for the public to assist the team in creating geologic feature databases (gullies, boulders, craters, wind streaks, etc.) present in the HiRISE images in addition to other innovative opportunities. Web events (including web chats, casts and forums) with HiRISE team members, will help guide students and educators of HiRISE capabilities and science goals and provide support for submitting good image suggestions. Educator workshops will be held each year at or near the institution of HiRISE team members. Workshop support materials and instructions for all hands-on activities will be placed on HiWeb to facilitate sharing of information with other educators and the general public. Large-scale displays of HiRISE images will be available at several at museums and planetariums.

  9. Mission X in Japan, an Education Outreach Program Featuring Astronautical Specialties and Knowledge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niihori, Maki; Yamada, Shin; Matsuo, Tomoaki; Nakao, Reiko; Nakazawa, Takashi; Kamiyama, Yoshito; Takeoka, Hajime; Matsumoto, Akiko; Ohshima, Hiroshi; Mukai, Chiaki

    In the science field, disseminating new information to the public is becoming increasingly important, since it can aid a deeper understanding of scientific significance and increase the number of future scientists. As part of our activities, we at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Space Biomedical Research Office, started work to focus on education outreach featuring space biomedical research. In 2010, we launched the Mission X education program in Japan, named after “Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut” (hereinafter called “Mission X”), mainly led by NASA and European Space Agency (ESA). Mission X is an international public outreach program designed to encourage proper nutrition and exercise and teaching young people to live and eat like astronauts. We adopted Mission X's standpoint, and modified the program based on the originals to suit Japanese culture and the students' grade. Using astronauts as examples, this mission can motivate and educate students to instill and adopt good nutrition and physical fitness as life-long practices.Here we introduce our pilot mission of the “Mission X in Japan” education program, which was held in early 2011. We are continuing the education/public outreach to promote the public understanding of science and contribute to science education through lectures on astronautical specialties and knowledge.

  10. Helping Scientists Become Effective Partners in Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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.

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

    2011-01-01

    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.

  13. General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation Outreach Programs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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].

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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/.

  15. Young Researchers Engaged in Educational Outreach to Increase Polar Literacy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jennings, Mallory A.

    2012-01-01

    As NASA plans to send people beyond low Earth orbit, it is important to educate and inspire the next generation of astronauts, engineers, scientist, and general public. This is so important to NASA future that it is one of the agencies strategic goals. The Space Suits and Crew Survival Systems Branch at Johnson Space Center (JSC) is actively involved in helping to achieve 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.

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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.

  18. The NuSTAR Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cominsky, Lynn R.; McLin, K. M.; Boggs, S.; Christensen, F.; Craig, W.; Hailey, C. J.; Harrison, F.; Stern, D.; Zhang, W.; NuSTAR Team

    2013-01-01

    NuSTAR is a NASA Small Explorer mission led by Caltech, managed by JPL, and implemented by an international team of scientists and engineers, under the direction of CalTech Professor Fiona Harrison, principal investigator. NuSTAR is a pathfinder mission that is opening the high-energy X-ray sky for sensitive study for the first time. By focusing X-rays at higher energies (up to 79 keV) NuSTAR will answer fundamental questions about the Universe: How are black holes distributed through the cosmos? How were the elements that compose our bodies and the Earth forged in the explosions of massive stars? What powers the most extreme active galaxies? Perhaps most exciting is the opportunity to fill a blank map with wonders we have not yet dreamed of: NuSTAR offers the opportunity to explore our Universe in an entirely new way. The purpose of the NuSTAR E/PO program is to increase understanding of the science of the high-energy Universe, by capitalizing on the synergy of existing high-energy astrophysics E/PO programs to support the mission’s objectives. Our goals are to: facilitate understanding of the nature of collapsed objects, develop awareness of the role of supernovae in creating the chemical elements and to facilitate understanding of the physical properties of the extreme Universe. We will do this through a program that includes educator workshops through NASA's Astrophysics Educator Ambassador program, a technology education unit for formal educators, articles for Physics Teacher and/or Science Scope magazines, and work with informal educators on a museum exhibit that includes a model of NuSTAR and describes the mission’s science objectives. Extensive outreach is also underway by members of the Science Team, who are working with high school students, undergraduates and graduate students. We are also developing printed materials that describe the mission and special workshops for girls at public libraries in order to improve the STEM pipeline.

  19. The NuSTAR Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cominsky, Lynn R.; McLin, K. M.; Boggs, S. E.; Christensen, F.; Hailey, C. J.; Harrison, F.; Stern, D.; Zhang, W.; NuSTAR Team

    2013-04-01

    NuSTAR is a NASA Small Explorer mission led by Caltech, managed by JPL, and implemented by an international team of scientists and engineers, under the direction of CalTech Professor Fiona Harrison, principal investigator. NuSTAR is a pathfinder mission that is opening the high-energy X-ray sky for sensitive study for the first time. By focusing X-rays at higher energies (up to 79 keV) NuSTAR will answer fundamental questions about the Universe: How are black holes distributed through the cosmos? How were the elements that compose our bodies and the Earth forged in the explosions of massive stars? What powers the most extreme active galaxies? Perhaps most exciting is the opportunity to fill a blank map with wonders we have not yet dreamed of: NuSTAR offers the opportunity to explore our Universe in an entirely new way. The purpose of the NuSTAR E/PO program is to increase understanding of the science of the high-energy Universe, by capitalizing on the synergy of existing high-energy astrophysics E/PO programs to support the mission’s objectives. Our goals are to: facilitate understanding of the nature of collapsed objects, develop awareness of the role of supernovae in creating the chemical elements and to facilitate understanding of the physical properties of the extreme Universe. We will do this through a program that includes educator workshops through NASA's Astrophysics Educator Ambassador program, a technology education unit for formal educators, articles for Physics Teacher and/or Science Scope magazines, and work with informal educators on a museum exhibit that includes a model of NuSTAR and describes the mission’s science objectives. Extensive outreach is also underway by members of the Science Team, who are working with high school students, undergraduates and graduate students. We are also developing printed materials that describe the mission and special workshops for girls at public libraries in order to improve the STEM pipeline.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

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

    PubMed Central

    Saucedo-Morales, Julio; Loera-González, Pablo

    2013-01-01

    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. PMID:25685436

  2. Growing Physics and Astronomy Public Outreach in Montreal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  4. Evaluation of Education and Outreach Programs

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-12-01

    Education and outreach are acknowledged, if only anecdotally, for contributing to an overall safer rail environment. The use of education and outreach programs as a means to improve highway-rail safety has expanded over the years since 1970 and the i...

  5. TMT: An International Plan for Workforce, Education, Public Outreach and Communications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Squires, Gordon; Brewer, Janesse; Dawson, Sandra; Pompea, Stephen M.

    2015-08-01

    The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is an international project involving Canada, China, India, Japan and the United States. When completed in the early 2020s, TMT will be among the world's largest optical/near-infrared telescopes and enable cutting-edge science across the full astrophysics landscape. TMT science and technology is international in scope, meaning that TMT strives to be an observatory-class facillity for astronomers in all of the partner constituencies. In this presentation, we will describe the goals, opportunities, and needs for developing a partnership-wide Workforce, Education, Public Outreach and Communications (WEPOC) plan to support the key elements of the TMT observatory and partnership. Central to this plan is the commitment to be relevant and responsive to all of the partners, fully leverage all phases of the project, and project forward through the 50 year lifetime of the observatory.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  8. 24 CFR 125.301 - Education and Outreach Initiative.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 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...

  9. 24 CFR 125.301 - Education and Outreach Initiative.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 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...

  10. 24 CFR 125.301 - Education and Outreach Initiative.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 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...

  11. 24 CFR 125.301 - Education and Outreach Initiative.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 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...

  12. 24 CFR 125.301 - Education and Outreach Initiative.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    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...

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  16. Paired Peer Learning through Engineering Education Outreach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

  17. 25 CFR 166.904 - What is agriculture education outreach?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false What is agriculture education outreach? 166.904 Section... Agriculture Education, Education Assistance, Recruitment, and Training § 166.904 What is agriculture education outreach? (a) We will establish and maintain an agriculture education outreach program for Indian and...

  18. 25 CFR 166.904 - What is agriculture education outreach?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false What is agriculture education outreach? 166.904 Section... Agriculture Education, Education Assistance, Recruitment, and Training § 166.904 What is agriculture education outreach? (a) We will establish and maintain an agriculture education outreach program for Indian and...

  19. 25 CFR 166.904 - What is agriculture education outreach?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What is agriculture education outreach? 166.904 Section... Agriculture Education, Education Assistance, Recruitment, and Training § 166.904 What is agriculture education outreach? (a) We will establish and maintain an agriculture education outreach program for Indian and...

  20. 25 CFR 166.904 - What is agriculture education outreach?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false What is agriculture education outreach? 166.904 Section... Agriculture Education, Education Assistance, Recruitment, and Training § 166.904 What is agriculture education outreach? (a) We will establish and maintain an agriculture education outreach program for Indian and...

  1. 25 CFR 166.904 - What is agriculture education outreach?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 25 Indians 1 2012-04-01 2011-04-01 true What is agriculture education outreach? 166.904 Section... Agriculture Education, Education Assistance, Recruitment, and Training § 166.904 What is agriculture education outreach? (a) We will establish and maintain an agriculture education outreach program for Indian and...

  2. Supporting Space Scientists to Engage in Education and Public Outreach Using NASA Resources

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buxner, Sanlyn; Grier, Jennifer; Schneider, Nick; Manning, James G.; Schultz, Gregory; Low, Rusty; Gross, Nick; Shipp, Stephanie; Smith, Denise Anne; Schwerin, Theresa; Peticolas, Laura

    2015-08-01

    The NASA Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forums support scientists who are involved in E/PO and who wish to be involved. Over the past five years, we have conducted over 30 interviews with planetary scientists, in collaboration with the AAS Division of Planetary Sciences, to better understand their needs, barriers, attitudes, and understanding of education and outreach work. Scientists were asked to describe how they were engaged in E/PO activities, what support they currently had, what resources they were aware of, and what resources they needed to support their engagement of E/PO.Respondents reported that E/PO was important to them, even if they were not actively involved in it themselves. They reported that most of their efforts, other than university teaching, were done on a volunteer basis. Scientists reported barriers to their involvement in E/PO, the most prominent were a lack of time and funding. Some expressed confusion how to get started and a lack of knowledge about resources that could assist them. They reported a need for resources and professional development to support their E/PO work, including information about how to get involved in E/PO and how to work with students in a classroom, training to become a better communicator, strategies to effectively do E/PO, and resources to bring NASA science into their college classrooms.As a result of this work, the NASA SMD Forums have created resources and increased efforts to connect scientists to resources to support their efforts in E/PO including NASA Wavelength (nasawavelength.org) a source of peer reviewed resources for formal and informal educators, resources and tips guides for getting started and partnering in E/PO, and resources to higher education. These resources are available to anyone and can be found on the NASA SMD community site, http://smdepo.org.

  3. CERN's approach to public outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  4. Concepts and Planning for MSR Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heward, A. R.

    2018-04-01

    The Mars Sample Return (MSR) community now has an opportunity to build support through outreach to policy makers, the media, the public, teachers, and students. This presentation aims to start a dialogue on concepts and planning for MSR outreach.

  5. Outreach and public service

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wilson, Harold J.

    1990-01-01

    The Alabama Space Grant Consortium plan for outreach and public service is presented as a model for study and discussion. It is consistent with the objectives of the Space Grant Program and expresses a strong commitment to cooperation between academia, industry, and government.

  6. Expanding Public Outreach: The Solar System Ambassadors Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferrari, K. A.

    2000-12-01

    The Solar System Ambassadors Program is a public outreach program designed to work with motivated volunteers across the nation. Those volunteers organize and conduct public events that communicate exciting discoveries and plans in Solar System research, exploration and technology through non-traditional forums, e.g. community service clubs, libraries, museums, planetariums, ``star parties," mall displays, etc. In 2001, 200 Ambassadors from almost all 50 states bring the excitement of space to the public. Ambassadors are space enthusiasts, K-12 in-service educators, retirees, community college teachers, and other members of the general public interested in providing greater service and inspiration to the community at large. Last year, Ambassadors conducted approximately 600 events that directly 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 projects include Cassini, Galileo, STARDUST, Outer Planets mission, Solar Probe, Genesis, Ulysses, Voyager, Mars missions, Discovery missions NEAR-Shoemaker and Deep Impact, and the Deep Space Network. 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 concerning specific mission milestones, such as launches, planetary flybys, first image returns, arrivals, and ongoing key discoveries. Additionally, projects provide videos, slide sets, booklets, pamphlets, posters, postcards, lithographs, on-line materials, resource

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  8. Sharing Tails®: A State-Wide Public Outreach Program Teaching Children about Native Arizona Fish

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pacey, Carol A.; Marsh, Paul C.

    2013-01-01

    Limited public outreach programs about Arizona native fish exist and those that do are passive, fee-based, or Web-oriented, while others limit their geographic range. The program this article addresses sought to improve this situation with development of a state-wide outreach program with a goal to educate Arizona's children about native fish with…

  9. BEYOND THE PRINT—VIRTUAL PALEONTOLOGY IN SCIENCE PUBLISHING, OUTREACH, AND EDUCATION

    PubMed Central

    LAUTENSCHLAGER, STEPHAN; RÜCKLIN, MARTIN

    2015-01-01

    Virtual paleontology unites a variety of computational techniques and methods for the visualization and analysis of fossils. Due to their great potential and increasing availability, these methods have become immensely popular in the last decade. However, communicating the wealth of digital information and results produced by the various techniques is still exacerbated by traditional methods of publication. Transferring and processing three-dimensional information, such as interactive models or animations, into scientific publications still poses a challenge. Here, we present different methods and applications to communicate digital data in academia, outreach and education. Three-dimensional PDFs, QR codes, anaglyph stereo imaging, and rapid prototyping—methods routinely used in the engineering, entertainment, or medical industries—are outlined and evaluated for their potential in science publishing and public engagement. Although limitations remain, these are simple, mostly cost-effective, and powerful tools to create novel and innovative resources for education, public engagement, or outreach. PMID:26306051

  10. OZONE MONITORING, MAPPING, AND PUBLIC OUTREACH ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The U.S. EPA had developed a handbook to help state and local government officials implement ozone monitoring, mapping, and outreach programs. The handbook, called Ozone Monitoring, Mapping, and Public Outreach: Delivering Real-Time Ozone Information to Your Community, provides step-by-step instructions on how to: Design, site, operate, and maintain an ozone monitoring network. Install, configure, and operate the Automatic Data Transfer System Use MapGen software to create still-frame and animated ozone maps. Develop and outreach plan to communicate information about real-time ozone levels and their health effects to the public.This handbook was developed by EPA's EMPACT program. The program takes advantage of new technologies that make it possible to provide environmental information to the public in near real time. EMPACT is working with the 86 largest metropolitan areas of the country to help communities in these areas: Collect, manage and distribute time-relevant environmental information. Provide their residents with easy-to-understand information they can use in making informed, day-to-day decisions. Information

  11. All About EVE: Education and Public Outreach for the Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) of the NASA Solar Dynamic Observatory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eparvier, F. G.; McCaffrey, M. S.; Buhr, S. M.

    2008-12-01

    With the aim of meeting NASA goals for education and public outreach as well as support education reform efforts including the National Science Education Standards, a suite of education materials and strategies have been developed by the Cooperative Institute for Environmental Sciences (CIRES) with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado for the Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE), which is an instrument aboard the Solar Dynamic Observatory. This paper will examine the education materials that have been developed for teachers in the classroom and scientists who are conducting outreach, including handouts, a website on space weather for teachers, a slideshow presentation about the overall Solar Dynamic Observatory mission, and a DVD with videos explaining the construction and goals of the EVE instrument, a tour of LASP, and an overview of space science careers. The results and potential transferability of a pilot project developed through this effort that engaged English Second Language learners in a semester-long course on space weather that incorporated the used of a Sudden Ionospheric Disturbance (SID) Monitor will be highlighted.

  12. Education and Outreach with the Virtual Astronomical Observatory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lawton, Brandon L.; Eisenhamer, B.; Raddick, M. J.; Mattson, B. J.; Harris, J.

    2012-01-01

    The Virtual Observatory (VO) is an international effort to bring a large-scale electronic integration of astronomy data, tools, and services to the global community. The Virtual Astronomical Observatory (VAO) is the U.S. NSF- and NASA-funded VO effort that seeks to put efficient astronomical tools in the hands of U.S. astronomers, students, educators, and public outreach leaders. These tools will make use of data collected by the multitude of ground- and space-based missions over the previous decades. Many future missions will also be incorporated into the VAO tools when they launch. The Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program for the VAO is led by the Space Telescope Science Institute in collaboration with the HEASARC E/PO program and Johns Hopkins University. VAO E/PO efforts seek to bring technology, real-world astronomical data, and the story of the development and infrastructure of the VAO to the general public, formal education, and informal education communities. Our E/PO efforts will be structured to provide uniform access to VAO information, enabling educational opportunities across multiple wavelengths and time-series data sets. The VAO team recognizes that many VO programs have built powerful tools for E/PO purposes, such as Microsoft's World Wide Telescope, SDSS Sky Server, Aladin, and a multitude of citizen-science tools available from Zooniverse. We are building partnerships with Microsoft, Zooniverse, and NASA's Night Sky Network to leverage the communities and tools that already exist to meet the needs of our audiences. Our formal education program is standards-based and aims to give teachers the tools to use real astronomical data to teach the STEM subjects. To determine which tools the VAO will incorporate into the formal education program, needs assessments will be conducted with educators across the U.S.

  13. NASA's Science Education and Public Outreach Forums: Bringing Communities and Resources Together to Increase Effectiveness and Sustainability of E/PO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Mangala; Smith, D.; Mendez, B.; Shipp, S.; Schwerin, T.; Stockman, S.; Cooper, L.

    2010-03-01

    The AAS-HEAD community has a rich history of involvement in education and public outreach (E/PO). HEAD members have been using NASA science and educational resources to engage and educate youth and adults nationwide in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics topics. Four new Science Education and Public Outreach Forums ("Forums") funded by NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) are working in partnership with the research and education community to ensure that current and future SMD-funded E/PO activities form a seamless whole, with easy entry points for scientists, engineers, faculty, students, K-12 formal and informal science educators, general public, and E/PO professionals alike. These Forums support the astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary and Earth science divisions of NASA SMD in three core areas: 1) E/PO community engagement and development to facilitate clear paths of involvement for scientists, engineers and others interested - or potentially interested - in participating in SMD-funded E/PO activities. Collaborations with science professionals are vital for infusing current, accurate SMD mission and research findings into educational products and activities. Forum activities will yield readily accessible information on effective E/PO strategies, resources, and expertise; context for individual E/PO activities; and opportunities for collaboration. 2) A rigorous analysis of SMD-funded E/PO products and activities to help understand how the existing collection supports education standards and audience needs and to identify areas of opportunity for new materials and activities. K-12 formal, informal, and higher education products and activities are included in this analysis. 3) Finally, to address E/PO-related systemic issues and coordinate related activities across the four SMD science divisions. By supporting the NASA E/PO community and facilitating coordination of E/PO activities within and across disciplines, the SMD-Forum partnerships will

  14. Education and Public Outreach at EGO/Virgo: past experiences and future projects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Razzano, Massimiliano

    2015-08-01

    We are approaching the new generation Gravitational Wave (GW) detector Era and in the next months a new exiting period for GW scientists will start enforcing collaboration and interactions among different scientific communities. We aim to reach a wider audience to spread this enthusiasm in the general public about our every day activities and let them know how it will change our understanding of the Universe, once revealed the Gravitational waves. In this talk, we will report about the activities of the last years and about the EGO/Virgo outreach plans for the future. The main goal of the Virgo/EGO outreach activity is to raise awareness and curiosity about the GW research projects. In the past years we informed the general public about science we do at EGO/Virgo site, trying to attract students in doing research, letting them know about the Virgo detector and involving them in small research activities. We run a regular program of site visits, and we often organized astronomical observations and science cafe' events which attracted a large number of people. Efforts were made also to involve kids in understanding our scientific job. We started a series of regular events in which art and science were fused.We are strengthening our outreach activities with common efforts in the Virgo laboratories which are spread all over in Europe.We plan to make available a scientific path within Virgo, where the public can do little experiences of science or for example tile, for a day, the activity of our researchers.

  15. Advertising public outreach--going where the people are

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bradford, D.; Burns, D.

    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.

  16. Education and Outreach for Volunteer Planetary Defense

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burke, J. D.

    2016-12-01

    When a large meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk in 2013, people saw the bright flash and rushed to windows. Then the blast wave hit and many were injured by flying glass fragments. Education about airbursts might have reduced the casualties. Education and Public Outreach (EPO) can also be important in broadening public involvement in preparations for dealing with cosmic hazards. Amateur astronomers have an important role in discovering potentially hazardous asteroids and comets, and also in making follow-up observations after discovery. This is especially important for Southern Hemisphere observing sites where professional observers are relatively few. The Planetary Society makes small Shoemaker grants to aid amateur astronomers in this work. Much more could be done if educators, students and the general public were aware of the opportunity and the need. Beyond this, public engagement is essential to raise and maintain support for active agencies, including the UN-sponsored International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG). This paper will describe and advocate EPO efforts in support of these and other Volunteer Planetary Defense activities.

  17. Avenues for Scientist Involvement in Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  18. Paired peer learning through engineering education outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  19. Educational outreach visits: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes.

    PubMed

    Thomson O'Brien, M A; Oxman, A D; Davis, D A; Haynes, R B; Freemantle, N; Harvey, E L

    2000-01-01

    Outreach visits have been identified as an intervention that may improve the practice of health care professionals, in particular prescribing. This type of 'face to face' visit has been referred to as university-based educational detailing, public interest detailing, and academic detailing. To assess the effects of outreach visits on improving health professional practice or patient outcomes. We searched MEDLINE up to March 1997, the Research and Development Resource Base in Continuing Medical Education, and reference lists of related systematic reviews and articles. Randomised trials of outreach visits (defined as a personal visit by a trained person to a health care provider in his or her own setting). The participants were health care professionals. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed study quality. Eighteen studies were included involving more than 1896 physicians. All of the outreach visit interventions consisted of several components, including written materials and conferences. Reminders or audit and feedback complemented some visits. In 13 studies, the targeted behaviours were prescribing practices. In three studies, the behaviours were preventive services, including counselling for smoking cessation. In two studies, the outreach visits were directed toward improving the general management of common problems encountered in general practice, including asthma, diabetes, otitis media, hypertension, anxiety, and acute bronchitis. All studies examined physician behaviour and in three studies other health professionals such as nurses, nursing home attendants or health care workers were targeted. Positive effects on practice were observed in all studies. Only one study measured a patient outcome. Few studies examined the cost effectiveness of outreach. Educational outreach visits, particularly when combined with social marketing, appear to be a promising approach to modifying health professional behaviour, especially prescribing. Further

  20. Alliance for Sequestration Training, Outreach, Research & Education

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Olson, Hilary

    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 CO 2 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 almostmore » 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.« less

  1. Science and Science Education Go Hand-in-Hand: The Impact of the NASA Science Mission Directorate Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, D. A.; Peticolas, L.; Schwerin, T.; Shipp, S.; Manning, J. G.

    2014-07-01

    For nearly two decades, NASA has embedded education and public outreach (EPO) in its Earth and space science missions and research programs on the principle that science education is most effective when educators and scientists work hand-in-hand. Four Science EPO Forums organize the respective NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Astrophysics, Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Planetary Science EPO programs into a coordinated, efficient, and effective nationwide effort. The NASA SMD EPO program evaluates EPO impacts that support NASA's policy of providing a direct return-on-investment for the American public, advances STEM education and literacy, and enables students and educators to participate in the practice of science as embodied in the 2013 Next Generation Science Standards. Leads of the four NASA SMD Science EPO Forums provided big-picture perspectives on NASA's effort to incorporate authentic science into the nation's STEM education and scientific literacy, highlighting examples of program effectiveness and impact. Attendees gained an increased awareness of the depth and breadth of NASA SMD's EPO programs and achievements, the magnitude of its impacts through representative examples, and the ways current and future EPO programs can build upon the work being done.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  3. Using Near Real-Time Mission Data for Education and Public Outreach: Strategies from the Life in the Atacama E/PO Effort

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Myers, E.; Coppin, P.; Wagner, M.; Fischer, K.; Lu, L.; McCloskey, R.; Seneker, D.; Cabrol, N.; Wettergreen, D.; Waggoner, A.

    2005-01-01

    The EventScope educational telepresence project has been involved with education and public outreach for a number of NASA-sponsored missions including the Mars Exploration Rovers, the Odyssey Mission, and the Life in the Atacama project. However, during the second year of operations in the Atacama, a modified version of the EventScope public interface was used as the remote science operations interface. In addition, the EventScope lab hosted remote science operations. This intimate connection with the mission operations allowed the EventScope team to bring the experience of the mission to the public in near real-time. Playing to this strength, the lab developed strategies for releasing E/PO content as close to real-time as possible.

  4. Public outreach and education during the 2016 total solar eclipse in Palu and Malang

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rachmadian, A. P.; Kunjaya, C.; Wahono, W.; Anugrah, A. A.

    2016-11-01

    MAGIC (Ma Chung Galactic Club) of Ma Chung University, Malang, is one of the amateur astronomers club who did public outreach and education during the Total Solar Eclipse March 9, 2016. The motivation for doing this was the bad experience during Total Solar Eclipse 1983. At that time the Indonesian government forbid the people to observe the Total Solar Eclipse in a way to avoid blindness. We try to fix this misunderstanding by educating people the safe way to enjoy the partial and total solar eclipse. MAGIC team was divided into two teams, one team went to Palu and did the solar eclipse related education in six high schools before and during the eclipse. The other team did the observation on Ma Chung University campus, Malang, to accompany people who want to see the partial solar eclipse through filtered telescopes. The sky during the solar eclipse was clear both in Malang and Palu. People were very excited and satisfied with the solar eclipse, and their interest to astronomy is increased.

  5. Leveraging the Educational Outreach Efforts of Low-Cost Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fisher, Diane K.; Leon, Nancy J.

    2000-01-01

    A small portion of the budget for every NASA mission must be devoted to education and public outreach. The question is, how can projects best leverage these funds to create a high-quality message and get it disseminated to the largest and most appropriate audience? This paper describes the approach taken by a small educational outreach team for NASA's New Millennium Program (NMP). The team's approach has been twofold: develop a highly desirable suite of products designed to appeal to, as well as enlighten, the target audience; then negotiate relationships with existing, often under-utilized channels for dissemination of these products. Starting with NMP missions as the base of support for these efforts, the team has invited participation by other missions. This approach has resulted in a richer and broader message, and has allowed the continuing development of the audience base.

  6. Developing an Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program for the Caltech Tectonics Observatory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kovalenko, L.; Nadin, E.; Avouac, J.

    2008-12-01

    The Caltech Tectonics Observatory (TO) is an interdisciplinary center, focused on geological processes occurring at the boundaries of Earth's tectonic plates. The timescales of these processes span from a few tens of seconds (the typical duration of an earthquake) to tens of millions of years (the time it takes to build mountains). Over the past four years, the TO has brought together 15 Caltech faculty from different fields, several visiting scientists from around the globe, and a few tens of graduate students and postdoctoral students, collaborating on scientific projects. A major objective of the TO now is 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 TO discoveries and advancements, and (3) make available the data and techniques developed by the TO for use in classrooms of all levels. To this effect, we have been developing our website for accessibility by the general public and writing educational web articles on TO research. A recent well-visited example is "The science behind the recent 2008 earthquake in China." We distribute animations that illustrate the mechanisms of earthquakes and tsunamis, and the various techniques used by TO scientists in their scientific investigations. The TO website also provides access to geodetic data collected by TO instruments and to the source models of recent large earthquakes as analyzed by TO scientists. The TO hosts tours of its facilities for local elementary school students and is working on developing education modules for high school and undergraduate classes. We are now working on a plan to offer short courses over the summer for undergraduate and graduate students in other institutions, in order to train them to analyze a variety of data and use techniques developed by TO scientists.

  7. The Astronomical Society of the Pacific - Education and Public Outreach in the International Year of Astronomy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gibbs, Michael; Manning, J.; Gurton, S.; Fraknoi, A.; Berendsen, M.; Hurst, A.; White, V.

    2008-05-01

    At the forefront of sharing the excitement of our exploration of the universe for 120 years, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) is poised to use its networks and services to implement education and outreach programs for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy (IYA). The ASP is working with NASA, the AAS, NOAO, ASTC, and several other astronomical and educational organizations on IYA projects. The ASP will develop and implement four key signature programs, pending funding, for the IYA: a) "IYA Cosmic Calendar: A Year of Outreach Resources” with astronomy activities primarily for amateur astronomy clubs; b) "In the Footsteps of Galileo: A Teacher Training Program,” designed primarily for in-service teachers; c) an expanded "Astronomy from the Ground Up” program in IYA to bring astronomy into smaller museums and nature centers; and d) "The Cosmic Clearing-House,” an online educational resource for the best astronomy outreach resources and activities. The overarching goal for these programs is to bring together scientists, educators, and amateurs astronomers to improve science education and literacy through astronomy. The Society welcomes additional partners who seek to cooperate on IYA programs or work with the networks of formal and informal educators and amateur astronomers the ASP continues to support.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  10. Evaluation of education and outreach programs : research results.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-12-01

    "Education and outreach are acknowledged, if only anecdotally, for contributing to an overall safer rail environment. The use of education and outreach programs as a means to improve highway-rail safety has expanded over the years since 1970 and the ...

  11. Strategies and Exemplars for Public Outreach Events: Planning, Implementation, Evaluation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  12. ISSPO Educational Outreach through Educational Program Cooperation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Conley, Carolynn

    2004-01-01

    The International Space Station Program Office (ISSPO) has organized a consolidated program to provide communication, education, and outreach to the general public. Existing space station education programs, including amateur radio activities on ISS done voluntarily by the crew members, can be linked to additional classroom and field activities, multiplying the impact of this very scarce and valuable Station resource. Linkages could be created between programs such as Starshine, Space Camp Turkey, MISSES/PCSAT2, and Amateur Radio on ISS. In addition, Amateur radio provides a means of introducing school children to technical hardware and concepts while being fun for the youthful mind. Amateur radio can reach the worldwide community while remaining within very affordable budgets of schools and individuals. When the radio communication is coupled with the Internet, the effect is even greater. People in many diverse areas of the world have access to the internet or radio.

  13. NASA Science Mission Directorate Education and Public Outreach: Engaging with Scientists and Educators through the Higher Education Working Group

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schultz, Gregory R.; Gross, Nicholas; Buxner, Sanlyn; Low, Russanne; Moldwin, Mark; Fraknoi, Andrew; Grier, Jennifer A.

    2015-01-01

    The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public Outreach (EPO) Forums have established a Higher Education Working Group (HEWG), which has explored and surveyed the higher education landscape with regard to different subjects, such as community colleges and diversity. The HEWG is composed of representatives from each of the SMD EPO Forums, along with 'external' members who have rotated in and out, and the co-authors here constitute the present membership, chaired by Nicholas Gross. Most recently, the HEWG has worked to identify the key characteristics of higher education STEM programs that reach diverse populations. While increasing the involvement of students from diverse backgrounds in SMD EPO is a core goal for our community, engaging these students meaningfully requires a dedicated strategy using proven techniques. In reality, while most educational programs have this goal, undertaking it meaningfully is more challenging. For higher education, diversity is a long-standing issue, and the working group could have taken many different paths to explore this important topic. The HEWG has undertaken a review of programs that involve engaging undergraduates from diverse backgrounds in SMD-related research internships or hands-on STEM experiments. This information will be synthesized and documented so that future education efforts can incorporate the most valuable components. Meanwhile, the working group is exploring ways that NASA SMD can be more helpful to higher education faculty and students, and community input is solicited as part of this presentation.

  14. Educational Outreach at CASPER

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hyde, Truell; Smith, Bernard; Carmona-Reyes, Jorge

    2007-11-01

    The CASPER Educational Outreach program with support from the Department of Education, the Department of Labor and the National Science Foundation advances physics education through a variety of avenues including CASPER's REU / RET program, High School Scholars Program, spiral curriculum development program and the CASPER Physics Circus. These programs impact K-12 teachers and students providing teachers with curriculum, supporting hands-on material and support for introducing plasma and basic physical science into the classroom. The most visible of the CASPER outreach programs is the Physics Circus, created during the 1999-2000 school year and funded since that time through two large grants from the Department of Education. The Physics Circus is part of GEAR UP Waco (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) and was originally one of 185 grants awarded nationwide by the U. S. Department of Education in 1999 to help 200,000 disadvantaged children prepare for and gain a pathway to undergraduate programs. The CASPER Physics Circus is composed of intense science explorations, physics demonstrations, hands-on interactive displays, theatrical performances, and excellent teaching experiences. Examples and efficacy data from the above will be discussed.

  15. Education and Outreach Plans for the U.S. Drillship in IODP

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    White, K. S.; Reagan, M.; Klaus, A. D.

    2003-12-01

    The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) began on October 1, 2003, following the end of operations of the 20-year Ocean Drilling Program (ODP). Education and outreach is a key component of IODP both nationally and internationally. The JOI Alliance (Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc., Texas A&M University, and Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University) will lead activities related to the U.S. drillship, coordinating these education and outreach efforts with those undertaken by the Central Management Organization, other IODP platform operators, and a U.S. Science Support Program successor. The Alliance will serve the national and assist the international scientific drilling communities by providing the results from the U.S. vessel to the public, government representatives, and scientists. The Alliance will expand upon media outreach strategies that were successful in ODP, such as issuing press releases at the conclusion of each leg and for major scientific breakthroughs; conducting tours, press conferences, and events during port calls; working with the press at major scientific meetings, and encouraging journalists to sail on expeditions. The Alliance will increase its education role by developing, coordinating, and disseminating educational materials and programs for teachers and students on the scientific themes and discoveries of IODP science. An important component of the outreach plan is using the vessel and associated laboratories and repositories as classrooms. IODP plans include multiple ship berths each year for teachers, based on the success of a pilot program conducted by ODP in 2001. This program, featuring a teacher onboard for a cruise, was accompanied by a distance-learning program and on-line curriculum models. Teachers can tour, both virtually and directly, laboratories and core repositories and participate in scheduled activities and courses. Using science conducted onboard the ship, the Alliance will develop online curriculum

  16. Navigating the Obstacles in Science Education for School Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rincon, Diana; Roig, Gustavo

    2007-01-01

    This paper gives an overview of the education outreach initiatives that the authors have personally been involved with, their successes and shortcomings are discussed with ways to overcome the difficulties encountered. Recommendations are given on how to navigate the obstacles. Industry professionals, college professors and even church groups participate in education outreach initiatives. For a successful experience, one has to navigate through various phases of the process. The strategy is to convince stakeholders that there is value in doing the outreach activity, form a partnership with the school, circumnavigate the security and administrative procedures, and finally deliver the material to the students. Successful education outreach programs have well-defined objectives, roles and expectations. Success depends on the level of commitment of all parties involved. Taking a look at individual programs, focusing on their shortcomings and best practices, this paper serves as a compilation of useful ideas for effective science and math education outreach. Navigation techniques mentioned in this paper systematically address each obstacle encountered, making solid recommendations for the future. One of the biggest challenges is showing the direct benefits of the outreach activity to stakeholders, so they can see how they profit from sacrificing their workers as outreach mentors.

  17. An Automated Telescope for Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burks, G. S.; Guzik, T. G.; Tohline, J. E.; Landolt, A.

    1997-12-01

    In this time of limited resources, the problem of providing an up to date facility for education and outreach needs to be addressed. One solution to this problem is a joint venture between Louisiana State University, BREC (the Park and creation Commission of East Baton Rouge Parish), and BRAS (the Baton Rouge Astronomical Society). The result of this collaboration is a facility with outreach and educational space, a 20 inch Ritchey-Chretien telescope with CCD camera, and volunteers from the amateur community for help with the outreach mission. We present an overview of the project, and show how the telescope will be completely automated to allow use of the telescope by LSU students and our outreach partners on the Internet. We explore the possibility for use of this facility by a world wide audience over the web.

  18. Assessing the Impact of Education and Outreach Activities on Research Scientists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCann, Brian M.; Cramer, Catherine B.; Taylor, Lisa G.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of university-level research scientists toward educational and outreach activities that aim to help the general public understand more about their scientific endeavors. Interviews, observations, and survey results from 12 university research scientists, their colleagues, students, and the…

  19. Success of Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Education & Public Outreach (E/PO) in Montana

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Freed, M. S.; Lowder, S. C.; McKenzie, D. E.

    2013-03-01

    The Space Public Outreach Team (SPOT) program at Montana State University (MSU) is the main component of SDO E/PO efforts in Montana. SPOT brings energetic presentations of recent science & NASA missions to students in primary & secondary schools. Presenters are university undergraduates that visit a diverse group of K-12 students from both rural & urban areas of Montana. This program is extremely cost effective, a valuable service-learning experience for undergraduates at MSU and has repeatedly received praise from both teachers and students. A complementary effort for training schoolteachers entitled NASA Education Activity Training (NEAT) is also employed. NEAT illustrates to teachers inexpensive and highly effective methods for demonstrating difficult science concepts to their students. We will highlight the successes and lessons learned from SPOT & NEAT, so that other E/PO programs can use it as a template to further science literacy in our nation's schools.

  20. Supporting Research at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Through Focused Education and Outreach Programs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ireton, F.; Closs, J.

    2003-12-01

    NASA research scientists work closely with Science Systems and Applications, Inc. (SSAI) personnel at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) on a large variety of education and public outreach (E/PO) initiatives. This work includes assistance in conceptualizing E/PO plans, then carrying through in the development of materials, publication, cataloging, warehousing, and product distribution. For instance, outreach efforts on the Terra, Aqua, and Aura-still in development-EOS missions, as well as planetary and visualization programs, have been coordinated by SSAI employees. E/PO support includes convening and taking part in sessions at professional meetings and workshops. Also included is the coordination of exhibits at professional meetings such as the AGU, AAAS, AMS and educational meetings such as the National Science Teachers Association. Other E/PO efforts include the development and staffing of booths; arranges for booth space and furnishings; shipping of exhibition materials and products; assembling, stocking, and disassembling of booths. E/PO personnel work with organizations external to NASA such as the Smithsonian museum, Library of Congress, U.S. Geological Survey, and associations or societies such as the AGU, American Chemical Society, and National Science Teachers Association to develop products and programs that enhance NASA mission E/PO efforts or to provide NASA information for use in their programs. At GSFC, E/PO personnel coordinate the efforts of the education and public outreach sub-committees in support of the Space and Earth Sciences Data Analysis (SESDA) contract within the GSFC Earth Sciences Directorate. The committee acts as a forum for improving communication and coordination among related Earth science education projects, and strives to unify the representation of these programs among the science and education communities. To facilitate these goals a Goddard Earth Sciences Directorate Education and Outreach Portal has been developed to provide

  1. Science Educational Outreach Programs That Benefit Students and Scientists

    PubMed Central

    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

  2. Geological research for public outreach and education in Lithuania

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Skridlaite, Grazina; Guobyte, Rimante

    2013-04-01

    exposition at the Museum of Erratic Boulders in NW Lithuania is being rearranged for educational purposes, to show the major rock types and their origins more clearly. A new exhibition is supplemented with computer portals presenting geological processes, geological quizzes, animations etc. Magmatism, metamorphism, sedimentation and other geological processes are demonstrated using erratic boulders brought by glaciers from Scandinavia and northern Russia. A part of the exhibition is devoted to glaciation processes and arrival of ice sheets to Lithuania. Visitors are able to examine large erratic boulder groups in a surrounding park and to enjoy beautiful environment. The exhibition also demonstrates mineral resources of Lithuania, different fossils and stones from a human body. In all cases it was recognised that a lack of geological information limits the use of geology for public outreach. Ongoing scientific research is essential in many places as well as a mediator's job for interpreting the results of highly specialised research results and to adapt them for public consumption.

  3. Hands-On TAROT: Intercontinental Use of the TAROT for Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boër, M.; Thiébaut, C.; Klotz, A.; Buchholtz, G.; Melchior, A.-L.; Pennypaker, C.; Isaac, M.; Ebisuzaki, T.

    The TAROT telescope has for primary goal the search for the prompt optical counterpart of cosmic Gamma-Ray Bursts. It is a completely autonomous 25cm telescope installed near Nice (France), able to point to any location of the sky within 1-2 seconds. The control, scheduling, and data processing activities are completely automated. In addition to its un-manned modes, we added recently the possibility to control the telescope remotely, as a request of the ``Hands-On Universe'' (HOU) program of using automatic telescopes for education and public outreach. To this purpose we developed a simple control interface. A webcam was installed to visualize the telescope. Access to the data is possible through a web interface. The images can be processed by the HOU software, a program specially suited for use within the classroom. We used these feature during the open days of the University of California Berkeley and the Astronomy Festival of Fleurance (France). We plan regular use for an astronomy course of the Museum of Tokyo, as well as for French schools. Not only does Hands-On TAROT gives the general public access to professional astronomy, it is also a more general tool to demonstrate the use of a complex automated system, the techniques of data processing and automation. Last but not least, through the use of telescopes located in many countries over the globe, a powerful and genuine cooperation between teachers and children from various countries is promoted, with a clear educational goal.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  5. Outreach and education from EuroGeoMoonMars2009 Field Campaign in Utah

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foing, Bernard H.

    The goal of the EuroGeoMoonMars mission at Utah Desert Research station(from 24 January to 28 February 2009) was to demonstrate instruments from ExoGeoLab pilot project, to support the interpretation of ongoing lunar and planetary missions, to validate a procedure for surface in-situ and return science, to study human performance aspects, and perform outreach and education projects. The EuroGeoMoonMars campaign included four sets of objectives: 1) Technology demonstration aspects: a set of instruments were deployed, tested, assessed, and training was provided to scientists using them in subsequent rotations 2) Research aspects: a series of field science and exploration investigations were conducted in geology, geochemistry, biology, astronomy, with synergies with space missions and research from planetary surfaces and Earth extreme environments. 3) Human crew related aspects, i.e. (a) evaluation of the different functions and interfaces of a planetary habitat, (b) crew time organization in this habitat, (c) evaluation of man-machine interfaces of science and technical equipment; 4) Education, outreach, communications, multi-cultural public relations Outreach, education and inspiration: We produced written, pictures, and video materials that can be used for education, outreach and public relations. Daily reports were posted on the MDRS website. We had during the Technical crew preparation, the visit of film producer Mark Arabella and film crew for a Moon related National Geographics documentary "Earth without the Moon". Two media crew visitors stayed also in the Hab to film our activities documenting the operational, research, human, simulation, imaginative and fantasy aspects of Moon-Mars-extreme Earth exploration. They contributed a journalist report, and even performed an EVA outreach filming a sortie to Hanksville village on Earth. Other film and journalists visited the EuroGeoMars crew for interviews and exchange. Specific crew reports were also prepared for

  6. The NuSTAR Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cominsky, Lynn R.; McLin, K. M.; NuSTAR Science Team

    2011-09-01

    NuSTAR is a NASA Small Explorer mission led by Caltech, managed by JPL, and implemented by an international team under the direction of CalTech Professor Fiona Harrison. NuSTAR is a pathfinder mission that will open the high-energy X-ray sky for sensitive study for the first time. By focusing X-rays at energies up to 79 keV, NuSTAR will answer fundamental questions about the Universe: How are black holes distributed through the cosmos? How were the elements that compose our bodies and the Earth forged in the explosions of massive stars? What powers the most extreme active galaxies? Perhaps most exciting is the opportunity to fill a blank map with wonders we have not yet dreamed of: NuSTAR offers the opportunity to explore our Universe in an entirely new way. The purpose of the NuSTAR E/PO program is to increase understanding of the science of the high-energy Universe, by capitalizing on the synergy of existing high-energy astrophysics E/PO programs to support the mission's objectives. Our goals are to: facilitate understanding of the nature of collapsed objects, develop awareness of the role of supernovae in creating the chemical elements and to facilitate understanding of the physical properties of the extreme Universe. We will do this through a program that includes educator workshops through NASA's Astrophysics Educator Ambassador program, a technology education unit for formal educators, articles for Physics Teacher and Science Scope magazines, and work with informal educators on a museum exhibit that includes a model of NuSTAR and describes the mission's science objectives. Extensive outreach is also underway by members of the Science Team, who are working with high school students, undergraduates and graduate students. We will also develop printed materials that describe the mission, and help develop the STEM pipeline through local after-school programs.

  7. Pieces of Other Worlds - Extraterrestrial Samples for Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Allen, Carlton C.

    2010-01-01

    During the Year of the Solar System spacecraft from NASA and our international partners will encounter two comets; orbit the asteroid 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. At the current time JSC curates six types of extraterrestrial samples: (1) Moon rocks and soils collected by the Apollo astronauts (2) Meteorites collected on US expeditions to Antarctica (including rocks from the Moon, Mars, and many asteroids including Vesta) (3) "Cosmic dust" (asteroid and comet particles) collected by high-altitude aircraft (4) Solar wind atoms collected by the Genesis spacecraft (5) Comet particles collected by the Stardust spacecraft (6) Interstellar dust particles collected by the Stardust spacecraft These rocks, soils, dust particles, and atoms continue to be studied intensively by scientists around the world. Descriptions of the samples, research results, thousands of photographs, and information on how to request research samples are on the JSC Curation website: http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/ NASA provides a limited number of Moon rock samples for either short-term or long-term displays at museums, planetariums, expositions, and professional events that are open to the public. The JSC Public Affairs Office handles requests for such display samples. Requestors should apply in writing to Mr. Louis Parker, JSC Exhibits Manager. Mr. Parker will advise

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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.

  10. We Need You! The Importance of Scientist Involvement in Education and Public Outreach (E/PO)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2013-12-01

    Active engagement of scientists in education and public outreach (E/PO) activities is beneficial for scientists, classrooms, and the general public. Scientist visibility in the public arena is important to garner public support, whose tax dollars fund scientific programs. Scientists are important disseminators of current, accurate scientific knowledge. They also, perhaps more importantly, understand the nature and process of science and have the means of understanding and addressing many of the issues facing society. Research has shown that while the public is interested in science, not all members are necessarily scientifically literate; additionally there is evidence than many students are not prepared for, or choosing to participate in science careers. And yet, a scientifically engaged, literate, and supportive public is a necessary partner in addressing important global challenges of the future. E/PO is a wonderful opportunity for scientists to demonstrate that science is interesting, exciting, fun, challenging, and relevant to society. In doing so, they can transfer ownership of science to the public through a variety of vehicles by increasing access to scientific thought and discovery. Through partnerships with E/PO professionals, teachers, or journalists, scientists can improve their communication and teaching skills, whether in an E/PO setting or their higher education careers. Sharing with the public what scientists do is an effective way to engage people in the scientific process and to express scientists' enthusiasm for what they do. Scientist involvement in E/PO also shows the public that scientists are real people and provides important role models for the next generation of scientists. There are many opportunities to get involved in E/PO! Find information on EarthSpace, a national clearinghouse for higher education materials in Earth and space science through an abstract by Nicholas Gross, et al. Learn about NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD

  11. Nucleosynthesis outreach slides

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lippuner, Jonas

    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.

  12. Photonics outreach and education through partnerships in Puerto Rico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  13. Expanded Outreach at Clemson University. A Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, A. Wayne

    This paper summarizes recent strategic planning activities at Clemson University, focusing on outreach and extended education goals at the university. Specific benchmarks for outreach and extended education include: (1) by May 1994, each department will develop an operational definition of its public service mission, an action plan to integrate…

  14. "Got Snow?" Education and Outreach for the IPY

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Turrin, M.; Bell, R. E.; Pfirman, S.; Maru, P.

    2004-12-01

    The "Bridging the Poles: Education Linked with Research" workshop of June 23-25, brought together an international group of 65 scientists, educators and media specialists to define strategies to engage the next generation of polar scientists, engineers and leaders, and inspire the general public. The workshop results emphasized the need to leverage emerging science programs with meaningful education and outreach programming that is rolled out to the public as major media events. Participants advocated a broad interdisciplinary approach, recognizing that the poles have a rich cultural heritage and fascinating history. Linking research events with student fascination about polar environments, peoples and histories of exploration, can help improve science, math, reading, and other skills. Distance learning with web course delivery is a powerful tool to reach advanced students and to help develop a new generation of researchers among Arctic indigenous peoples. Successful examples of this approach include the University of the Arctic's PhD network, and collaborative field courses. Field experiences build life-long advocates of the poles for students, teachers, and the media alike. Establishing connections among scientists, educators and informal outreach venues in their own community, can have long-lasting impact. "Think Globally/Act Locally" and the complementary "Think Locally/Act Globally" will be important themes for local, national and international IPY programming. Imagine a semi-trailer truck labeled "Got Snow?" traversing the country loaded with polar gear, interactive activities and a snowmaker; polar exhibitions opening at natural history and art museums and zoos; polar-themed postage stamps; national polar book-of-the-month recommendations; made-for-TV polar documentaries; and a rich, multidisciplinary and multilingual web portal. To meet these opportunities requires coordination, linking communities, and high-bandwidth access to high quality content from the

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  16. Surveying Space Scientists' Attitudes, Involvement, and Needs in Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grier, J.; Buxner, S.; Schneider, N. M.

    2014-12-01

    Empowering scientists in education and public outreach (E/PO) activities is an important component of the work of the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) E/PO Forums. This work includes understanding the attitudes of scientists towards E/PO, why they do or do not engage in E/PO activities, and what resources and professional development they need to be the most efficient in their E/PO efforts. The Planetary Science E/PO Forum has conducted both surveys and interviews of space scientists regarding E/PO to ascertain how they (the Forum) and the professional societies to which those scientists belong, can help to meet their needs in E/PO. Specifically, a recent series of semi-structured interviews with members of the American Astronomical Society Division of Planetary Sciences (AAS-DPS) has helped pinpoint specific areas that can be addressed. This presentation will discuss our survey methods, responses to questions, and compare those to previous research. We will describe new products and other resources developed in response to expressed needs, as well as offer information to continue the conversation about how professional societies can better meet the needs of their members in E/PO.

  17. Bringing Science Public Outreach to Elementary Schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Lucas; Speck, A.; Tinnin, A.

    2012-01-01

    Many science "museums” already offer fantastic programs for the general public, and even some aimed at elementary school kids. However, these venues are usually located in large cities and are only occasionally used as tools for enriching science education in public schools. Here we present preliminary work to establish exciting educational enrichment environments for public schools that do not easily have access to such facilities. This program is aimed at motivating children's interest in science beyond what they learn in the classroom setting. In this program, we use the experience and experiments/demonstrations developed at a large science museum (in this case, The St. Louis Science Center) and take them into a local elementary school. At the same time, students from the University of Missouri are getting trained on how to present these outreach materials and work with the local elementary schools. Our pilot study has started with implementation of presentations/demonstrations at Benton Elementary School within the Columbia Public School district, Missouri. The school has recently adopted a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) centered learning system throughout all grade levels (K-5), and is therefore receptive to this effort. We have implemented a program in which we have given a series of scientific demonstrations at each grade level's lunch hour. Further enrichment ideas and plans include: addition demonstrations, hands-on experiments, and question and answer sessions. However, the application of these events would be to compliment the curriculum for the appropriate grade level at that time. The focus of this project is to develop public communications which links science museums, college students and local public schools with an emphasis on encouraging college science majors to share their knowledge and to strengthen their ability to work in a public environment.

  18. Leveraging Outreach Efforts for Big-Impact Results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fisher, D.; Leon, N.

    2000-10-01

    The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) strongly emphasizes the importance of public and educational outreach as an intrinsic part of every space mission. Not only is it necessary to gain and retain public support for space science missions, but also it is an explicit mandate that NASA make every effort to offer genuine and accessible value to the general public in exchange for its support. The product of value is, first of all, information. Of course part of this outreach effort includes industrial technology transfer and free access to raw data for study by science investigators. But an equally important part includes reaching out to a number of different audiences, including those younger members of our society who will soon be choosing their careers, paying taxes, voting, and helping to decide the direction that space exploration and other scientific research will -- or will not -- take in the coming decades. NASA seeks to implement this commitment through each of its space missions Thus, each NASA mission needs include a small budget for public and educational outreach. But how can these missions best use this resource? This paper describes in some detail the approach taken by a small educational outreach team for NASA's New Millennium Program (NMP). The outreach team's approach is twofold: develop a highly desirable suite of products designed to appeal to, as well as inform, a variety of different audiences; then negotiate relationships with existing channels for dissemination of these products. This latter task is normally the most expensive part of outreach. The paper will describe in some detail both the products and the "marketing" approach for those products.

  19. Overview of nuclear education and outreach program among Malaysian school students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  20. CoffeeShop Astrophysics: An Adventure in Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chamberlin, Sydney; Decesar, Megan; Caudill, Sarah; Sadeghian, Laleh; Nuttall, Laura; Urban, Alex; McGrath, Casey

    2016-03-01

    Engaging non-scientists in scientific discussions is inarguably important, both for researchers and society. Public lectures have long been utilized as a method for performing such outreach, but due to their format and location often reach a limited audience. More recently, events such as science cafés (events pairing a scientist with the public in a casual venue) have emerged as a potential tool for connecting with general audiences. The success of these events depends on multiple variables. In this talk, we describe an example of such an event entitled CoffeeShop Astrophysics, that uses multiple speakers, demonstrations and humor to successfully engage members of the public. We discuss the key elements that make CoffeeShop Astrophysics effective, and the viability of grassroots, coffeeshop-style outreach. The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the American Physical Society for this work.

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

    PubMed Central

    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

  2. The University of Arizona Astronomy Club Outreaches out to the Public and Beyond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGraw, Allison M.; Hardegree-Ullman, K.; Towner, A. P.; Walker-LaFollette, A.; Robertson, A.; Biddle, L. I.; Turner, J.; Smith, C.

    2013-06-01

    The University of Arizona’s Astronomy Club utilizes many outreach tools in order to make astronomy exciting and obtainable for all demographics of the public. Hands-on activities are integrated along with three-dimensional models to explain many different astronomical topics including star clusters, habitable zones, and the local stellar neighborhood. The club hosts free monthly star parties to provide the public a better opportunity to explore the Tucson night sky. Club members volunteer their time and provide telescopes in a darker location just outside the city. No limits exist to types, shapes, and forms of outreach and providing education for this club. From toddlers to senior citizens, the club is always ready for a new event or opportunity to engage any audience. This is a unique experience for members of the public, as all of the members of the club are undergraduates of astronomy. Furthermore, it is an excellent and effective bonding experience between the students involved as they construct the models and work together to reach out to all members of the Tucson community.

  3. Evaluating public housing residents for knowledge, attitudes, and practices following dengue prevention outreach in Key West, Florida.

    PubMed

    Matthias, James; Zielinski-Gutierrez, Emily C; Tisch, Daniel J; Stanek, Danielle; Blanton, Ronald E; Doyle, Michael S; Eadie, Robert B; Gazdick, Elizabeth J; Leal, Andrea L; Pattison, Kimberly J; Perez-Guerra, Carmen L; Tittel, Christopher J; Vyas, Jooi; Wagner, Todd; Blackmore, Carina G M

    2014-11-01

    In 2009-2010, 93 cases of dengue were identified in Key West, Florida. This was the first outbreak of autochthonous transmission of dengue in Florida since 1934. In response to this outbreak, a multifaceted public education outreach campaign was launched. The aim of this study is to compare dengue prevention knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and prevention practices among residents of subsidized public housing to the general population in Key West and to assess whether there were barriers preventing effective outreach from reaching specific vulnerable populations. A randomized population-based evaluation of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward dengue prevention consisting of 521 separate household interviews was undertaken in July of 2011. A subset analysis was performed on interviews collected from 28 public housing units within four subsidized public housing complexes. Analysis was performed to determine whether knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors exhibited by public housing residents differed from the non-public housing study population. Public housing residents recalled fewer outreach materials (p=0.01) and were 3.4 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-8.3) more likely not to recall any outreach materials. Public housing residents were less likely to correctly identify how dengue transmission occurs (61% vs. 89%), where mosquitoes lay their eggs (54% vs. 85%), or to identify any signs or symptoms related to dengue (36% vs. 64%). Public housing residents were less likely to perform dengue prevention practices such as removing standing water or always using air conditioning. Examination of public housing residents identified an at-risk population that recalled less exposure to outreach materials and had less knowledge about dengue infection and prevention than the randomized study population. This provides public health systems the opportunity to target or modify future health messages and interventions to this group. Differences identified in the

  4. Education for public health in Europe and its global outreach

    PubMed Central

    Bjegovic-Mikanovic, Vesna; Jovic-Vranes, Aleksandra; Czabanowska, Katarzyna; Otok, Robert

    2014-01-01

    Introduction At the present time, higher education institutions dealing with education for public health in Europe and beyond are faced with a complex and comprehensive task of responding to global health challenges. Review Literature reviews in public health and global health and exploration of internet presentations of regional and global organisations dealing with education for public health were the main methods employed in the work presented in this paper. Higher academic institutions are searching for appropriate strategies in competences-based education, which will increase the global attractiveness of their academic programmes and courses for continuous professional development. Academic professionals are taking advantage of blended learning and new web technologies. In Europe and beyond they are opening up debates about the scope of public health and global health. Nevertheless, global health is bringing revitalisation of public health education, which is recognised as one of the core components by many other academic institutions involved in global health work. More than ever, higher academic institutions for public health are recognising the importance of institutional partnerships with various organisations and efficient modes of cooperation in regional and global networks. Networking in a global setting is bringing new opportunities, but also opening debates about global harmonisation of competence-based education to achieve functional knowledge, increase mobility of public health professionals, better employability and affordable performance. Conclusions As public health opportunities and threats are increasingly global, higher education institutions in Europe and in other regions have to look beyond national boundaries and participate in networks for education, research and practice. PMID:24560263

  5. Education for public health in Europe and its global outreach.

    PubMed

    Bjegovic-Mikanovic, Vesna; Jovic-Vranes, Aleksandra; Czabanowska, Katarzyna; Otok, Robert

    2014-01-01

    At the present time, higher education institutions dealing with education for public health in Europe and beyond are faced with a complex and comprehensive task of responding to global health challenges. Literature reviews in public health and global health and exploration of internet presentations of regional and global organisations dealing with education for public health were the main methods employed in the work presented in this paper. Higher academic institutions are searching for appropriate strategies in competences-based education, which will increase the global attractiveness of their academic programmes and courses for continuous professional development. Academic professionals are taking advantage of blended learning and new web technologies. In Europe and beyond they are opening up debates about the scope of public health and global health. Nevertheless, global health is bringing revitalisation of public health education, which is recognised as one of the core components by many other academic institutions involved in global health work. More than ever, higher academic institutions for public health are recognising the importance of institutional partnerships with various organisations and efficient modes of cooperation in regional and global networks. Networking in a global setting is bringing new opportunities, but also opening debates about global harmonisation of competence-based education to achieve functional knowledge, increase mobility of public health professionals, better employability and affordable performance. As public health opportunities and threats are increasingly global, higher education institutions in Europe and in other regions have to look beyond national boundaries and participate in networks for education, research and practice.

  6. Outreach Schools: An Educational Innovation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Housego, Billie E. J.

    1999-01-01

    Interviews and surveys of 13 teachers and staff and 213 students from four successful Canadian "outreach schools" found that the characteristics of alternative education that contribute to its success are volunteerism, small size, egalitarianism, a caring attitude, participatory decision making, organizational flexibility, individualized…

  7. Nevada Infrastructure for Climate Change Science, Education, and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dana, G. L.; Piechota, T. C.; Lancaster, N.; Mensing, S. A.

    2009-12-01

    The Nevada system of Higher Education, including the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the University of Nevada, Reno, the Desert Research Institute, and Nevada State College have begun a five year research and infrastructure building program, funded by the National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NSF EPSCoR) with the vision “to create a statewide interdisciplinary program and virtual climate change center that will stimulate transformative research, education, and outreach on the effects of regional climate change on ecosystem resources (especially water) and support use of this knowledge by policy makers and stakeholders.” Six major strategies are proposed: 1) Develop a capability to model climate change and its effects at a regional and sub-regional scales to evaluate different future scenarios and strategies (Climate Modeling Component) 2) Develop data collection, modeling, and visualization infrastructure to determine and analyze effects on ecosystems and disturbance regimes (Ecological Change Component) 3) Develop data collection, modeling, and visualization infrastructure to better quantify and model changes in water balance and resources under climate change (Water Resources Component) 4) Develop data collection and modeling infrastructure to assess effects on human systems, responses to institutional and societal aspects, and enhance policy making and outreach to communities and stakeholders (Policy, Decision-Making, and Outreach Component) 5) Develop a data portal and software to support interdisciplinary research via integration of data from observational networks and modeling (Cyberinfrastructure Component) and 6) Develop educational infrastructure to train students at all levels and provide public outreach in climate change issues (Education Component). As part of the new infrastructure, two observational transects will be established across Great Basin Ranges, one in southern Nevada in the Spring Mountains

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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.

  9. From Research Scientist to Public Outreach: A Personal Journey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  10. Impact Through Outreach and Education with Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  11. Implementing an Education and Outreach Program for the Gemini Observatory in Chile.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garcia, M. A.

    2006-08-01

    Beginning in 2001, the Gemini Observatory began the development of an innovative and aggressive education and outreach program at its Southern Hemisphere site in northern Chile. A principal focus of this effort is centered on local education and outreach to communities surrounding the observatory and its base facility in La Serena Chile. Programs are now established with local schools using two portable StarLab planetaria, an internet-based teacher exchange called StarTeachers and multiple partnerships with local educational institutions. Other elements include a CD-ROM-based virtual tour that allows students, teachers and the public to experience the observatory's sites in Chile and Hawaii. This virtual environment allows interaction using a variety of immersive scenarios such as a simulated observation using real data from Gemini. Pilot projects like "Live from Gemini" are currently being developed which use internet videoconferencing technologies to bring the observatory's facilities into classrooms at universities and remote institutions. Lessons learned from the implementation of these and other programs will be introduced and the challenges of developing educational programming in a developing country will be shared.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cox, P. R.

    2014-12-01

    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.

  14. Astronomy on Tap: Public Outreach Events in Bars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rice, E. L.; Levine, B. W.

    2016-12-01

    Astronomy on Tap public outreach events are as easy to organise or as elaborate as you would like them to be. In addition to communicating cutting-edge research and fundamental concepts to the public, Astronomy on Tap events showcase the passion, creativity and diversity of scientists, facilitate personal and meaningful interactions between scientists and the general public, and offer networking and professional development opportunities for scientists. Astronomy on Tap organisers provide a growing cadre of resources for starting similar events, which have so far taken place in twenty locations around the world, mainly in the United States but also in Canada, Chile, and Taiwan, reaching a total of almost 15 000 people. Through this reflection on the Astronomy on Tap project we invite you to consider whether you could adopt aspects of the Astronomy on Tap model for existing outreach programmes, or even organise a new satellite event in your location.

  15. Seeds and Sparks: Cultivating Children's Interest in Physics through Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clark, Jessica

    2006-11-01

    The National Academies' ``Rising above the Gathering Storm'' report names the improvement of K-12 science and mathematics education as its highest priority recommendation. This recommendation includes enlarging the pipeline of students preparing to study STEM subjects at university by increasing the number of students who take (and pass) advanced high school level science courses. To this end, the American Physical Society's Public Outreach department offers PhysicsQuest, a free program designed to engage middle school science students in a learning adventure. The core idea of the program is to provide a fun and exciting way for students to encounter physics, thereby eliminating some of the fear often associated with the subject and making them more likely to take high school physics courses. In the end, the students do learn some physics, but, more importantly, they have a fun experience with physics. This talk further describes the PhysicsQuest program, including feedback and results from the 2005 project, and also gives an overview of other K-12 programs offered by APS Public Outreach. The report can be read online at http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11463.html#toc. STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

  16. Scientists as Correspondents: Exploratorium "Ice Stories" for International Polar Year Project Educational Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGillivary, P. A.; Fall, K. R.; Miller, M.; Higdon, R.; Andrews, M.; O'Donnell, K.

    2008-12-01

    As part of the 2007-2009 International Polar Year (IPY), an educational outreach developed by the Exploratorium science museum of San Francisco builds on prior high latitude programs to: 1) create public awareness of IPY research; 2) increase public understanding of the scientific process; and, 3) stimulate a new relationship between scientists and outreach. Funded by the National Science Foundation, a key "Ice Stories" innovation is to facilitate "scientist correspondents" reporting directly to the public. To achieve this, scientists were furnished multimedia equipment and training to produce material for middle school students to adults. Scientists submitted blogs of text, images, and video from the field which were edited, standardized for format, and uploaded by Exploratorium staff, who coordinated website content and management. Online links to educational partner institutions and programs from prior Exploratorium high latitude programs will extend "Ice Stories" site visits beyond the @250,000 unique in-house users/year to more than 28 million webpage users/year overall. We review relevant technical issues, the variety of scientist participation, and what worked best and recommendations for similar efforts in the future as a legacy for the IPY.

  17. Do published studies of educational outreach provide documentation of potentially important characteristics?

    PubMed

    Van Hoof, Thomas J; Miller, Nicole E; Meehan, Thomas P

    2013-01-01

    Educational outreach is a common intervention used to translate research findings into practice; however, the intervention has a mixed effect on changing clinician behavior and improving patient outcomes. Based on a published set of characteristics aimed at standardizing the approach to educational outreach, the authors undertook a careful review of the literature to determine the consistency and completeness of documentation. Using a 25-item abstraction tool, the authors reviewed 68 published studies of a recent Cochrane meta-analysis to determine the extent to which educational outreach studies provide recommended documentation of important characteristics. The results indicate that studies are generally inconsistent (documentation range of 0% to 100% across characteristics) and incomplete (documentation average of 43.1% across studies) in their descriptions. Documentation shortcomings of educational outreach studies make understanding the intervention and interpreting its findings particularly challenging. The authors recommend the creation of a guideline to help improve documentation of educational outreach efforts.

  18. Aqua Satellite Mission Educational Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parkinson, C. L.; Graham, S. M.

    2003-12-01

    An important component of the Aqua mission, launched into space on May 4, 2002 with a suite of six instruments from the U.S., Japan, and Brazil, is the effort to educate the public about the mission and the science topics that it addresses. This educational outreach includes printed products, web casts, other web-based materials, animations, presentations, and a student contest. The printed products include brochures for the mission as a whole and for the instruments, NASA Fact Sheets on the mission, the water cycle, and weather forecasting, an Aqua Science Writers' Guide, an Aqua lithograph, posters, and trading cards. Animations include animations of the launch, the orbit, instrument deployments, instrument sensing, and several of the data products. Each of these materials is available on the Aqua web site at http://aqua.nasa.gov, as are archived versions of the eight Aqua web casts. The web casts were done live on the internet and focused on the spacecraft, the science, the launch, and the validation efforts. All web casts had key Aqua personnel as live guests and had a web-based chat session allowing viewers to ask questions. Other web-based materials include a "Cool Science" section of the aqua.nasa.gov website, with videos of Aqua scientists and engineers speaking about Aqua and the science and engineering behind it, arranged in a framework organized for the convenience of teachers dealing with core curriculum requirements. The web casts and "Cool Science" site were produced by the Special Project Initiatives Office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Outreach presentations about Aqua have been given at schools, universities, and public forums at many locations around the world, especially in the U.S. A competition was held for high school students during the 2002-03 school year, culminating in April 2003, with five finalist teams competing for the top slots, followed by an awards ceremony. The competition had all the student teams analyzing an anomalous

  19. Mississippi Valley State University educational outreach

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-07-15

    Pat Gaspard, a visitor relations specialist with NASA's StenniSphere visitor center, speaks to Mississippi Valley State University students. Gaspard spoke July 15 during Stennis Space Center's three-day educational outreach program at the college.

  20. Mississippi Valley State University educational outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2009-01-01

    Pat Gaspard, a visitor relations specialist with NASA's StenniSphere visitor center, speaks to Mississippi Valley State University students. Gaspard spoke July 15 during Stennis Space Center's three-day educational outreach program at the college.

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

    PubMed

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  3. NASA Science Mission Directorate Forum Support of Scientists and Engineers to Engage in Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buxner, S.; Grier, J.; Meinke, B. K.; Schneider, N. M.; Low, R.; Schultz, G. R.; Manning, J. G.; Fraknoi, A.; Gross, N. A.; Shipp, S. S.

    2015-12-01

    For the past six years, the NASA Science Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Forums have supported 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 have fostered collaboration and partnerships between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise. As part of this work, in collaboration with the AAS Division of Planetary Sciences, we have interviewed SMD scientists, and more recently engineers, to understand their needs, barriers, attitudes, and understanding of education and outreach work. Respondents told us that they needed additional resources and professional development to support their work in education and outreach, including information about how to get started, ways to improve their communication, and strategies and activities for their teaching and outreach. In response, the Forums have developed and made available a suite of tools to support scientists and engineers in their E/PO efforts. These include "getting started" guides, "tips and tricks" for engaging in E/PO, vetted lists of classroom and outreach activities, and resources for college classrooms. NASA Wavelength (http://nasawavelength.org/), an online repository of SMD funded activities that have been reviewed by both educators and scientists for quality and accuracy, provides a searchable database of resources for teaching as well as ready-made lists by topic and education level, including lists for introductory college classrooms. Additionally, we have also supported scientists at professional conferences through organizing oral and poster sessions, networking activities, E/PO helpdesks, professional development workshops, and support for students and early careers scientists. For more information and to access resources for scientists and engineers, visit http://smdepo.org.

  4. Teacher education professionals as partners in health science outreach.

    PubMed

    Houtz, Lynne E; Kosoko-Lasaki, Omofolasade; Zardetto-Smith, Andrea M; Mu, Keli; Royeen, Charlotte B

    2004-01-01

    Medical school and other health science outreach programs to educate and recruit precollege students always have relied on successful collaborative efforts. Creighton University shares the value, significance, and strategies of involving teacher education professionals in several of its current outreach programs, including HPPI, Brains Rule! Neuroscience Expositions, and HHMI Build a Human Project. The education department partner serves as an essential team member in the development, implementation, assessment, and dissemination of these projects to promote science and mathematics achievement and interest in medical careers. Specific examples and mistakes to avoid are included.

  5. Space Weather Outreach: Connection to STEM Standards

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  6. Educational Outreach to Opioid Prescribers: The Case for Academic Detailing.

    PubMed

    Trotter Davis, Margot; Bateman, Brian; Avorn, Jerry

    2017-02-01

    Nonmedical use of opioid medications constitutes a serious health threat as the rates of addiction, overdoses, and deaths have risen in recent years. Increasingly, inappropriate and excessively liberal prescribing of opioids by physicians is understood to be a central part of the crisis. Public health officials, hospital systems, and legislators are developing programs and regulations to address the problem in sustained and systematic ways that both insures effective treatment of pain and appropriate limits on the availability of opioids. Three approaches have obtained prominence as means of avoiding excessive and inappropriate prescribing, including: providing financial incentives to physicians to change their clinical decision through pay-for-performance contracts, monitoring patient medications through Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, and educational outreach to physicians. A promising approach to educational outreach to physicians is an intervention known as "academic detailing." It was developed in the 1980s to provide one-on-one educational outreach to physicians using similar methods as the pharmaceutical industry that sends "detailers" to market their products to physician practices. Core to academic detailing, however, is the idea that medical decisions should be based on evidence-based information, including managing conditions with updated assessment measures, behavioral, and nonpharmacological interventions. With the pharmaceutical industry spending billions of dollars to advertise their products, individual practitioners can have difficulty gathering unbiased information, especially as the number of approved medications grows each year. Academic detailing has successfully affected the management of health conditions, such as atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and recently, has targeted physicians who prescribe opioids. This article discusses the approach as a potentially effective preventative intervention to address the

  7. Science and Me: A Student-Driven Science Outreach Program for Lay Adult Audiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alexander, Hannah; Waldron, Anna M.; Abell, Sandra K.

    2011-01-01

    The increasing need for communicating science to the public suggests that future scientists and science educators should be educated in science outreach and trained to communicate with lay audiences. We present a recently developed novel graduate course, which trains students in outreach efforts aimed to increase the public's understanding of…

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  9. IMPROVING SCIENCE EDUCATION AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN RURAL ALASKA:The Synergistic Connection between Educational Outreach Efforts in the Copper Valley, Alaska.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Solie, D. J.; McCarthy, S.

    2004-12-01

    The objective of the High frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) Education Outreach is to enhance the science education opportunities in the Copper Valley region in Alaska. In the process, we also educate local residents about HAARP and its research. Funded jointly by US Air Force and Navy, HAARP is located at Gakona Alaska, a very rural region of central Alaska with a predominantly Native population. The main instrument at HAARP is a vertically directed, phased array RF transmitter which is primarily an ionospheric research tool, however, its geophysical research applications range from terrestrial to near-space. Research is conducted at HAARP in collaboration with scientists and institutions world-wide. The HAARP Education Outreach Program, run through the University of Alaska Geophysical Institute has been active for over six years and in that time has become an integral part of science education in the Copper Valley for residents of all ages. HAARP education outreach efforts are through direct involvement in local schools in the Copper River School District (CRSD) and the Prince William Sound Community College (PWSCC), as well as public lectures and workshops, and intern and student research programs. These outreach efforts require cooperation and coordination between the CRSD, PWSCC, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Physics Department and the NSF sponsored Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program (ANSEP) and HAARP researchers. The HAARP Outreach program also works with other organizations promoting science education in the region, such as the National Park Service (Wrangell- St. Elias National Park) and the Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment (WISE) a newly formed regional non-profit organization. We work closely with teachers in the schools, adapting to their needs and the particular scientific topic they are covering at the time. Because of time and logistic constraints, outreach visits to schools are episodic, occurring roughly

  10. Developing Web-based Tools for Collaborative Science and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  11. Solar Eclipse Education and Outreach Activities at APSU

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, J. Allyn; Buckner, Spencer L.; Adams, Mitzi; Meisch, Karen; Sudbrink, Don; Wright, Amy; Adams, Angela; Fagan, Ben

    2018-01-01

    The path of totality for the 21 August 2017 total solar eclipse passed directly over the APSU campus in north-central Tennessee. We discuss our public outreach and education efforts, both on campus and in the community, and present results and lessons learned from this event. We reached nearly 20,000 people via our efforts and hosted nearly 3000 viewers on campus on eclipse day. We also present our science activities and early results from those. On the whole, this event could be viewed as a large success for the university and the region, and the experiences will guide us in our efforts as we plan future eclipse activities.

  12. Education and Public Outreach in the International Year of Astronomy at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gibbs, M. G.; Manning, J. G.; Gurton, S.; Fraknoi, A.; Berendsen, M.; Hurst, A.; White, V.

    2008-11-01

    At the forefront of sharing the excitement of our exploration of the universe for 120 years, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) is poised to use its networks and services to implement education and outreach programs for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy (IYA). The ASP is working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the American Astronomical Society (AAS), National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), Association of Science---Technology Centers (ASTC), and several other astronomical and educational organizations on IYA projects. The ASP will develop and implement four key signature programs, pending funding, for the IYA: a) IYA 2009 Cosmic Companion, with astronomy activities primarily for amateur astronomy clubs; b) Galileo Teacher Training Program, designed primarily for in-service teachers; c) Expanding the Informal Universe, to bring astronomy into smaller museums and nature centers; and d) Cosmic Clearing-House, an online educational resource for the best astronomy outreach resources and activities. The overarching goal for these programs is to bring together scientists, educators, and amateurs astronomers to improve science education and literacy through astronomy. The Society welcomes additional partners who seek to cooperate on IYA programs or work with the networks of formal and informal educators and amateur astronomers the ASP continues to support.

  13. Advanced Integration Matrix Education Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Paul Heather L.

    2004-01-01

    The Advanced Integration Matrix (AIM) will design a ground-based test facility for developing revolutionary integrated systems for joint human-robotic missions in order to study and solve systems-level integration issues for exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This paper describes development plans for educational outreach activities related to technological and operational integration scenarios similar to the challenges that will be encountered through this project. The education outreach activities will provide hands-on, interactive exercises to allow students of all levels to experience design and operational challenges similar to what NASA deals with everyday in performing the integration of complex missions. These experiences will relate to and impact students everyday lives by demonstrating how their interests in science and engineering can develop into future careers, and reinforcing the concepts of teamwork and conflict resolution. Allowing students to experience and contribute to real-world development, research, and scientific studies of ground-based simulations for complex exploration missions will stimulate interest in the space program, and bring NASA's challenges to the student level. By enhancing existing educational programs and developing innovative activities and presentations, AIM will support NASA s endeavor to "inspire the next generation of explorers.. .as only NASA can."

  14. Educational Outreach at the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rivenberg, Paul; Thomas, Paul

    2004-11-01

    At the MIT PSFC student and staff volunteers work together to increase the public's knowledge of fusion science and plasma technology. Seeking to generate excitement in young people about science and engineering, the PSFC hosts a number of educational outreach activities and tours throughout the year, including Middle and High School Outreach Days. The PSFC also has an in-school science demonstration program on the theme of magnetism. As ''Mr. Magnet'' Technical Supervisor Paul Thomas brings a truck-load of hands-on demonstrations to K-12 schools, challenging students to help him with experiments. While teaching fundamentals of magnetism and electricity he shows that science is fun for all, and that any student can have a career in science. This year he taught at 75 schools and other events, reaching 30,000 teachers and students. He has expanded his teaching to include an interactive demonstration of plasma, encouraging participants to investigate plasma properties with audiovisual, electromagnetic, and spectroscopic techniques. The PSFC's continuing involvement with the MIT Museum and the Boston Museum of Science also helps familiarize the public with the fourth state of matter.

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  17. ASA education outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hansen, Uwe J.; Everbach, E. Carr

    2003-04-01

    A number of very successful Hands-on demo sessions for high school students have been a part of regular ASA meetings for some time. In addition, the Education Committee has organized a series of teacher workshops. These workshops are designed to give high school teachers relatively sophisticated tools to enhance their laboratory content. Workshops for teachers in the elementary grades prepare teachers to use music as a vehicle to introduce additional science concepts. Content and methods associated with both workshops will be discussed. Cyberspace outreach by the ASA was accelerated by the establishment of a Home Page Committee, and more recently by the On-Line Education committee, which is creating an educational website. The website provides a fun way for users to access information including acoustics information, history, demos, and links to the Technical Committee's webpages. The ASA has joined other AIP member societies in developing additional mechanisms, including road shows and nightly news spots.

  18. Reaching Suburban Men Who Have Sex With Men for STD and HIV Services Through Online Social Networking Outreach: A Public Health Approach.

    PubMed

    Lampkin, Darryl; Crawley, Adam; Lopez, Teresa P; Mejia, Christopher M; Yuen, Wesley; Levy, Vivian

    2016-05-01

    Technology-enabled approaches may reach suburban and rural men who have sex with men (MSM) who lack physical venues, where they live for sexually transmitted disease (STD)/HIV prevention efforts. We evaluated using Grindr, an all-male social networking platform, for STD/HIV prevention services to MSM by a suburban Public Health department. Phase 1 (October 2012-March 2013) focused on acceptability of prevention messages by MSM on Grindr and phase 2 (October 2013-March 2014) Grindr use for implementing testing and linkage-to-care. We compared the number of Public Health encounters with MSM before and after initiation of Grindr use and the proportion of users who remained engaged with Public Health staff after being told they were interacting with a health educator. For a 6-month period before Grindr outreach, Public Health had 60 contacts with MSM. Contacts increased to 305 MSM in phase 1, of which 168/213 (79%) remained engaged. In phase 2, among 903 MSM contacts, 69% remained engaged. Asian and Hispanic MSM were more likely to remain engaged with outreach staff; white men were more likely to be not engaged. No significant difference in age between engaged and nonengaged MSM was seen. Grindr outreach by Public Health in a suburban county seems acceptable to MSM and leads to a 14-fold increase in MSM reached for counseling and education compared with a traditional outreach period. Further evaluation of technology-enabled approaches for STD/HIV prevention in suburban and rural MSM is warranted.

  19. Columbia University Public Outreach: Looking Beyond the Bright Lights in the Big City

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ash, Summer; Agueros, Marcel A.

    2015-01-01

    Columbia University astronomers have been inviting the public to come and share in our love of the skies for several decades now, but only within the last ten years has this program become a sustained tool for public outreach and professional development. Columbia's Public Outreach engages with multiple audiences, from the general public to teachers to students of all ages, year-round. In the last three years alone, we have interacted with approximately 7500 people via school visits, teacher-training events, and our public lecture and stargazing series. Our outreach efforts are unique in that they are staffed entirely by graduate students and undergraduate majors who volunteer their time, and coordinated by a dedicated science-trained staff member in the department. Our program is particularly suited to be a vehicle for graduate-student training in science communication and public speaking. We describe the various components of our program and provide an analysis of the populations reached.

  20. Educational and Public Outreach Strategies in Anticipation of the 2017 U.S. Total Solar Eclipse

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fulco, C.

    2015-12-01

    Those who have experienced a total solar eclipse will travel to every corner of the Earth to observe one, such is its spectacular nature. So it is fortunate indeed to have this remarkable event come to the U.S. in less than two years, with its path of totality from Oregon to South Carolina within a day's drive for most of the nation's population. The date of the 21 August 2017 "Great American Eclipse" is rapidly approaching, and with focus on science literacy in U.S. schools greater than ever, educational and public outreach (EPO) must begin in earnest to maximize the scientific and educational benefits from this rare event. As every location in the U.S. will observe at least a partial eclipse, having EPO strategies in place ensures that the greatest number of students and other observers throughout the country will: a) be aware of and prepared for this event, b) observe (and record) it safely and knowledgeably, and c) gain an increased awareness of the natural world. The need for teachers to promote scientific literacy through curriculum is critical for this event. Despite an increased presence of technology in the classroom, more rigorous educational learning standards and virtually instantaneous access to information, data show that science illiteracy in U.S. schools and in the general population is still widespread. In addition, much fear, ignorance and confusion continue to surround eclipses. Many school districts plan to keep students indoors during the eclipse, while the media can be expected to instruct the public to do the same, thus depriving would-be observers of an unforgettable and most likely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It would be a tragedy on many levels if this eclipse were not viewed, recorded and remembered live and outdoors--not indoors watching on media--by as many persons as possible. Proper EPO strategies performed with ample lead time can ensure that the 2017 U.S. Total Solar Eclipse will be a success from coast-to-coast, and with it, a

  1. Access to Knowledge. Volume 1. Preliminary Report of the Florida Commission on Educational Outreach and Service.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Florida Commission on Educational Outreach and Service, Tallahassee.

    Goals and objectives of a special commission on Educational Outreach and Services, in January 1975, were to assess Florida citizens' needs for educational outreach, to inventory existing outreach efforts, to determine outreach roles of various post-secondary institutions, to suggest improvements for the delivery of outreach, and to develop a plan…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

  3. Microbes Should Be Central to Ecological Education and Outreach

    PubMed Central

    Barberán, Albert; Hammer, Tobin J.; Madden, Anne A.; Fierer, Noah

    2016-01-01

    Our planet is changing rapidly, and responding to the ensuing environmental challenges will require an informed citizenry that can understand the inherent complexity of ecological systems. However, microorganisms are usually neglected in the narratives that we use to understand nature. Here, we advocate for the inclusion of microbial ecology across education levels and delineate the often neglected benefits of incorporating microbes into ecology curricula. We provide examples across education levels, from secondary school (by considering one’s self as a microbial ecosystem), to higher education (by incorporating our knowledge of the global ecological role and medical application of microbes), to the general public (by engagement through citizen-science projects). The greater inclusion of microbes in ecological education and outreach will not only help us appreciate the natural world we are part of, but will ultimately aid in building a citizenry better prepared to make informed decisions on health and environmental policies. PMID:27047584

  4. The Sky is for Everyone — Outreach and Education with the Virtual Observatory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Freistetter, F.; Iafrate, G.; Ramella, M.; Aida-Wp5 Team

    2010-12-01

    The Virtual Observatory (VO) is an international project to collect astronomical data (images, spectra, simulations, mission-logs, etc.), organise them and develop tools that let astronomers access this huge amount of information. The VO not only simplifies the work of professional astronomers, it is also a valuable tool for education and public outreach. For teachers and astronomers who actively promote astronomy to the public, the VO is a great opportunity to access and use real astronomical data, and have a taste of the daily life of astronomers.

  5. Typology of public outreach for biodiversity conservation projects in Spain.

    PubMed

    Jiménez, Amanda; Iniesta-Arandia, Irene; Muñoz-Santos, Maria; Martín-López, Berta; Jacobson, Susan K; Benayas, Javier

    2014-06-01

    Conservation education and outreach programs are a key approach to promote public understanding of the importance of biodiversity conservation. We reviewed 85 biodiversity conservation projects supported by the Spanish Ministry of Environment's Biodiversity Foundation. Through content analysis and descriptive statistics, we examined how the projects carried out communication, education, and public awareness and participation (CEPA) actions. We also used multivariate statistical analysis to develop a typology of 4 classes of biodiversity conservation projects on the basis of CEPA implementation. The classifications were delineated by purpose of CEPA, level of integration of CEPA actions, type of CEPA goals, main CEPA stakeholders, and aim of conservation. Our results confirm the existence of 2 key positions: CEPA has intrinsic value (i.e., they supposed the implementation of any CEPA action indirectly supported conservation) and CEPA is an instrument for achieving conservation goals. We also found that most CEPA actions addressed general audiences and school children, ignored minority groups and women, and did not include evaluation. The characteristics of the 4 types of projects and their frequency of implementation in the sample reflect the need for better integration of different types of actions (communication, education, and participation) and improved fostering of participation of multiple stakeholders in developing policy and implementing management strategies. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

  6. Perceptions of STEM-Based Outreach Learning Activities in Secondary Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vennix, J.; den Brok, P.; 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 and other external institutions in learning…

  7. Innovative funding of educational outreach by a state agency

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kopaska-Merkel, D. C.

    2001-01-01

    The educational role of state geological surveys is increasing yet state funding for this role is commonly lacking. Staff members of the Geological Survey of Alabama/State Oil and Gas Board of Alabama have developed and implemented a succesful Outside Funding Model to support educational outreach programs. Staff members created an informal organization within the agency and raised money specifically for educational outreach. The primary vehicles for fund raising are an annual charity golf tournament, sales of t-shirts and field-trip guidebooks, and small grants awarded by a variety of organizations. The money raised is used to fund a wide variety of educational activities that would not be possible otherwise. The Alabama Outside Funding Model could be duplicated by surveys or similar agencies in other states.

  8. Outreach to Future Hispanic Educational Leaders.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

  9. Community Outreach and Education on Soil Fumigants

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Information on how outreach programs can help address the risk of bystander exposure by educating community members about fumigants, buffer zones, how to recognize warning signs, and how to respond appropriately in case of an incident.

  10. WATERS - Integrating Science and Education Through the Development of an Education & Outreach Program that Engages Scientists, Students and Citizens

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eschenbach, E. A.; Conklin, M. H.

    2007-12-01

    The need to train students in hydrologic science and environmental engineering is well established. Likewise, the public requires a raised awareness of the seriousness of water quality and availability problems. The WATERS Network (WATer and Environmental Research Systems Network ) has the potential to significantly change the way students, researchers, citizens, policy makers and industry members learn about environmental problems and solutions regarding water quality, quantity and distribution. This potential can be met if the efforts of water scientists, computer scientists, and educators are integrated appropriately. Successful pilot projects have found that cyberinfrastructure for education and outreach needs to be developed in parallel with research related cyberinfrastructure. We propose further integration of research, education and outreach activities. Through the use of technology that connects students, faculty, researchers, policy makers and others, WATERS Network can provide learning opportunities and teaching efficiencies that can revolutionize environmental science and engineering education. However, there are a plethora of existing environmental science and engineering educational programs. In this environment, WATERS can make a greater impact through careful selection of activities that build upon its unique strengths, that have high potential for engaging the members, and that meet identified needs: (i) modernizing curricula and pedagogy (ii) integrating science and education, (iii) sustainable professional development, and (iv) training the next generation of interdisciplinary water and social scientists and environmental engineers. National and observatory-based education facilities would establish the physical infrastructure necessary to coordinate education and outreach activities. Each observatory would partner with local educators and citizens to develop activities congruent with the scientific mission of the observatory. An unprecedented

  11. The National Network of Libraries of Medicine's outreach to the public health workforce: 2001–2006

    PubMed Central

    Cogdill, Keith W.; Ruffin, Angela B.; Stavri, P. Zoë

    2007-01-01

    Objective: The paper provides an overview of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine's (NN/ LM's) outreach to the public health workforce from 2001 to 2006. Description: NN/LM conducts outreach through the activities of the Regional Medical Library (RML) staff and RML-sponsored projects led by NN/LM members. Between 2001 and 2006, RML staff provided training on information resources and information management for public health personnel at national, state, and local levels. The RMLs also contributed significantly to the Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce collaboration. Methods: Data were extracted from telephone interviews with directors of thirty-seven NN/LM-sponsored outreach projects directed at the public health sector. A review of project reports informed the interviews, which were transcribed and subsequently coded for emergent themes using qualitative analysis software. Results: Analysis of interview data led to the identification of four major themes: training, collaboration, evaluation of outcomes, and challenges. Sixteen subthemes represented specific lessons learned from NN/LM members' outreach to the public health sector. Conclusions: NN/LM conducted extensive information-oriented outreach to the public health workforce during the 2001-to-2006 contract period. Lessons learned from this experience, most notably the value of collaboration and the need for flexibility, continue to influence outreach efforts in the current contract period. PMID:17641766

  12. Public Outreach at RAL: Engaging the Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Corbett, G.; Ryall, G.; Palmer, S.; Collier, I. P.; Adams, J.; Appleyard, R.

    2015-12-01

    The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) is part of the UK's Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). As part of the Royal Charter that established the STFC, the organisation is required to generate public awareness and encourage public engagement and dialogue in relation to the science undertaken. The staff at RAL firmly support this activity as it is important to encourage the next generation of students to consider studying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, providing the UK with a highly skilled work-force in the future. To this end, the STFC undertakes a variety of outreach activities. This paper will describe the outreach activities undertaken by RAL, particularly focussing on those of the Scientific Computing Department (SCD). These activities include: an Arduino based activity day for 12-14 year-olds to celebrate Ada Lovelace day; running a centre as part of the Young Rewired State - encouraging 11-18 year-olds to create web applications with open data; sponsoring a team in the Engineering Education Scheme - supporting a small team of 16-17 year-olds to solve a real world engineering problem; as well as the more traditional tours of facilities. These activities could serve as an example for other sites involved in scientific computing around the globe.

  13. A Comprehensive Approach to Partnering Scientists with Education and Outreach Activities at a National Laboratory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foster, S. Q.

    2002-12-01

    With the establishment of an Office of Education and Outreach (EO) in 2000 and the adoption of a five-year EO strategic plan in 2001, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) committed to augment the involvement of AGU scientists and their partners in education and public outreach activities that represent the full spectrum of research in the atmospheric and related sciences. In 2002, a comprehensive program is underway which invites scientists from UCAR, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), and UCAR Office of Programs (UOP) into partnership with EO through volunteer orientation workshops, program specific training, skill-building in pedagogy, access to classroom resources, and program and instructor evaluation. Scientists contribute in one or several of the following roles: program partners who bridge research to education through collaborative grant proposals; science content advisors for publications, web sites, exhibits, and informal science events; science mentors for high school and undergraduate students; NCAR Mesa Laboratory tour guides; scientists in the schools; science education ambassadors to local and national community events; science speakers for EO programs, conferences, and meetings of local organization; and science wizards offering demonstrations at public events for children and families. This new EO initiative seeks to match the expertise and specific interests of scientists with appropriate activities, while also serving as a communications conduit through which ideas for new activities and resources can be seeded and eventually developed into viable, fully funded programs.

  14. Outcomes for engineering students delivering a STEM education and outreach programme

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  16. Education and Public Outreach for Stardust@home: An Interactive Internet-based Search for Interstellar Dust

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mendez, Bryan J.; Westphal, A. J.; Butterworth, A. L.; Craig, N.

    2006-12-01

    On January 15, 2006, NASA’s Stardust mission returned to Earth after nearly seven years in interplanetary space. During its journey, Stardust encountered comet Wild 2, collecting dust particles from it in a special material called aerogel. At two other times in the mission, aerogel collectors were also opened to collect interstellar dust. The Stardust Interstellar Dust Collector is being scanned by an automated microscope at the Johnson Space Center. There are approximately 700,000 fields of view needed to cover the entire collector, but we expect only a few dozen total grains of interstellar dust were captured within it. Finding these particles is a daunting task. We have recruited many thousands of volunteers from the public to aid in the search for these precious pieces of space dust trapped in the collectors. We call the project Stardust@home. Through Stardust@home, volunteers from the public search fields of view from the Stardust aerogel collector using a web-based Virtual Microscope. Volunteers who discover interstellar dust particles have the privilege of naming them. The interest and response to this project has been extraordinary. Many people from all walks of life are very excited about space science and eager to volunteer their time to contribute to a real research project such as this. We will discuss the progress of the project and the education and outreach activities being carried out for it.

  17. International Space Education Outreach: Taking Exploration to the Global Classroom

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  19. Pieces of Other Worlds - Enhance YSS Education and Public Outreach Events with Extraterrestrial Samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Allen, C.

    2010-12-01

    During the Year of the Solar System spacecraft will encounter two comets; orbit the asteroid 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. Extensive information about these unique materials, as well as actual lunar samples and meteorites, is available for display and education. The Johnson Space Center (JSC) curates NASA's extraterrestrial samples to support research, education, and public outreach. At the current time JSC curates five types of extraterrestrial samples: Moon rocks and soils collected by the Apollo astronauts Meteorites collected on US expeditions to Antarctica (including rocks from the Moon, Mars, and many asteroids including Vesta) “Cosmic dust” (asteroid and comet particles) collected by high-altitude aircraft Solar wind atoms collected by the Genesis spacecraft Comet and interstellar dust particles collected by the Stardust spacecraft These rocks, soils, dust particles, and atoms continue to be studied intensively by scientists around the world. Descriptions of the samples, research results, thousands of photographs, and information on how to request research samples are on the JSC Curation website: http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/ NASA is eager for scientists and the public to have access to these exciting samples through our various loan procedures. NASA provides a limited number of Moon rock samples for either short-term or long-term displays at museums, planetariums, expositions, and professional events that are open to the public. The JSC Public Affairs Office handles requests for such display samples. Requestors should apply in writing to Mr. Louis Parker, JSC Exhibits Manager. He will advise successful applicants regarding provisions for receipt, display, and return of the samples. All loans will be preceded by a signed loan agreement executed between NASA and the requestor's organization. Email address: louis.a.parker@nasa.gov Sets

  20. Making YOHKOH SXT Images Available to the Public: The YOHKOH Public Outreach Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Larson, M. B.; McKenzie, D.; Slater, T.; Acton, L.; Alexander, D.; Freeland, S.; Lemen, J.; Metcalf, T.

    1999-05-01

    The NASA funded Yohkoh Public Outreach Project (YPOP) provides public access to high quality Yohkoh SXT data via the World Wide Web. The products of this effort are available to the scientific research community, K-12 schools, and informal education centers including planetaria, museums, and libraries. The project utilizes the intrinsic excitement of the SXT data, and in particular the SXT movies, to develop science learning tools and classroom activities. The WWW site at URL: http://solar.physics.montana.edu/YPOP/ uses a movie theater theme to highlight available Yohkoh movies in a format that is entertaining and inviting to non-scientists. The site features informational tours of the Sun as a star, the solar magnetic field, the internal structure and the Sun's general features. The on-line Solar Classroom has proven very popular, showcasing hand-on activities about image filtering, the solar cycle, satellite orbits, image processing, construction of a model Yohkoh satellite, solar rotation, measuring sunspots and building a portable sundial. The YPOP Guestbook has been helpful in evaluating the usefulness of the site with over 300 detailed comments to date.

  1. Program Spotlight: National Outreach Network's Community Health Educators

    Cancer.gov

    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.

  2. Encouraging a Culture of Outreach in Astronomy Clubs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manning, J.; Berendsen, M.; Schultz, G.; Gurton, S.; Santascoy, J.; White, V.; Frank, K.; Jones, E.; Yocco, V.; John, M. S.; Castori, P.

    2014-07-01

    Astronomy clubs constitute a “marching army” of knowledgeable, experienced astronomy enthusiasts deployed in a national network: an important resource for engaging the public through educational outreach events and activities. The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) in partnership with the Institute for Learning Innovation (ILI) and Inverness Research, Inc., has been engaged in a multi-year NSF-supported project focusing on this network and its potential to advance astronomy education and outreach. The project has explored the culture of astronomy clubs, identified impediments to building cultures of outreach within clubs, and developed and introduced new mechanisms to overcome these impediments and enhance clubs' abilities to encourage and sustain cultures that value and promote outreach efforts. This paper shares initial research, development and evaluation findings of the project, and describes ongoing supplemental efforts that continue to advance project objectives.

  3. Extreme Urban Stargazing: Outreach in New York City

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  4. Educational Outreach at the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thomas, P.; Rivenberg, P.; Censabella, V.

    2002-11-01

    At the MIT PSFC, student and staff volunteers work together to increase the public's knowledge of fusion science and plasma technology. Seeking to generate excitement in young people about science and engineering, the PSFC hosts a number of educational outreach activities throughout the year, including Middle and High School Outreach Days. The PSFC also has an in-school science-demonstration program on the theme of magnetism. As ``Mr. Magnet," Technical Supervisor Paul Thomas brings a truck-load of hands-on demonstrations to K-12 schools, challenging students to help him with experiments. While teaching fundamentals of magnetism and electricity he shows that science is fun for all, and that any student can have a career in science. This year he reached 82 schools -- 30,000 teachers and students. He has recently expanded his teaching to include an interactive demonstration of plasma, encouraging participants to investigate plasma properties with audiovisual, electromagnetic, and spectroscopic techniques. He has also developed a workshop for middle school on how to build an electromagnet.

  5. Web usage data as a means of evaluating public health messaging and outreach.

    PubMed

    Tian, Hao; Brimmer, Dana J; Lin, Jin-Mann S; Tumpey, Abbigail J; Reeves, William C

    2009-12-21

    The Internet is increasingly utilized by researchers, health care providers, and the public to seek medical information. The Internet also provides a powerful tool for public health messaging. Understanding the needs of the intended audience and how they use websites is critical for website developers to provide better services to the intended users. The aim of the study was to examine the utilization of the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) website at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We evaluated (1) CFS website utilization, (2) outcomes of a CDC CFS public awareness campaign, and (3) user behavior related to public awareness campaign materials and CFS continuing medical education courses. To describe and evaluate Web utilization, we collected Web usage data over an 18-month period and extracted page views, visits, referring domains, and geographic locations. We used page views as the primary measure for the CFS awareness outreach effort. We utilized market basket analysis and Markov chain model techniques to describe user behavior related to utilization of campaign materials and continuing medical education courses. The CDC CFS website received 3,647,736 views from more than 50 countries over the 18-month period and was the 33rd most popular CDC website. States with formal CFS programs had higher visiting density, such as Washington, DC; Georgia; and New Jersey. Most visits (71%) were from Web search engines, with 16% from non-search-engine sites and 12% from visitors who had bookmarked the site. The public awareness campaign was associated with a sharp increase and subsequent quick drop in Web traffic. Following the campaign, user interest shifted from information targeting consumer basic knowledge to information for health care professionals. The market basket analysis showed that visitors preferred the 60-second radio clip public service announcement over the 30-second one. Markov chain model results revealed that most visitors took the

  6. Outcomes for Engineering Students Delivering a STEM Education and Outreach Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fitzallen, Noleine; Brown, Natalie Ruth

    2017-01-01

    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,…

  7. Defining Long Term Goals and Setting Priorities for Education and Outreach, 2003 to 2013 - Panel Report

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grier, J. A.; Atkinson, D. H.; Barlow, N.; Griffin, I.; Hoffman, J.; Kelly-Serrato, B.; Kesthelyi, L.; Klein, M.; Klug, S.; Kolvoord, B.; Lanagan, P.; Lebofsky, L. A.; Lindstrom, M.; Lopes, R.; Lowes, L.; Manifold, J.; Mastrapa, R.; Milazzo, M.; Miner, E.; Morris, P.; Runyon, C.; Sohus, A.; Urquhart, M.; Warasila, R. L.; Withers, P.; Wood, Chuck

    2001-11-01

    Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) activities are an integral part of NASA's mandated mission and detailed in its Strategic Plan. The Office of Space Science Solar System Exploration (OSS SSE) E/PO program has made great strides in defining priorities and achieving its goals in the last five years. The Education and Public Outreach panel for NASA's Decadal Survey has generated a list of key issues to be addressed for the years 2003-2013 to assist the OSS SSE in future prioritization and planning. Key issues under discussion include: improving the involvement of planetary science professionals in E/PO activities; combating scientific elitism; examining the association between E/PO programs and public relations; re-examining funding E/PO activities from an audience perspective as opposed to a mission-centered perspective; improving access to resources for scientists, educators, students and partner organizations; promoting communication between educational programs at NASA; and reaching traditionally underrepresented groups, women, minorities and the disabled with science education programs. The panel is developing a list of specific recommendations to be implemented to improve OSS SSE E/PO activities in the next decade. These recommendations deal with topics such as: the production of evaluated resource web sites for scientists and educators; the development of a policy of long-term funding for the maintenance of web sites and other tools after they are created; methods for reaching those who do not have computer access through television and public programs; and the development of a reward system to recognize and encourage scientist involvement in E/PO activities. Such key issues and recommendations will be presented, along with materials from current programs and initiatives for E/PO in the OSS SSE.

  8. Informal Physics Education: Outreach from a National Laboratory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanchez, Jose; Dixon, Patricia; Hughes, Roxanne

    2012-02-01

    This presentation highlights strategies for K-20 teaching and learning about materials research in informal settings. The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory's Center for Integrating Research & Learning is in a unique position to conduct programs that reach K-20 students and teachers. As part of a national laboratory the Center provides the infrastructure around which informal education programs are implemented, including the nationally-recognized programming as well as facilitating scientists' educational outreach in the community. Research Experiences for Undergraduates, focuses on encouraging women and other underrepresented groups to pursue STEM careers reaching approximately 200 students many of whom have pursued careers in research as well as academia. The Research Experiences for Teachers program has provided internships for over 150 teachers; the Center also reaches over 10,000 students each year through school and community outreach. Success of informal education programs relies heavily on establishing strong mentoring relationships between scientists and K-20 students and teachers. The Center's success at maintaining diverse programming that transforms how materials education is presented beyond the traditional classroom is the focus for this presentation.

  9. Engaging the Public Through an Interactive Astronomy Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

  11. Public Outreach Program of the Planetary society of Japan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iyori, Tasuku

    2002-01-01

    special television program is another major involvement of TPS/J in terms of reaching a mass of people. NHK, the largest television broadcasting network of Japan, aired the two-hour television program, "Mars is our planet." The program was developed upon space arts describing Mars after a hundred years with children and adults participated in. It was also intended as an educational tool particularly for children and young people in an effort to enhance their understanding and interest in the importance of planetary science and interplanetary exploration. The theme of the program is terraforming Mars for the sake of the future of humankind. Four more fifteen-minute versions will be produced. TPS/J will make best use of those programs to convince people to support philosophy of its mission. Public Campaign for MUSES-C Mission Launch for this year The world's first asteroid sample return mission, MUSES-C, is scheduled to be launched in November this year. TPS/J will join forces in this mission by running a publicity campaign on a worldwide scale. "Let's meet your Little Prince!," the idea of which is derived from "Le Petit Prince" by Saint-Exupery is its publicity slogan. The target of the mission is Asteroid 1998 F36 with 600 meters x 300 meters in size, orbiting 1.0 AU- 1.6 AU from the Earth. TPS/J is planning to fly names of a million of people aboard the spacecraft. Through public outreach programs mentioned above, TPS/J will encourage people to support and expand its mission as a non-government space-related organization.

  12. Losing the Dark: Public Outreach about Light Pollution and Its Mitigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Collins Petersen, Carolyn; Petersen, Mark C.; Walker, Constance E.; Kardel, W. Scott; International Dark Sky Association Education Committee

    2015-01-01

    Losing the Dark is a PSA video available for public outreach through fulldome theaters as well as conventional venues (classroom, lecture hall, YouTube, Vimeo). It was created by Loch Ness Productions for the International Dark Sky Association. It explains problems caused by light pollution, which targets astronomy, health, and the environment. Losing the Dark also suggests ways people can implement "wise lighting" practices to help mitigate light pollution. The video is available free of charge for outreach professionals in planetarium facilities (both fulldome and classical), science centers, classroom, and other outreach venues, and has been translated into 13 languages. It is available via download, USB key (at cost), and through online venues. This paper summarizes the program's outreach to more than a thousand fulldome theaters, nearly 100,000 views via four sites on Youtube and Vimeo,a number of presentations at other museum and classroom facilities, and shares some preliminary metrics and commentary from users.

  13. Eliminating the OUCH in OUtreaCH

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  14. Outreach activities in anticipation of the 2016 solar eclipse in Sorong

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Putra Raharja, Endra; Pramudya, Yudhiakto

    2016-11-01

    Sorong is located outside the narrow path of total solar eclipse on March 9th, 2016. The predicted obscuration of the sun was 94.2%. The public outreach to anticipate the solar eclipse was intended to educate students in junior and senior high school in Sorong Regency. Some of them are located in the remote area where the educational materials are difficult to find. The public outreach is unique, since it was run by the local person who is student of physics education. The student has both the ability to explain the solar eclipse phenomenon and able to adapt to knowledge level of students. The materials that were given to the schools are brochure and the eclipse glasses. Beside solar eclipse lectures in class, the pinhole workshop and observation practice were held. The limited materials and resources were faced during the public outreach. However, the enthusiasm was shown by the students and teachers. At least one of the schools held the solar eclipse observation on the day of the eclipse.

  15. Outreach and educational activities in Russia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  16. NASA Sounding Rocket Program educational outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eberspeaker, P. J.

    2005-08-01

    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 NASA Sounding Rocket Program engages in a host of student flight projects providing unique and exciting hands-on student space flight experiences. These projects include single stage Orion missions carrying "active" high school experiments and "passive" Explorer School modules, university level Orion and Terrier-Orion flights, and small hybrid rocket flights as part of the Small-scale Educational Rocketry Initiative (SERI) currently under development. Efforts also include educational programs conducted as part of major campaigns. The student flight projects are designed to reach students ranging from Kindergarteners to university undergraduates. The programs are also designed to accommodate student teams with varying levels of technical capabilities - from teams that can fabricate their own payloads to groups that are barely capable of drilling and tapping their own holes. The program also conducts a hands-on student flight project for blind students in collaboration with the National Federation of the Blind. The NASA Sounding Rocket Program is proud of its role in inspiring the "next generation of explorers" and is working to expand its reach to all regions of the United States and the international community as well.

  17. The Education and Public Outreach Plan for UCLA's Institute for Planets and Exoplanets (iPLEX)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glesener, G. B.; Jewitt, D. C.; Curren, I. S.

    2012-12-01

    Increasing the number and diversity of students pursuing and completing STEM education is a crucial part of UCLA's Institute for Planets and Exoplanets (iPLEX)'s goal of promoting research on planetary systems around the sun and other stars. Cultivating students' interest and success in STEM subject areas from K-12 to the bachelor's degree is an important factor in student retention. As they pursue a bachelor's degree in a STEM major, many become discouraged and decide not to finish with this type of degree; women, underrepresented minorities (URM), and students of low socioeconomic status (SES) have the highest attrition rates (Bayer 2010). Focusing primarily on students at the high school and community college levels, our education and public outreach plan utilizes the multidisciplinary science of astrobiology as a resource for building stronger learning environments in STEM education. By implementing formal education programs that encourage and foster student learning in STEM fields, we intend to (1) increase the efficiency with which students move from high school into STEM-related undergraduate programs, (2) improve the corresponding transfer rate from community colleges to advanced degree programs in STEM at the 4-year university level, and (3) create more opportunities for students to become involved in meaningful research as they progress in their studies. To ensure the success of these programs, we will partner with teachers from local high schools and community colleges, and UCLA's Center X. By being geographically located in Los Angeles County, having one of the highest URM populations in the United States (US Census Bureau, 2007), and partnering with Hampton University (HU) in Virginia, whose student body is 91% African American, we are in a position to make a large impact on diversity. To further ensure the success of our EPO, an independent evaluator will measure and track the following program objectives: increase (1) post-secondary STEM enrollment

  18. Outreach and capacity building activities for engaging youth and public in Exploration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foing, Bernard H.

    We report to the COSPAR Panel on Education and relevant community on activities, pilot projects and results relevant for outreach and engagement in exploration. Number of activities were developed in the frame of the International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG) including the participation of students in lunar symposia, space conferences or ICEUM International Conferences on Exploration and Utilisation of the Moon* ILEWG with support from various space agencies, universities and institutions has organized events for young professionals with a wide background (including scientist, engineers, humanistic, law, art students) a Moon academy, lunar and planetary students work-shops, technical training workshops, international observe the Moon sessions. ILEWG has organised or sponsored participants to a series of field training and research campaigns in Utah desert research station, Eifel volcanic park, Iceland, Rio Tinto, La Reunion island. Education and outreach projects used space missions data (SMART-1 views of the Moon, Earth views from space, Mars views, Mars crowdsourcing games, astronomy data analysis) to engage the public in citizen science and exploration. Artistic and sociological projects (e.g. "social lunar telescope, lunar zen garden, Moon academy, MoonLife, MoonLife concept store, Moon republic, artscience projects, space science in the arts, artists in residence, artists in MoonMars base") were also initiated with artists to engage the wide public in exploration. A number of projects have been developed with support from ITACCUS IAF committee. We shall discuss how these pilot projects could be expanded for the benefit of future space projects, young professionals, the space community and the public. Acknowledgements: we thank collaborators from ILEWG community and partner institutes for the different projects mentioned http://sci.esa.int/ilewg/ http://sci.esa.int/ilewg/47170-gluc-iceum11-beijing-2010lunar-declaration/ Foing B., Stoker C

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  20. Train Like an Astronaut Educational Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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".

  1. Oak Sustainability: A Challenge Through Public Education and Outreach Programs

    Treesearch

    Gregory A. Giusti; Robert H. Schmidt; Kenneth R. Churches

    1991-01-01

    Throughout California, public awareness on the role humans play in the decline of oak acreage is increasing. Public and private organizations, agencies, and individuals are instituting planting days, releasing articles on oaks to the media, and sponsoring lectures. Many of these activities are limited in scope and lack a strong educational component that promotes...

  2. Multitasking in academia: Effective combinations of research, education and public outreach illustrated by a volcanic ash warning system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bye, B. L.; Plag, H.

    2011-12-01

    Science permeates our society. Its role and its perceived importance evolves with time. Scientists today are highly specialized, yet society demands they master a variety of skills requiring not only a number of different competencies but also a broad mindset. Scientists are subjected to a meritocracy in terms of having to produce scientific papers. Peer-reviewed scientific publications used to be sufficient to meet the various laws and regulations with respect to dissemination of scientific results. This has dramatically changed; both expressed directly through public voices (such as in the climate change discourses), but also by politicians and policy makers. In some countries research funding now comes with specific requirements concerning public outreach that go way beyond peer-reviewed publications and presentation at scientific conferences. Science policies encourage multidisciplinary cooperation and scientific questions themselves often cannot be answered without knowledge and information from several scientific areas. Scientists increasingly need to communicate knowledge and results in more general terms as well as educating future generations. A huge challenge lies in developing the knowledge, human capacity and mindset that will allow an individual academician to contribute to education, communicate across scientific fields and sectors in multidisciplinary cross sectoral cooperations and also reach out to the general public while succeeding within the scientific meritocracy. We demonstrate how research, education and communication within and outside academia can effectively be combined through a presentation of the International Airways Volcano Watch that encompasses an operational volcanic ash warning system for the aviation industry. This presentation will show the role of science throughout the information flow, from basic science to the pilots' decision-making. Furthermore, it will illustrate how one can connect specific scientific topics to societal

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  4. Innovating science communication: the structure supporting ATLAS Education & Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  5. Space physics educational outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Copeland, Richard A.

    1995-01-01

    The goal of this Space Physics Educational Outreach project was to develop a laboratory experiment and classroom lecture on Earth's aurora for use in lower division college physics courses, with the particular aim of implementing the experiment and lecture at Saint Mary's College of California. The strategy is to teach physics in the context of an interesting natural phenomenon by investigating the physical principles that are important in Earth's aurora, including motion of charged particles in electric and magnetic fields, particle collisions and chemical reactions, and atomic and molecular spectroscopy. As a by-product, the undergraduate students would develop an appreciation for naturally occurring space physics phenomena.

  6. A Pilot Astronomy Outreach Project in Bangladesh

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  7. Web Usage Data as a Means of Evaluating Public Health Messaging and Outreach

    PubMed Central

    Brimmer, Dana J; Lin, Jin-Mann S; Tumpey, Abbigail J; Reeves, William C

    2009-01-01

    Background The Internet is increasingly utilized by researchers, health care providers, and the public to seek medical information. The Internet also provides a powerful tool for public health messaging. Understanding the needs of the intended audience and how they use websites is critical for website developers to provide better services to the intended users. Objective The aim of the study was to examine the utilization of the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) website at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We evaluated (1) CFS website utilization, (2) outcomes of a CDC CFS public awareness campaign, and (3) user behavior related to public awareness campaign materials and CFS continuing medical education courses. Methods To describe and evaluate Web utilization, we collected Web usage data over an 18-month period and extracted page views, visits, referring domains, and geographic locations. We used page views as the primary measure for the CFS awareness outreach effort. We utilized market basket analysis and Markov chain model techniques to describe user behavior related to utilization of campaign materials and continuing medical education courses. Results The CDC CFS website received 3,647,736 views from more than 50 countries over the 18-month period and was the 33rd most popular CDC website. States with formal CFS programs had higher visiting density, such as Washington, DC; Georgia; and New Jersey. Most visits (71%) were from Web search engines, with 16% from non-search-engine sites and 12% from visitors who had bookmarked the site. The public awareness campaign was associated with a sharp increase and subsequent quick drop in Web traffic. Following the campaign, user interest shifted from information targeting consumer basic knowledge to information for health care professionals. The market basket analysis showed that visitors preferred the 60-second radio clip public service announcement over the 30-second one. Markov chain model results

  8. Hundreds of Cruises, Thousands of People, Endless Discoveries - Education and Outreach in the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peart, L.; Niemitz, M.; Boa, S.; Corsiglia, J.; Klaus, A.; Petronotis, K.; Iturrino, G.

    2005-12-01

    For 37 years, scientific ocean drilling programs have sponsored hundreds of expeditions, drilled at over 1,800 sites and recovered over 200 miles of core. The discoveries of these programs have led to important realizations of how our earth works. Past expeditions have validated the theory of plate tectonics, provided unparalleled ancient climate records and recovered evidence of the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago - and new discoveries occur with every expedition. By producing education materials and programs and encouraging mass media journalists' interest in our news, we strive to fulfill our commitment to communicate our programs' scientific discoveries to the public, in a way that people - not just other scientists - understand. With the advent of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP), education and outreach efforts have expanded to pursue new opportunities and engage wider audiences. Through our strategy of Teaching for Science, Learning for LifeTM, our education efforts seek to utilize the interdisciplinary nature of scientific ocean drilling to teach career awareness, scientific methods, teamwork, and problem solving techniques for a lifetime of learning, decision making and good citizenship. In pursuit of this goal, we have implemented professional and resource development programs and expanded our outreach at education-focused conferences to help teachers use IODP science to satiate the student's need to learn the methods of science that apply to everyday life. We believe that this message also applies to life-long learners and thus we have focused our efforts on news media outreach and education opportunities surrounding ports of call of the JOIDES Resolution, permanent and traveling museum exhibits. In addition, our outreach to undergraduate and graduate audiences, through a lecture series, research fellowships and internships, helps to create future generations of science leaders.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  10. Empowerment in a model of outreach undergraduate dental education.

    PubMed

    Radford, D R; Hellyer, P

    2017-01-13

    Aim To undertake a quantitative and qualitative examination into what aspects of the students' experience in outreach at University of Portsmouth Dental Academy (UPDA) are encouraging their empowerment as autonomous practitioners, ready to graduate as 'safe beginners'.Methods The study was devised as part of the educational service evaluation of outreach education at the UPDA. For the two most recent cohorts of 160 students (2014-16) an additional domain was added specifically investigating the students' sense of how their experience of outreach at the UPDA has impacted on their development to be ready for independent practice (safe beginner). The questionnaire was completed anonymously in their last week of attendance just before graduation.Results A 91% response rate for the questionnaire was achieved. To the question about 'being given an opportunity to become an independent dentist', 83% of the respondents strongly agreed. Two themes with seven subthemes were identified from the free text responses. The two themes were 'self-actualisation: developing self-awareness and self-confidence' and 'delivery of care as a dentist'.Conclusion Within the limitations of this educational evaluation, students enjoyed the increase of autonomy they gained during the year-long placement and felt that the clinical teachers empowered, encouraged and supported them to develop as autonomous dental practitioners and as 'safe beginners', to deliver holistic care in the National Health Service.

  11. Post opioid overdose outreach by public health and public safety agencies: Exploration of emerging programs in Massachusetts.

    PubMed

    Formica, Scott W; Apsler, Robert; Wilkins, Lindsay; Ruiz, Sarah; Reilly, Brittni; Walley, Alexander Y

    2018-04-01

    Opioid overdose is a significant public health problem. Collaborative programs between local public health and public safety agencies have emerged to connect overdose survivors and their personal networks with harm reduction and addiction treatment services following a non-fatal overdose event. This study explored the prevalence of these programs in Massachusetts and the different ways they have been structured and function. We sent an online screening questionnaire to police and fire departments in all 351 communities in Massachusetts to find instances in which they collaborated with a community-based public health agency to implement a post-overdose outreach and support program. We conducted telephone interviews with communities that implemented this type of program and categorized programs based on their structure, outreach approach, and other key characteristics. Police and fire personnel from 110 of the 351 communities in Massachusetts (31% response rate) completed the screening survey. Among respondents, 21% (23/110) had implemented a collaborative, community-based, post-overdose program with a well-defined process to connect overdose survivors and their personal networks with support services or addiction treatment services. Using data from the interviews, we identified four types of programs: (1) Multi-Disciplinary Team Visit, (2) Police Visit with Referrals, (3) Clinician Outreach, and (4) Location-Based Outreach. This study represents the first attempt to systematically document an emerging approach intended to connect opioid overdose survivors and their personal networks with harm reduction and addiction treatment services soon after a non-fatal overdose event. These programs have the potential to increase engagement with the social service and addiction treatment systems by those who are at elevated risk for experiencing a fatal opioid overdose. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Woody biomass outreach in the southern United States: A case study

    Treesearch

    Martha Monroe; Annie Oxarart

    2011-01-01

    Woody biomass is one potential renewable energy source that is technically feasible where environmental and economic factors are promising. It becomes a realistic option when it is also socially acceptable. Public acceptance and support of wood to energy proposals require community education and outreach. The Wood to Energy Outreach Program provides science-based...

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  14. Physics Outreach for WYP

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Conlon, Julie

    2004-11-01

    The year 2005 has been designated The World Year of Physics (WYP). The purpose of this paper is to give some examples of how physicists at all levels may help to make the WYP a success in bringing physics to the general public. Specifically, I want to share some of the ideas and techniques that have been developed as a part of Purdue University's School of Science outreach program. An important facet of this program is PEARLS (Physics Educational Actvities, Resources and Learning Strategies). PEARLS views outreach as a "menu" of options to meet various needs and requests, whether they come from schools, scout groups, nursing homes, etc. (see Fig. 1). We've presented to all!

  15. Nevada Infrastructure for Climate Change Science, Education, and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dana, G. L.; Lancaster, N.; Mensing, S. A.; Piechota, T.

    2008-12-01

    The Great Basin is characterized by complex basin and range topography, arid to semiarid climate, and a history of sensitivity to climate change. Mountain areas comprise about 10% of the landscape, yet are the areas of highest precipitation and generate 85% of groundwater recharge and most surface runoff. These characteristics provide an ideal natural laboratory to study the effects of climate change. The Nevada system of Higher Education, including the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the University of Nevada, Reno, the Desert Research Institute, and Nevada State College have begun a five year research and infrastructure building program, funded by the National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NSF EPSCoR) with the vision "to create a statewide interdisciplinary program and virtual climate change center that will stimulate transformative research, education, and outreach on the effects of regional climate change on ecosystem resources (especially water) and support use of this knowledge by policy makers and stakeholders." Six major strategies are proposed to develop infrastructure needs and attain our vision: 1) Develop a capability to model climate change at a regional and sub-regional scale(Climate Modeling Component) 2) Analyze effects on ecosystems and disturbance regimes (Ecological Change Component) 3) Quantify and model changes in water balance and resources under climate change (Water Resources Component) 4) Assess effects on human systems and enhance policy making and outreach to communities and stakeholders (Policy, Decision-Making, and Outreach Component) 5) Develop a data portal and software to support interdisciplinary research via integration of data from observational networks and modeling (Cyberinfrastructure Component) and 6) Train teachers and students at all levels and provide public outreach in climate change issues (Education Component). Two new climate observational transects will be established across

  16. CloudSat Education Network: Partnerships for Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  17. Case Study: Education and Outreach Campaign Reduces Paper Use

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Federal Green Challenge Purchasing Case Study: Two separate departments within the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Chicago office reduced the amount of paper purchased by 28 percent through an education and outreach campaign.

  18. Nuclear Science Outreach in the World Year of Physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  19. Robotic telescopes for education and public outreach the TAROT Experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boer, M.; Melchior, A. L.; Mottez, F.; Pennypaker, C.

    The Rapid Action Telescope for Transient Objects (TAROT - Télescope à Action Rapide pour les Objets Transitoires) has been used over the past years as a support tool for the teaching of astronomy and physics within the framework of the Hand-On Universe program. TAROT is a fully autonomous 25cm telescope located at the Calern station of the Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur in France. Since its primary objective is the detection of the optical counterpart of cosmic gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), it features a very rapid (up to 80 deg./sec.) mount, and a wide field of view (2 deg.). Because the occurrence of GRBs is rather low, TAROT is used for other studies, including variable stars and orbital debris. For Education and Public Outreach, TAROT may be used in two ways. 1) full control of the telescope can be taken through a web interface, including the remote monitoring of housekeeping, weather conditions, control of auxiliary equipment (lamps, temperature setting...) and direct viewing of the telescope and of its surroundings; 2) a powerful web interface allows to send requests for observations; this enable efficient scheduling of the telescope and observation of sources in optimal conditions, including for repeated observations of the same location, e.g. for variable stars. As soon as the 2k x 2k images are taken, they are processed, background searches for variability are made, and the data is available through a web interface. All these products may be used or viewed even with a 56kbps modem connection. Getting the FITS files (instead of jpeg) requires however a rapid connection, e.g. an ADSL. TAROT allows both for direct demonstrations of the possibilities of remote controlled instruments, for the simultaneous monitoring of sources from the ground and space, and for the long term studies in the framework of a scientific project. As an example, the study of orbital debris may be an introduction to an actual problem for space policy and an explanation of the gravitation

  20. Revealing the Universe to Our Community: NMSU's Society of Astronomy Students' Dedication to Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maldonado, Mercedes; Rees, S.; Medina, A.; Beasley, D.; Campos, A.; Chanover, N. J.; Uckert, K.; McKeever, J.

    2014-01-01

    The New Mexico State University (NMSU) Society of Astronomy Students (SAS) is an undergraduate organization centered on students’ passions for learning and sharing knowledge about the field of astronomy. The SAS strives to become one of the most active clubs on the NMSU campus by their involvement in both astronomy and non-astronomy related public outreach and community service events. NMSU is located in Las Cruces, NM, where Clyde Tombaugh made great contributions both to the field of astronomy and to our local community. He was able to spark the community's interest in astronomy and science in general; this is an aspect of his career that the SAS strives to emulate. To do this, the SAS participates in community outreach events with the goal of stimulating curiosity and providing opportunities for the public to observe and understand exciting phenomenon occurring in our universe. With help from the NMSU Astronomy Department, the SAS is able to volunteer alongside the Astronomy Graduate Student Organization (AGSO) at events for people of all ages. Working jointly with the AGSO allows us to be mentored by the very students who were in our shoes not long ago; they educate us about the wonders of the universe, just as we wish to educate the community. This provides an enlightening and enriching environment for both club and community members. The NMSU Astronomy Department hosts events for the entire community, such as observing nights held at Tombaugh Observatory — which SAS members attend and help advertise — where community members learn about and view objects in the night sky through telescopes. SAS members assist with field trips where local middle and elementary school students attend presentations and participate in astronomy-related activities on the NMSU campus. These hands-on activities are presented in an understandable way, and are meant to increase appreciation for all of the exciting subjects our universe has to offer. Other outreach events include

  1. 42 CFR 457.90 - Outreach.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS (SCHIPs) ALLOTMENTS AND GRANTS TO STATES Introduction; State Plans for Child Health Insurance Programs and Outreach Strategies § 457.90 Outreach. (a) Procedures required. A... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Outreach. 457.90 Section 457.90 Public Health...

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  3. 78 FR 57409 - U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Public Outreach

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-09-18

    .... Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Public Outreach AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior... Industries Transparency Initiative (USEITI) candidacy application. By this notice, Interior is providing the...' commitment to participate in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. EITI is a signature...

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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.

  5. Renewable Microgrid STEM Education & Colonias Outreach Program

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None, None

    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 energymore » 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.« less

  6. The Swift MIDEX Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  7. Outreach to Space Scientists Interested in K-12 Education

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morrow, Cherilynn A

    1998-01-01

    This is the final report for work on outreach to space scientists interested in k-12 education. It outlines what was accomplished during the two years of support and one year no-cost extension (October 1995-September 1998).

  8. The Digital Planetarium: A New Frontier of Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buick, David; Pailevanian, T.; Harootonian, S.; Garibyan, A.; Krestow, J.

    2013-01-01

    Inspiring youth to pursue the STEM fields is a vital aspect of modern society. Not only does a digital planetarium provide the catalyst to spark the minds of children, but to an assortment of age groups, in a variety of mediums. A digital planetarium is a versatile theatrical environment that can be used for a variety of purposes. The digital planetarium at Glendale Community College is the shining star of the campus. Its ability to satisfy the needs of multiple departments such as, the physical sciences, the biological sciences, the arts, and the foreign languages has become the sharpest tool for public outreach. In this poster we will be discussing the several uses of Glendale Community College’s digital planetarium as well as the programs used to implement them. The central functions of the digital planetarium includes: educational shows, college classes, and entertainment. Educational shows consist of visiting grade school groups, as well as afternoon shows about a specific astronomical topics, which are open to the public. The planetarium is also used to allow Glendale Community College students to see a visual representation of the current curriculum covered in their courses, such as astronomy, organic chemistry, and geology. The true ingenuity and flexibility of the planetarium is the software. Digital Sky allows for the projection of rendered of movies, 3D modeling and student art in the appropriate formats, onto the dome. The digital planetarium is a wonderful tool used to assist, reach out to and display the majesty and complexity of the sciences in an innovative and dynamic method.

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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.

  10. Education and Outreach Opportunities in New Astronomical Facilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  13. The NASA Astrobiology Institute: A Decade of Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scalice, Daniella

    The mission statement of the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) charts a course to establishing astrobiology as a new and influential field of scientific inquiry. It integrates world class, interdisciplinary research with training for the next generation of astrobiologists. It enables collaboration between distributed research teams by prioritizing the use of modern information technologies, and empowers astrobiologists to provide leadership for space missions. But this unique vision would not have been complete without the inclusion of an Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program. Over the past ten years, NAI's E/PO program has taken shape - from bootstrapping in the early days, to partnering with the likes of Disney and PBS - in pursuit of inspiring young people onto the scientific path. The E/PO program's highly collaborative group of education specialists has worked with museums, national parks, filmmakers, radio broadcasters, families, teachers, and students to ensure that the bright young faces of today find themselves in the labs of tomorrow's astrobiologists.

  14. Insights from a national survey into why substance abuse treatment units add prevention and outreach services

    PubMed Central

    Wells, Rebecca; Lemak, Christy Harris; D'Aunno, Thomas A

    2006-01-01

    Background Previous studies have found that even limited prevention-related interventions can affect health behaviors such as substance use and risky sex. Substance abuse treatment providers are ideal candidates to provide these services, but typically have little or no financial incentive to do so. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore why some substance abuse treatment units have added new prevention and outreach services. Based on an ecological framework of organizational strategy, three categories of predictors were tested: (1) environmental, (2) unit-level, and (3) unit leadership. Results A lagged cross-sectional logistic model of 450 outpatient substance abuse treatment units revealed that local per capita income, mental health center affiliation, and clinical supervisors' graduate degrees were positively associated with likelihood of adding prevention-related education and outreach services. Managed care contracts and methadone treatment were negatively associated with addition of these services. No hospital-affiliated agencies added prevention and outreach services during the study period. Conclusion Findings supported the study's ecological perspective on organizational strategy, with factors at environmental, unit, and unit leadership levels associated with additions of prevention and outreach services. Among the significant predictors, ties to managed care payers and unit leadership graduate education emerge as potential leverage points for public policy. In the current sample, units with managed care contracts were less likely to add prevention and outreach services. This is not surprising, given managed care's emphasis on cost control. However, the association with this payment source suggests that public managed care programs might affects prevention and outreach differently through revised incentives. Specifically, government payers could explicitly compensate substance abuse treatment units in managed care contracts for prevention and

  15. Insights from a national survey into why substance abuse treatment units add prevention and outreach services.

    PubMed

    Wells, Rebecca; Lemak, Christy Harris; D'Aunno, Thomas A

    2006-08-03

    Previous studies have found that even limited prevention-related interventions can affect health behaviors such as substance use and risky sex. Substance abuse treatment providers are ideal candidates to provide these services, but typically have little or no financial incentive to do so. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore why some substance abuse treatment units have added new prevention and outreach services. Based on an ecological framework of organizational strategy, three categories of predictors were tested: (1) environmental, (2) unit-level, and (3) unit leadership. A lagged cross-sectional logistic model of 450 outpatient substance abuse treatment units revealed that local per capita income, mental health center affiliation, and clinical supervisors' graduate degrees were positively associated with likelihood of adding prevention-related education and outreach services. Managed care contracts and methadone treatment were negatively associated with addition of these services. No hospital-affiliated agencies added prevention and outreach services during the study period. Findings supported the study's ecological perspective on organizational strategy, with factors at environmental, unit, and unit leadership levels associated with additions of prevention and outreach services. Among the significant predictors, ties to managed care payers and unit leadership graduate education emerge as potential leverage points for public policy. In the current sample, units with managed care contracts were less likely to add prevention and outreach services. This is not surprising, given managed care's emphasis on cost control. However, the association with this payment source suggests that public managed care programs might affects prevention and outreach differently through revised incentives. Specifically, government payers could explicitly compensate substance abuse treatment units in managed care contracts for prevention and outreach. The effects of

  16. Outreach Education Modules on Space Sciences in Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  17. The Evolution of the Penn State University Astronomy Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palma, C.; Charlton, J. C.

    2008-06-01

    The Penn State Dept. of Astronomy & Astrophysics has a long tradition of outreach. Faculty, students, and staff all participate as volunteers to create and deliver a variety of outreach programming to diverse audiences, including for example K-12 students, K-12 teachers, and senior citizens, in addition to open events that invite all members of the general public to attend. In the past four years, the University and the Department have provided institutional support for science outreach efforts. Many of our programs also receive financial support through NASA Education and Public outreach awards and through NSF awards to PSU Astronomy faculty. We actively collaborate with the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium, the Penn State Center for Science and the Schools, four local school districts, and our colleagues from other science disciplines at the University. With this set of partners we are able to continue to innovate and offer new outreach programming annually. In this poster, we present an overview of the variety of outreach programs offered recently and those in the development stages. We describe how each program fits into the Department and University structure. In this way we provide a case study of a large, dynamic, university-based astronomy outreach venture.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Austin, Carmen; Calahan, Jenny; Resi Baucco, Alexandria; Bullivant, Christopher William; Eckley, Ross; Ekstrom, W. Haydon; Fitzpatrick, M. Ryleigh; Genovese, Taylor Fay; Impey, Chris David; Libby, Kaitlin; McCaw, Galen; Olmedo, Alexander N.; Ritter, Joshua; Wenger, Matthew; Williams, Stephanie

    2017-01-01

    Active Galactic Videos is an astronomy-focused YouTube channel run by a team at the University of Arizona. The channel has two main purposes: to produce educational content for public audiences, and to learn about astronomy and to open a window into the world of professional astronomy by showcasing the work done at Steward Observatory and in Southern Arizona. Our team consists of faculty, staff, and 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, educational practice, and science communication while developing the practical skills needed to write, film, score, direct, and edit videos that effectively engage and teach viewers about topics in astronomy. The team has produced various styles of video: presentational, interviews, musical/poetic, 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, this poster will present a 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, and astronomy communication and outreach in general.

  19. Expanding public outreach: The solar system ambassadors program.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferrari, K.

    The Solar System Ambassadors Program is a public outreach program sponsored by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California designed to work with motivated volunteers across the nation. These competitively selected volunteers or- ganize and conduct public events that communicate exciting discoveries and plans in Solar System research, exploration and technology through non_traditional forums; e.g. community service clubs, libraries, museums, planetariums, "star parties," mall displays, etc. In this talk I will give an overview of the program and discuss lessons learned. The Solar System Ambassadors Program is , 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)

  20. Google's Geo Education Outreach: Results and Discussion of Outreach Trip to Alaskan High Schools.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kolb, E. J.; Bailey, J.; Bishop, A.; Cain, J.; Goddard, M.; Hurowitz, K.; Kennedy, K.; Ornduff, T.; Sfraga, M.; Wernecke, J.

    2008-12-01

    The focus of Google's Geo Education outreach efforts (http://www.google.com/educators/geo.html) is on helping primary, secondary, and post-secondary educators incorporate Google Earth and Sky, Google Maps, and SketchUp into their classroom lessons. In partnership with the University of Alaska, our Geo Education team members visited several remote Alaskan high schools during a one-week period in September. At each school, we led several 40-minute hands-on learning sessions in which Google products were used by the students to investigate local geologic and environmental processes. For the teachers, we provided several resources including follow-on lesson plans, example KML-based lessons, useful URL's, and website resources that multiple users can contribute to. This talk will highlight results of the trip and discuss how educators can access and use Google's Geo Education resources.

  1. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Engaging K-12 Educators, Students, and the General Public in Space Science Exploration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    The session "Engaging K-12 Educators, Students, and the General Public in Space Science Exploration" included the following reports:Training Informal Educators Provides Leverage for Space Science Education and Public Outreach; Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education: K-12 Teacher Retention, Renewal, and Involvement in Professional Science; Telling the Tale of Two Deserts: Teacher Training and Utilization of a New Standards-based, Bilingual E/PO Product; Lindstrom M. M. Tobola K. W. Stocco K. Henry M. Allen J. S. McReynolds J. Porter T. T. Veile J. Space Rocks Tell Their Secrets: Space Science Applications of Physics and Chemistry for High School and College Classes -- Update; Utilizing Mars Data in Education: Delivering Standards-based Content by Exposing Educators and Students to Authentic Scientific Opportunities and Curriculum; K. E. Little Elementary School and the Young Astronaut Robotics Program; Integrated Solar System Exploration Education and Public Outreach: Theme, Products and Activities; and Online Access to the NEAR Image Collection: A Resource for Educators and Scientists.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  3. Advancing Heliophysics Student Research and Public Outreach in an Urban Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, L. P.; Ng, C.; Marchese, P.; Austin, S. A.; Frost, J.; Cheung, T. K.; Tremberger, G.; Robbins, I.; Paglione, T.; Damas, C.; Steiner, J. C.; Rudolph, E.; Carlson, B. E.; Lewis, E.; Cline, T. D.; Zalava-Gutierrez, R.; Howard, A.; Morris, P. A.; Reiff, P. H.; Scalzo, F.; Chow, Y.; Stewart, A.; Zamor, P.; Brathwaite, K.; Barley, R.; Tulsee, T.

    2012-12-01

    During 2012, City University of New York (CUNY) and NASA Goddard Space Fight Center (GSFC) Heliophysics Research and Education Consortium centered on faculty and undergraduate research, as well as public outreach. Research areas spanned Heliophysics from solar surface to Earth's magnetosphere/ionosphere, microsatellite development for ionospheric experiments and climate change investigations. The Summer 2012 research teams were located at CUNY campuses and GSFC. Fourteen undergraduate students participated; four are female and eleven are underrepresented minorities. Topics included: Analyzing the Links Between Aurora Borealis, Magnetic Reconnection, and Substorms; Solar Energy Upsurge in 2012-Jun Active Region 1520 with 2010-Jun Active Region 1108 Calibration; Solar Limb Active Region 1515 Analysis and Coronal Heating; Testing Solar Energetic Particle Origin Through COMPTEL Small X-Ray Line Flares; Investigation of Sunspot Regions connection to Coronal Mass Ejections and Solar Flares; A Study of the Stratospheric Aerosols on Jupiter Using Hubble Space Telescope Data; An Integration and Testing Methodology for a Nanosatellite; Software Architecture for Autonomous Control; Combining Passive Polarimetric Remote Sensing and Advanced Measurements of Lidar Intensive Variables in Vertically Resolved Aerosol Retrievals; Tropospheric Ozone Investigations in New York City; The Effects of the Arctic, North Atlantic and El Niño-Southern Oscillation on Climate in the New York Metropolitan Area; Fluctuation Analysis of Magnetic Tornadoes Simulation Model; Ocean Mixing Models Parameterization for Climate Studies; and Analyses of Colloidal Leachate Recovered from Field- and Laboratory-Experiments on Bio-reacted Mining Waste. Public outreach activities included Space Weather workshops, for high school teachers and undergraduate students, conducted by GSFC Space Weather Action Center scientist and a week of CUNY-wide activities for Sun-Earth Day conducted by CUNY faculty and

  4. Caring for Kids: Bridging Gaps in Pediatric Emergency Care Through Community Education and Outreach.

    PubMed

    Luckstead-Gosdin, Ann; Vinson, Lori; Greenwell, Cynthia; Tweed, Jefferson

    2017-06-01

    The Pediatric Emergency Services Network (PESN) was developed to provide ongoing continuing education on pediatric guidelines and pediatric emergency care to rural and nonpediatric hospitals, physicians, nurses, and emergency personnel. A survey was developed and given to participants attending PESN educational events to determine the perceived benefit and application to practice of the PESN outreach program. Overall, 91% of participants surveyed reported agreement that PESN educational events were beneficial to their clinical practice, provided them with new knowledge, and made them more knowledgeable about pediatric emergency care. Education and outreach programs can be beneficial to health care workers' educational needs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. An Analysis of Educational Outreach by Ohio Theatres.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leptak, Jeffrey; Heimlich, Joe E.

    A descriptive research study of the educational outreach activities conducted by Ohio theatres used a mail questionnaire to survey the 36 professional and large community theatres within the state. Thirty responded, for a response rate of 83.3 percent. For each theatre, the instrument sought information on the kind of theatre, the number of staff,…

  6. Education and Outreach Programs at the Reagan Library.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

  7. Community-Wide Education Outreach for the Ridge2000 Research Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goehring, E.

    2004-12-01

    Ridge2000 is a multidisciplinary NSF sponsored research initiative to explore Earth's spreading ridge system as an integrated whole. The Ridge2000 community is comprised of scientists from universities and research institutions across the country. Building on existing exemplary outreach efforts (e.g., REVEL, Dive&Discover, Volcanoes of the Deep Sea IMAX), Ridge2000 education outreach has begun to develop community-wide education offerings - programs to which Ridge2000 scientists and others may contribute. Community-wide efforts offer the advantages of serving larger audiences of scientists as well as educators and students and providing avenues for scientists interested in education outreach but with limited time or experience. Coordination of researchers' educational efforts also better leverages the resources of the funding agency - NSF. Here we discuss an exciting Ridge2000 pilot program called SEAS - Student Experiments At Sea. SEAS is a web-based program for middle and high school students to learn science by doing science. SEAS students study the exciting, relatively unexplored world of hydrothermal vents and learn to ask questions about this environment just as researchers do. SEAS goes beyond "follow-along" outreach by inviting students to participate in research through formal proposal and report competitions. The program was concept-tested during the 2003-2004 academic year, with 14 pilot teachers and approximately 800 students. Five student experiments were conducted at sea, with data posted to the website during the cruise. Student reports as well as scientist comments are posted there as well (http://www.ridge2000.org/SEAS/). It was an exciting year! Over 20 Ridge2000 scientists contributed their time and expertise to the SEAS program in its first year. Scientists are invited to contribute in a variety of ways, all of which help satisfy the requirement's of NSF's Broader Impacts Criterion. They may help develop curriculum topics, consult on

  8. Visualizing Geographic Data in Google Earth for Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martin, D. J.; Treves, R.

    2008-12-01

    Google Earth is an excellent tool to help students and the public visualize scientific data as with low technical skill scientific content can be shown in three dimensions against a background of remotely sensed imagery. It therefore has a variety of uses in university education and as a tool for public outreach. However, in both situations it is of limited value if it is only used to attract attention with flashy three dimensional animations. In this poster we shall illustrate several applications that represent what we believe is good educational practice. The first example shows how the combination of a floor map and a projection of Google Earth on a screen can be used to produce active learning. Students are asked to imagine where they would build a house on Big Island Hawaii in order to avoid volcanic hazards. In the second example Google Earth is used to illustrate evidence over a range of scales in a description of Lake Agassiz flood events which would be more difficult to comprehend in a traditional paper based format. In the final example a simple text manipulation application "TMapper" is used to change the color palette of a thematic map generated by the students in Google Earth to teach them about the use of color in map design.

  9. The Wonders of Physics Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sprott, J. C.; Mirus, K. A.; Newman, D. E.; Watts, C.; Feeley, R. E.; Fernandez, E.; Fontana, P. W.; Krajewski, T.; Lovell, T. W.; Oliva, S.; Stoneking, M. R.; Thomas, M. A.; Jaimison, W.; Maas, K.; Milbrandt, R.; Mullman, K.; Narf, S.; Nesnidal, R.; Nonn, P.

    1996-11-01

    One important step toward public education about fusion energy is to first elevate the public's appreciation of science in general. Toward this end, the Wonders of Physics program was started at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1984 as a public lecture and demonstration series in an attempt to stem a growing tide of science illiteracy and to bolster the public's perception of the scientific enterprise. Since that time, it has grown into a public outreach endeavor which consists of a traveling demonstration show, educational pamphlets, videos, software, a website (http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/wop.htm), and the annual public lecture demonstration series including tours highlighting the Madison Symmetric Torus and departmental facilities. The presentation has been made about 400 times to a total audience in excess of 50,000. Sample educational materials and Lecture Kits will be available at the poster session. Currently at Oak Ridge National Laboratories. Currently at Max Planck Institut fuer Plasmaphysik. *Currently at Johnson Controls.

  10. 76 FR 2150 - NASA Advisory Council; Education and Public Outreach Committee; Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-12

    ... Outreach Committee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC). DATES: Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m... Recommendations Status Joint Recommendation with the NAC Commercial Space Committee Committee Work Plan Action...

  11. The Gaia mission a rich resource for outreach activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    O'Flaherty, K. S.; Douglas, J.; Prusti, T.

    2008-07-01

    Space science missions, and astronomy missions in particular, capture the public imagination at all levels. ESA's Gaia mission is no exception to this. In addition to its key scientific goal of providing new insight into the origin, formation, and evolution of the Milky Way, Gaia also touches on many other scientific topics of broad appeal, for example, solar system objects, stars (including rare and exotic ones), dark matter, gravitational light bending. The mission naturally provides a rich resource for outreach possibilities whether it be to the general public, or to specific interest groups, such as scientists from other fields or educators. We present some examples of possible outreach activities for Gaia.

  12. The Cosmic Ray Observatory Project in Nebraska and Public Outreach for the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Snow, Gregory

    2005-04-01

    The Cosmic Ray Observatory Project (CROP) is a statewide education and research experiment involving Nebraska high school students, teachers, and college undergraduates in the study of extensive cosmic-ray air showers. A network of high school teams construct, install, and operate school-based detectors in coordination with University of Nebraska physics professors and graduate students. The detector system at each school is an array of scintillation counters recycled from the Chicago Air Shower Array in weather-proof enclosures on the school roof, with a GPS receiver providing a time stamp for cosmic-ray events. The detectors are connected to triggering electronics and a data-acquisition PC inside the building. Students share data via the Internet to search for time coincidences with other sites. CROP has enlisted 26 schools in its first 5 years of operation with the aim of expanding to the 314 high schools in the state over the next several years. The presenter also serves as the Task Leader for Education and Outreach for the Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory, and selected public outreach activities related to the experiment will be described.

  13. Expanding geothermal resource utilization through directed research, education, and public outreach: Final Technical Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Calvin, Wendy

    The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) conducts research and outreach activities that will lead to increased utilization of geothermal resources in the western US. The Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy (GBCGE) is working in partnership with US industry to establish geothermal energy as a sustainable, environmentally sound, economically competitive contributor to energy supply in the western US. Task 1 involves conducting geoscience and engineering research and developing technology to improve the assessment, exploration, and stimulation of geothermal resources. Subtask projects were selected based on peer review of proposals submitted to the GBCGE from Nevada System of High Education (NSHE)more » institutions for short project development and seed awards intended to develop background and establish viability of approaches for future activities. Task 2 includes project management and organization of workshops periodically requested by DOE and others to satisfy other mission goals of the GBCGE and the DOE geothermal program. GBCGE supports interaction with national and international geothermal organizations, with brochures, presentations, and materials describing GBCGE accomplishments and current research. We continue to maintain and develop an internet-based information system that makes geothermal data and information available to industry, government, and academic stakeholders for exploration and development of geothermal resources. This award also partially supported post-doctoral scholar Drew Siler and research scientist Betsy Littlefield Pace whose effort is included under developing future research projects. Task 2 also focuses on education and outreach through a competitive graduate fellowship program. The budget is for two-year stipends for three graduate students to work collaboratively with GBCGE faculty on Master’s or PhD degrees in geoscience and engineering fields. This grant supported three MS students in full for two years toward the degree

  14. Graduate Students Unite! Building an Outreach Program From Scratch

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reif, C.; Labonte, A.

    2005-12-01

    In the spring of 2000, a group of graduate students at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) gathered and declared the need to facilitate participation in science education outreach. The result was the formation of the Scripps Community Outreach Program for Education (SCOPE, http://sioscope.ucsd.edu). SCOPE has been connecting SIO graduate students, faculty, and staff with existing outreach programs in the San Diego area ever since. While many scientists would like to commit some time to helping the general public understand the world around them, they often do not know where to begin. To make this connection, SCOPE holds meetings and operates an email listserv to announce upcoming outreach opportunities and sign up volunteers. Over the years, SCOPE has developed relationships with local science outreach groups, outreach events, schools, and teachers. There are usually at least two volunteer opportunities a month, some of which take place on the SIO campus itself. These opportunities include speaking to senior citizens, participating in a school career day, mentoring National Ocean Science Bowl teams, providing tours of SIO to minority middle and high school students, and just about anything else one can imagine. The opportunities are coordinated by one or two graduate students who graciously volunteer their time to make sure that community's and the scientist's needs are met. To keep such an organization running requires not only networking with the community but also networking within the university as well. It is necessary to keep in contact with other outreach groups on campus as well as the communication and development offices. In addition we have worked closely with the Birch Aquarium at Scripps and have played an important part of the California Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE, http://www.cacosee.net). We believe that SCOPE has been very successful and would like to share the lessons we have learned with interested members of the

  15. Engaging the Geodetic and Geoscience Communities in EarthScope Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Charlevoix, D. J.; Berg, M.; Morris, A. R.; Olds, S. E.

    2013-12-01

    UNAVCO is NSF's geodetic facility and operates as a university-governed consortium dedicated to facilitating geoscience research and education, including the support of EarthScope. The Education and Community Engagement program at UNAVCO provides support for broader impacts both externally to the broader University and EarthScope community as well as internally to the UNAVCO. During the first 10 years of EarthScope UNAVCO has engaged in outreach and education activities across the EarthScope footprint ranging from outreach to formal and informal educators and interpreters, to technical training for university faculty and researchers. UNAVCO works jointly with the EarthScope National Office and IRIS while simultaneously maintaining and developing an independent engagement and education program. UNAVCO provides training in the form of technical short courses to researchers including graduate students and early-career professionals, and conducts educational workshops for K-12 educators. A suite of educational materials focused on the integration of EarthScope data into curriculum materials is available from UNAVCO and will soon expand the undergraduate offerings to include a broader suite of geodesy applications activities for undergraduate students. UNAVCO provides outreach materials and in support of EarthScope including summaries of research project and campaign highlights, science snapshots featuring summaries of scientific advancements made possible by UNAVCO services and non-technical communications via social media. UNAVCO also provides undergraduate students exposure to EarthScope science research participation in a year-long research internship managed by UNAVCO (Research Experiences in Solid Earth Science for Students - RESESS).

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  17. Public outreach at the Soudan Underground Laboratory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gran, Richard

    2016-04-01

    There are many facets to the outreach program at the Soudan Underground Laboratory, currently host to the MINOS neutrino oscillation experiment and the Cryogenic Dark Matter experiment, plus a number of smaller experiments in the Low Background Counting Facility. The main focus is on twice daily public tours, operated in coordination with the Soudan Underground State Park and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, who also operate undergound tours of the historical iron mining area. Another important component is the undergraduate interns and high school teachers who lead the tours. They also participate in the operation and/or analysis of the experiments hosted at the mine.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  19. Global Public Water Education: The World Water Monitoring Day Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Araya, Yoseph Negusse; Moyer, Edward H.

    2006-01-01

    Public awareness of the impending world water crisis is an important prerequisite to create a responsible citizenship capable of participating to improve world water management. In this context, the case of a unique global water education outreach exercise, World Water Monitoring Day of October 18, is presented. Started in 2002 in the United…

  20. Using the WWW to Make YOHKOH SXT Images Available to the Public: The YOHKOH Public Outreach Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Larson, M.; McKenzie, D.; Slater, T.; Acton, L.; Alexander, D.; Freeland, S.; Lemen, J.; Metcalf, T.

    1997-05-01

    The Yohkoh Public Outreach Project (YPOP) is funded by NASA as one of the Information Infrastructure Technology and Applications Cooperative Agreement Teams to create public access to high quality Yohkoh SXT data via the World Wide Web. These products are being made available to the scientific research community, K-12 schools, and informal education centers including planetaria, museums, and libraries. The project aims to utilize the intrinsic excitement of the SXT data, and in particular the SXT movies, to develop science learning tools and classroom activities. The WWW site at URL: http://www.space.lockheed.com/YPOP/ uses a movie theater theme to highlight available Yohkoh movies in a non-intimidating and entertaining format for non-scientists. The site features lesson plans, 'solar' activities, slide shows and, of course, a variety of movies about the Sun. Classroom activities are currently undergoing development with a team of scientists and K-12 teachers for distribution in late 1997. We will display the products currently online, which include a solar classroom with activities for teachers, background resources, and a virtual tour of our Sun.

  1. Z-2 Space Suit: A Case Study in Human Spaceflight Public Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McFarland, S. M.

    2016-01-01

    NASA Johnson Space Center's Z-series of planetary space suit prototypes is an iterative development platform with a Mars-forward design philosophy, targeting a Mars surface mission in the mid-2030s. The first space suit assembly, called the Z-1, was delivered in 2012. While meeting the project's stated requirements and objectives, the general public's reception primarily focused on the color scheme, which vaguely invoked similarity to a certain animated cartoon character. The public at large has and continues to be exposed to varying space suit design aesthetics from popular culture and low TRL technology maturation efforts such as mechanical counter-pressure. The lesson learned was that while the design aesthetic is not important from an engineering perspective, the perception of the public is important for NASA and human spaceflight in general. For the Z-2 space suit, an integrated public outreach strategy was employed to engage, excite and educate the public on the current technology of space suits and NASA's plans moving forward. The keystone of this strategy was a public vote on three different suit cover layer aesthetics, the winner of which would be used as inspiration in fabrication. Other components included social media, university collaboration, and select media appearances, the cumulative result of which, while intangible in its benefit, was ultimately a positive effect in terms of the image of NASA as well as the dissemination of information vital to dispelling public misconceptions.

  2. Z-2 Space Suit: A Case Study in Human Spaceflight Public Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McFarland, Shane M.

    2016-01-01

    NASA Johnson Space Center's Z-series of planetary space suit prototypes is an iterative development platform with a Mars-forward design philosophy, targeting a Mars surface mission in the mid-2030s. The first space suit assembly, called the Z-1, was delivered in 2012. While meeting the project's stated requirements and objectives, the general public's reception primarily focused on the color scheme, which vaguely invoked similarity to a certain animated cartoon character. The public at large has and continues to be exposed to varying space suit design aesthetics from popular culture and low TRL technology maturation efforts such as mechanical counterpressure. The lesson learned was that while the design aesthetic is not important from an engineering perspective, the perception of the public is important for NASA and human spaceflight in general. For the Z-2 space suit, an integrated public outreach strategy was employed to engage, excite and educate the public on the current technology of space suits and NASA's plans moving forward. The keystone of this strategy was a public vote on three different suit cover layer aesthetics, the winner of which would be used as inspiration in fabrication. Other components included social media, university collaboration, and select media appearances, the cumulative result of which, while intangible in its benefit, was ultimately a positive effect in terms of the image of NASA as well as the dissemination of information vital to dispelling public misconceptions.

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

    2013-01-01

    We outline the context and overall philosophy for the combined Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program, present a brief overview of all SDO E/PO programs along with more detailed highlights of a few key programs, followed by a review of our results to date, conclude a summary of the successes, failures, and lessons learned, which future missions can use as a guide, while incorporating their own content to enhance the public's knowledge and appreciation of science and technology as well as its benefit to society.

  4. HTA educational outreach program and change the equation participation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  5. The NuSTAR Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cominsky, Lynn R.; McLin, K. M.; NuSTAR Team

    2010-01-01

    The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is a NASA Small Explorer mission led by Caltech, managed by JPL, and implemented by an international team of scientists and engineers, under the direction of CalTech Professor Fiona Harrison, principal investigator. NuSTAR is a pathfinder mission that will open the high-energy X-ray sky for sensitive study for the first time. By focusing X-rays at higher energies (up to 79 keV) NuSTAR will answer fundamental questions about the Universe: How are black holes distributed through the cosmos? How were the elements that compose our bodies and the Earth forged in the explosions of massive stars? What powers the most extreme active galaxies? Perhaps most exciting is the opportunity to fill a blank map with wonders we have not yet dreamed of: NuSTAR offers the opportunity to explore our Universe in an entirely new way. The purpose of the NuSTAR E/PO program is to increase student and public understanding of the science of the high-energy Universe, by capitalizing on the synergy of existing high-energy astrophysics E/PO programs to support the mission's objectives. Our goals are to: facilitate understanding of the nature of collapsed objects, develop awareness of the role of supernovae in creating the chemical elements and to facilitate understanding of the physical properties of the extreme Universe. We will do this through a program that includes educator workshops through NASA's Astrophysics Educator Ambassador program, by writing articles for Physics Teacher and Science Scope magazines to reach a broader community of educators, and by working with informal educators through museums and planetaria to develop an exhibit that includes a model of NuSTAR and describes the mission's science objectives. We will also develop printed materials such as a mission factsheet that describes the mission.

  6. The NuSTAR Education and Public Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cominsky, Lynn R.; McLin, K. M.; NuSTAR Team

    2010-03-01

    NuSTAR is a NASA Small Explorer mission led by Caltech, managed by JPL, and implemented by an international team of scientists and engineers, under the direction of CalTech Professor Fiona Harrison, principal investigator. NuSTAR is a pathfinder mission that will open the high-energy X-ray sky for sensitive study for the first time. By focusing X-rays at higher energies (up to 79 keV) NuSTAR will answer fundamental questions about the Universe: How are black holes distributed through the cosmos? How were the elements that compose our bodies and the Earth forged in the explosions of massive stars? What powers the most extreme active galaxies? Perhaps most exciting is the opportunity to fill a blank map with wonders we have not yet dreamed of: NuSTAR offers the opportunity to explore our Universe in an entirely new way. The purpose of the NuSTAR E/PO program is to increase student and public understanding of the science of the high-energy Universe, by capitalizing on the synergy of existing high-energy astrophysics E/PO programs to support the mission's objectives. Our goals are to: facilitate understanding of the nature of collapsed objects, develop awareness of the role of supernovae in creating the chemical elements and to facilitate understanding of the physical properties of the extreme Universe. We will do this through a program that includes educator workshops through NASA's Astrophysics Educator Ambassador program, by writing articles for Physics Teacher and Science Scope magazines to reach a broader community of educators, and by working with informal educators through museums and planetaria to develop an exhibit that includes a model of NuSTAR and describes the mission's science objectives. We will also develop printed materials such as a mission factsheet that describes the mission.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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?

  8. Public Library Services and Outreach for the Homeless Population in Ohio.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lichtenberg, Evelyn

    This investigative study, through a questionnaire survey, was conducted to determine if public libraries in Ohio saw a need for library programs/outreach to the homeless, and if, indeed, any libraries had a structured program to serve the special needs of the homeless population. One library from each Ohio county was selected through systematic…

  9. Improving Outreach and Surveillance Efforts Following a Large-Scale Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Wisconsin.

    PubMed

    Creswell, Paul D; Vogt, Christy M; Wozniak, Ryan J; Camponeschi, Jenny; Werner, Mark A; Meiman, Jonathan G

    In December 2014, the largest carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in Wisconsin's history occurred at an ice arena. Following this event, the Wisconsin Environmental Public Health Tracking (WI EPHT) Program sought to improve outreach and surveillance efforts. WI EPHT designed and distributed educational materials on CO poisoning prevention and surveyed stakeholders to gauge the effectiveness of outreach efforts. To enhance surveillance, WI EPHT utilized data from the Wisconsin Poison Center (WPC) to generate real-time alerts of anomalous numbers of CO-related calls. WI EPHT found that 42% of stakeholders reviewed the outreach materials, and 1 ice arena had installed a CO detector as a result. CO alerts were developed using WPC data and are now routinely used in statewide public health surveillance. WI EPHT staff improved CO poisoning prevention outreach and saw a positive response among stakeholders. This work demonstrates ways that health agencies can improve outreach and surveillance for CO poisoning. Improvements in these areas can bolster public health response and may prevent CO-related illness and injury.

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

  11. An Alliance of Professionals and Amateurs for the Development of Earth and Space Science Education and Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geller, H. A.; Olin, C.

    2002-05-01

    To enhance planetary and space science education within Fairfax County, Virginia, George Mason University (GMU) Department of Physics and Astronomy is teamed with the Analemma Society, to implement an astronomy-based education and outreach program in conjunction with K-12 educators of Fairfax County and its standards-based curriculum. A subset of astronomers in the Department of Physics and Astronomy has been assembled to work with members of the Analemma Society and K-12 educators in this effort. The tools to be developed and utilized will be housed within an existing observatory at Turner Farm Park in Great Falls, Virginia. The observatory is being refurbished by the Analemma Society in association with the Fairfax County Parks Authority. Support buildings are also being planned. The land that the observatory is on was originally federal government land used by the military in the Cold War Era. Remote operations of the telescope, via an internet link, will allow for a wide distribution of the images obtained by the observatory telescope. Other unique characteristics of the Observatory Park will be a sundial garden that will include other ancient astronomy instruments. Observatory Park will serve as a focal point for astronomical and space science related activities. Observing time at the telescope will be jointly managed by GMU, the Analemma Society and participating amateur astronomers. Important opportunities suitable for nonprofessional studies of the Sun, Moon and stars will be encouraged. We will take advantage of peer-peer contacts within the school system, and broker information to the widest possible public audience. Once seed funding is secured, we will enlist other professional astronomers and local amateur astronomy organizations. To further leverage our experiences, we plan to present papers to professional societies describing how we pulled our team together for the purpose of generating interest in Earth and space sciences.

  12. NASA and Earth Science Week: a Model for Engaging Scientists and Engineers in Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schwerin, T. G.; deCharon, A.; Brown de Colstoun, E. C.; Chambers, L. H.; Woroner, M.; Taylor, J.; Callery, S.; Jackson, R.; Riebeek, H.; Butcher, G. J.

    2014-12-01

    Earth Science Week (ESW) - the 2nd full week in October - is a national and international event to help the public, particularly educators and students, gain a better understanding and appreciation for the Earth sciences. The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) organizes ESW, along with partners including NASA, using annual themes (e.g., the theme for 2014 is Earth's Connected Systems). ESW provides a unique opportunity for NASA scientists and engineers across multiple missions and projects to share NASA STEM, their personal stories and enthusiasm to engage and inspire the next generation of Earth explorers. Over the past five years, NASA's ESW campaign has been planned and implemented by a cross-mission/cross-project group, led by the NASA Earth Science Education and Pubic Outreach Forum, and utilizing a wide range of media and approaches (including both English- and Spanish-language events and content) to deliver NASA STEM to teachers and students. These included webcasts, social media (blogs, twitter chats, Google+ hangouts, Reddit Ask Me Anything), videos, printed and online resources, and local events and visits to classrooms. Dozens of NASA scientists, engineers, and communication and education specialists contribute and participate each year. This presentation will provide more information about this activity and offer suggestions and advice for others engaging scientists and engineers in education and outreach programs and events.

  13. Education and outreach using the falcon telescope network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  14. Partnership with informal education learning centers to develop hands-on activities for research outreach efforts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Courville, Z.; Haynes, R.; DeFrancis, G.; Koh, S.; Ringelberg, D.

    2012-12-01

    Outreach informed by scientific research plays an important role in fostering interest in science by making science and scientists accessible, fun, and interesting. Developing an interest in science in young, elementary-aged students through outreach is a rewarding endeavor for researchers, in that audiences are usually receptive, requirements for broader impacts are met, and bonds are formed between researchers and members of their local and surrounding communities. Promoting such interest among young students is imperative not only for an individual researcher's own self interest, but also for the strength of American science and innovation moving forward, and is the responsibility of the current generation of scientists. Developing genuine and successful inquiry-based, hands-on activities for elementary-aged students is outside the expertise of many researchers. Partnering with an informal education learning center (i.e. science museum or after-school program) provides researchers with the expertise they might be lacking in such endeavors. Here, we present a series of polar-, engineering- and microbiology-themed hands-on activities that have been developed by researchers at a government lab in partnership with a local science museum. Through a series of workshops, the science education staff at the museum provided researchers with background and instruction on inquiry and hands-on activities, and then collaborated with the researchers to develop activities which were later demonstrated at the museum to museum-goers. Education staff provided feedback about the presentation of the activities for further refinement. The program provided an opportunity for researchers to develop fun, on-target and age-appropriate science activities for elementary-aged students, an audience for outreach, and enabled general public audiences the chance to interact with researchers and scientists in an informal setting.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  16. Amateur Radio On The International Space Station (ARISS) - The First Educational Outreach Program On ISS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Conley, Carolynn Lee; Bauer, Frank H.; Brown, Deborah A.; White, Rosalie

    2002-01-01

    Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) represents the first educational outreach program that is flying on the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts and cosmonauts will work hard on the International Space Station, but they plan to take some time off for educational activities with schools. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration s (NASA s) Education Division is a major supporter and sponsor of this student outreach activity on the ISS. This meets NASA s educational mission objective: To inspire the next generation of explorers.. .as only NASA can. The amateur radio community is helping to enrich the experience of those visiting and living on the station as well as the students on Earth. Through ARISS sponsored hardware and activities, students on Earth get a first-hand feel of what it is like to live and work in space. This paper will discuss the educational outreach accomplishments of ARISS, the school contact process, the ARISS international cooperation and volunteers, and ISS Ham radio plans for the future.

  17. The Rural Outreach Science Education Opportunities (ROSEO) Project in Northern Colorado

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    TeBockhorst, D.; Radman, C.; Geiselman, A.; Culver, R. B.

    2005-05-01

    Science education in the rural areas of Northern Colorado has historically suffered from both a limited access to the science education facilities which are located along the base of the Northern Colorado Front Range as well as from the limited resources available within the school districts themselves. The ROSEO project seeks to address some of these issues through the initiation of an outreach effort to these rural areas and the subsequent establishment of an in-depth, rurally oriented test-bed teacher training program in astronomy and space science. The central vehicle for the implementation of this program is the Science Discovery Center which was founded in 1989 in Fort Collins, Colorado and has since established itself as a high-quality resource for science education in the Northern Colorado region. In this presentation we describe the use of a travelling portable Starlab as an outreach tool by which planetarium simulations of the night sky can be provided in a regular on-site daytime classroom environment to large numbers of students over extensive areas of Northern Colorado. Such a classroom experience can serve as the starting point for the discussion of a wide variety of topics in astronomy and space science. It is hoped that the information gained from these outreach efforts will ultimately lead to the development of an educational template which will be of considerable use to other rural areas in circumstances similiar to those found in Northern Colorado. This work is funded by the Space Telescope Science Institute of the NASA-IDEAS grant program.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  19. A Mobile Nanoscience and Electron Microscopy Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  20. Planetarium Shows: Public Outreach and Changing the Approach to Classroom Teaching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morris, P. A.; Reiff, P.; Sumners, C.

    2009-05-01

    We are successfully using the planetarium experience as a method of increasing the public's knowledge of science for the last few years. The results with pre and post testing have shown that there is an increased level of science knowledge. With this level of achievement it was plausible that the next step would be introducing it into the classroom, particularly at an open admissions university with a multi-racial and ethnic population and in the non-majors science courses. Creating an atmosphere of excitement and interest in science within this group of students is difficult, particularly with those students who have minimal exposure to science and have little or no interest in the subject. They have preconceived ideas that the subject is boring, difficult and has no relation to their future career paths. Coupled with this apathy, not only in students but in segments of the public, there is an increasing need to educate all groups on environmental issues and the need to promote science and science research. Traditional teaching methods are not effective, and based on the outreach levels of success, we are introducing planetarium shows that are not only entertaining but include scientific concepts Most colleges and universities do not have a fixed planetarium, but a portable planetarium can serve the same purpose. The planetarium does not replace the traditional classroom and laboratory experience, but augments it. The shows, including the freeware Stellarium, can be incorporated into college and university classes from the physical to the biological sciences. For example, the show Titanic includes information on the effects of solar maximums and minimums on climate and changes in the last 100 years on ship building. Another show, Ice Worlds, includes information on polar geology and biology but also explains its importance as a terrestrial analogue for interpreting the remote sensing information obtained with robotic missions to the icy worlds in our outer solar

  1. Effective Practices for Evaluating Education and Public Outreach Programs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilkerson, S.

    2013-12-01

    Stephanie Baird Wilkerson, PhD Carol Haden EdD Magnolia Consulting,LLC Education and public outreach (EPO) program developers and providers seeking insights regarding effective practices for evaluating EPO activities programs benefit from understanding why evaluation is critical to the success of EPO activities and programs, what data collection methods are appropriate, and how to effectively communicate and report findings. Based on our extensive experience evaluating EPO programs, we will share lessons learned and examples of how these practices play out in actual evaluation studies. EPO program developers, providers, and evaluators must consider several factors that influence which evaluation designs and data collection methods will be most appropriate, given the nature of EPO programs. Effective evaluation practices of EPO programs take into account a program's phase of development, duration, and budget as well as a program's intended outcomes. EPO programs that are just beginning development will have different evaluation needs and priorities than will well-established programs. Effective evaluation practices consider the 'life' of a program with an evaluation design that supports a program's growth through various phases including development, revision and refinement, and completion. It would be premature and inappropriate to expect the attainment of longer-term outcomes of activities during program development phases or early stages of implementation. During program development, EPO providers should clearly define program outcomes that are feasible and appropriate given a program's scope and expected reach. In many respects, this directly relates to the amount of time, or duration, intended audiences participate in EPO programs. As program duration increases so does the likelihood that the program can achieve longer-term outcomes. When choosing which outcomes are reasonable to impact and measure, program duration should be considered. Effective evaluation

  2. Geeksta Rap: An Example of the Utilization of Elements of Popular Culture in Science Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hall, F.; Otto, A.

    2003-12-01

    Science education and outreach efforts must compete for the attention of students in an environment filled with many distractions. Many of the most compelling of these distractions arise from popular culture. Rather than bemoaning this situation, we propose that we make use of some of those elements of popular culture which garner the most attention. In particular, we propose that we utilize the popularity of current hip-hop and rap music in science education and outreach efforts. To that end, we present some examples of what we call `geeksta rap' and discuss some of the considerations relevant for its preparation. We also discuss various uses of `geeksta rap' in science education and outreach.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  4. Astronomy Outreach for Large and Unique Audiences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lubowich, D.; Sparks, R. T.; Pompea, S. M.; Kendall, J. S.; Dugan, C.

    2013-04-01

    In this session, we discuss different approaches to reaching large audiences. In addition to star parties and astronomy events, the audiences for some of the events include music concerts or festivals, sick children and their families, minority communities, American Indian reservations, and tourist sites such as the National Mall. The goal is to bring science directly to the public—to people who attend astronomy events and to people who do not come to star parties, science museums, or science festivals. These programs allow the entire community to participate in astronomy activities to enhance the public appreciation of science. These programs attract large enthusiastic crowds often with young children participating in these family learning experiences. The public will become more informed, educated, and inspired about astronomy and will also be provided with information that will allow them to continue to learn after this outreach activity. Large and unique audiences often have common problems, and their solutions and the lessons learned will be presented. Interaction with the participants in this session will provide important community feedback used to improve astronomy outreach for large and unique audiences. New ways to expand astronomy outreach to new large audiences will be discussed.

  5. Adolescent Boys' Knowledge of and Attitudes toward Testicular Self-Examination: Evaluating an Outreach Education Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Jeffrey K.; Sauter, Marcia; Day, Julie

    2002-01-01

    Surveyed adolescent boys who had participated in a brief outreach program to high school health education classes designed to increase boys' knowledge about and improve their attitudes toward testicular self-examination (TSE) and early cancer detection. Results indicated that the 1-hour outreach improved students' knowledge and attitudes regarding…

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  7. Environmental Outreach

    Science.gov Websites

    System Environmental Outreach Feature Stories Individual Permit for Storm Water Public Reading Room calendar to provide input on the subject matter. Visit the Public Reading Rooms and study our environmental Mitigating Wildland Fires Public Reading Room: Environmental Documents, Reports Los Alamos National

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

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Berry, R. O.

    In a cooperative effort of the members of the South Texas Chapter of the Heath Physics Society (STC-HPS) and the Texas A&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 sitemore » 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.« less

  9. Inspiring the undergraduate soil students for a future effective public outreach role: Success strategies and approaches.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Ismaily, Said; Al-Maktoumi, Ali; Kacimov, Anvar

    2015-04-01

    open-ended questions, interviews, and course evaluation. The analyzed results indicate that the outreach strategies are effective. For component (i) and based on students evaluation for SWAE 4110 collected in 2009-2013 (2 semesters/year) the course had an average rating of 3.6/4.0 while the College average for all sections (about 150/semester) during the same period was 3.3. The majority of the SS-students expressed their appreciation of the type of communication skills and team-work ethics gained, increased confidence, and enjoyment. For component (ii), school pupils feedback (based on 33 questionnaires) showed that more than 90% "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that they have learned new information/secrets about soils and the topics of the workshop enhanced their knowledge and ability to think critically about the role of soils in life. Undersecretary who participated in the Workshop, addressed the Vice Chancellor of SQU seeking the university assistance in adopting the materials of the workshop into school curriculum and encouraging a continuous pedagogical interactive experiments at school scale. For component (iii), a FURAP proposal on urban soils, submitted by students (classmates in SWAE 4110), was ranked N3 among 15 proposals submitted by SQU. The proposal was funded by TRC and received a National Award. Although this paper is oriented towards soil issues, the components, ideas and methodology of our public outreach endeavour can be modified to suit other topics in geosciences. Key words: Public outreach strategies; School pupils; Undergraduates in geosciences; Soil education.

  10. Extravehicular Activity Systems Education and Public Outreach in Support of NASA's STEM Initiatives

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    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.

  11. Involving Scientists in Outreach: Incentives, Barriers, and Recommendations from Research Findings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Melton, G.; Laursen, S.; Andrews, E.; Weaver, A.; Hanley, D.; Shamatha, J. H.

    2004-12-01

    Public agencies that fund scientific research are increasingly requiring that researchers invest some of their funding in education or outreach activities that have a "broader impact." Yet barriers exist that inhibit scientists' motivation to participate in K-12 outreach. We will share findings from a quantitative and qualitative study that examined the motivations, rewards, and obstacles for scientists who participate in outreach. We found that most researchers became interested in doing outreach out of a desire to contribute and an expectation of having fun and enjoying the experience. They typically gave outreach presentations away from work, acted as a resource for school teachers, or helped with teacher professional development. However, scientists viewed outreach as a form of volunteer work that was auxiliary to their other responsibilities. Thus, time constraints, a lack of information about outreach opportunities, and the lower value placed on outreach by departments constituted significant barriers to their participation. Scientists involved in outreach typically found their efforts to be rewarding, but occasionally factors left a negative impression, such as poor audience response, classroom management difficulties, organizational problems, or demonstrations not going as planned. Based upon our findings, we offer recommendations on how scientists' participation and experiences in K-12 outreach can be improved, including how to successfully recruit scientists, create a positive outreach experience, and increase institutional support for outreach work.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  13. Rural Teacher Education for the 21st Century: A Minnesota Outreach Model.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Halcrow, John H.

    In 1986 Bemidji State University (BSU), located in rural northern Minnesota, began an outreach distance learning program for the preservice education of elementary teachers. This college program delivers junior and senior year education courses to students 100 miles plus from the main campus. Junior and senior year requirements are completed in a…

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

    PubMed

    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 < .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.

  15. International Observe the Moon Night: Using Public Outreach Events to Tell Your Story to the Public

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsu, B. C.; International Observe the Moon Night Coordinating Committee

    2011-12-01

    From various interpretations of the lunar "face," early pictograms of the Moon's phases, or to the use of the lunar cycle for festivals or harvests, the Moon has an undeniable influence on human civilization. International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) capitalizes on the human connection to the Moon by engaging the public in annual lunar observation campaigns that share the excitement of lunar science and exploration. In 2010 (InOMN's inaugural year), over 500,000 people attended events in 53 countries around the world. About 68% of InOMN hosts - astronomy clubs, museums, schools, or other groups - used the resources on the InOMN website (http://observethemoonnight.org). The InOMN website provided supporting materials for InOMN event hosts in the form of downloadable advertising materials, Moon maps, suggestions for hands-on educational activities, and links to lunar science content. InOMN event participants shared their experiences with the world using the Web and social media, event hosts shared their experiences with evaluation data, and amateur astronomers and photographers shared their images of the Moon through the lunar photography contest. The overwhelming response from InOMN in 2010 represents an untapped potential for infusing cutting edge lunar science and exploration into a large-scale public outreach event.

  16. Education and Public Outreach to Support the HESSI Mission: Raising Public Awareness

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Adams, M. L.; Simmons, E.; Hagyard, M. J.; Newton, E. K.; Bero, E.

    1999-01-01

    The current upswing in solar activity bodies well for accomplishing the goals of the upcoming HESSI mission. The solar community is making good use of the increased activity through coordinated observations, both in space and on the ground. Ground-based measurements will provide crucial context observations and complementary measurements of the high-energy p,,ocesses which HESSI will observe; vector magnetographs will provide information on the morphology and strength of active region magnetic fields. At the time of the launch of HESSI, we will provide scientific data to the community with the MSFC vector magnetograph and will use the facilities to enhance the educational experience of the local community. In the meantime, to raise public consciousness about the solar cycle and to prepare for HESSI observations, we have prepared lesson plans and activities which are currently being distributed via the internet. Further, to inform the educational community about our activities, our teacher partners disseminate the information by attending teacher conferences. This poster will review what we have already accomplished and what we plan for the next, few pre-launch months.

  17. REPORT OF THE DECEMBER 15, 1999 EPA SATELLITE FORUM ON OZONE MONITORING, MAPPING AND PUBLIC OUTREACH

    EPA Science Inventory

    This report provides a summary of the US EPA's December 15, 1999 satellite forum on technology transfer tools for ozone monitoring, mapping, and public outreach under the EPA Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) Program's Ozone Mapping Projec...

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  19. Outreach and Astronomy-Education Activities of the University of Arizona Astronomy Club

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGraw, Allison M.; Hardegree-Ullman, K.; Walker-LaFollette, A.; Towner, A. P.

    2014-01-01

    The University of Arizona Astronomy Club provides unique outreach experiences for all ages. Our undergraduates work together to volunteer their time for various types of outreach events. This club uses several techniques to execute astronomy education such as hands-on 3D models, exciting demonstrations of scientific phenomena, and multiple small telescopes for both solar and night-time viewing. The students bring the models and telescopes to locations both on and off campus; from dark sky locations in the desert southwest to elementary schools, our undergraduates are willing to teach astronomy just about anywhere.

  20. PACES Participation in Educational Outreach Programs at the University of Texas at El Paso

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dodge, Rebecca L.

    1997-01-01

    The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is involved in several initiatives to improve science education within the El Paso area public schools. These include outreach efforts into the K- 12 classrooms; training programs for in-service teachers; and the introduction of a strong science core curricula within the College of Education. The Pan American Center for Earth and Environmental Studies (PACES), a NASA-funded University Research Center, will leverage off the goals of these existing initiatives to provide curriculum support materials at all levels. We will use currently available Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE) materials as well as new materials developed specifically for this region, in an effort to introduce the Earth System Science perspective into these programs. In addition, we are developing curriculum support materials and classes within the Geology and Computer Departments, to provide education in the area of remote sensing and GIS applications at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

  1. Marketing University Outreach Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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"…

  2. Education outreach for intermodal transportation - moving minds at the speed of time.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-01-01

    Education Outreach for Intermodal Transportation Moving minds at the speed of time was : instrumental in introducing high school students to logistics and intermodal transportation in : Mississippi. The state lacked a presence in logistics and in...

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  5. Cryosphere Science Outreach using the NASA/JPL Virtual Earth System Laboratory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2016-12-01

    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 truly understand 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 Earth System Laboratory, with the goal to outreach Cryosphere science 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, relying on a state of the art climate model and live simulations.

  6. Astronomy Outreach for Special Needs Children

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lubowich, D.

    2008-06-01

    While there are many outreach programs for the public and for children, there are few programs for special needs children. I describe a NASA-STScI-IDEAS funded outreach program I created for children using a telescope (including remote and robotic observations), hands-on astronomy demonstrations (often with edible ingredients). The target audience is seriously ill children with special medical needs and their families who are staying at the Long Island Ronald McDonald House in conjunction the children's surgery and medical treatments at local hospitals. These educational activities help children and their families learn about astronomy while providing a diversion to take their minds off their illness during a stressful time. A related program for hospitalized children has been started at the Hagedorn Pediatric Inpatient Center at Winthrop University Hospital.

  7. Public Education and Outreach for Observing Solar Eclipses and Transits

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pasachoff, Jay M.

    2015-08-01

    The general public is often very interested in observing solar eclipses, with widespread attention from newspapers and other sources often available only days before the events. Recently, the 2012 eclipse's partial phases in Australia and the 2015 eclipse's partial phases throughout Europe as well as western Asia and northern Africa, were widely viewed. The 21 August 2017 eclipse, whose totality will sweep across the Continental United States from northwest to southeast, will have partial phases visible throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, and into South America. The 2019 and 2020 partial phases of total eclipses will be visible throughout South America, and partial phases from annular eclipses will be visible from other parts of the world. The 9 May 2016 transit of Mercury will be best visible from the Western Hemisphere, Europe, and Africa. Many myths and misunderstandings exist about the safety of observing partial phases, and it is our responsibility as astronomers and educators to transmit accurate information and to attempt the widest possible distribution of such information. The Working Group on Public Education at Eclipses and Transits, formerly of Commission 46 on Education and Development and now of New Commission 11, tries to coordinate the distribution of information. In collaboration with the Solar Division's Working Group on Solar Eclipses, their website at http://eclipses.info is a one-stop shop for accurate information on how to observe eclipses, why it is interesting to do so, where they will be visible (with links to online maps and weather statistics), and how encouraging students to observe eclipses can be inspirational for them, perhaps even leading them to realize that the Universe can be understood and therefore renewing the strength of their studies. Links to information about transits of Mercury and Venus are also included.

  8. Space science public outreach at Louisiana State University

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guzik, T.; Babin, E.; Cooney, W.; Giammanco, J.; Hartman, D.; McNeil, R.; Slovak, M.; Stacy, J.

    Over the last seven years the Astronomy / Astrophysics group in the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Louisiana State University has developed an exten- sive Space Science education and public outreach program. This program includes the local park district (the Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, BREC), the local amateur astronomer group (the Baton Rouge As- tronomical Society, BRAS), the Louisiana Arts and Science Museum (LASM), and Southern University (SU, part of the largest HBCU system in the nation). Our effort has directly led to the development of the Highland Road Park Observatory (HRPO, http://www.bro.lsu.edu/hrpo) that supports student astronomy training at LSU and SU, amateur observations and a public program for adults and children, establishment of a series of teacher professional development workshops in astronomy and physics, and the "Robots for Internet Experiences (ROBIE)" project (http://www.bro.lsu.edu/) where we have several instruments (e.g. HAM radio, radio telescope, optical tele- scopes) that can be controlled over the internet by students and teachers in the class- room along with associated lessons developed by a teacher group. In addition, this year the LASM, will be opening a new planetarium / space theater in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We are currently working to bring live views of the heavens from the HRPO telescope to audiences attending planetarium shows and will be working closely with planetarium staff to develop shows that highlight LSU astronomy / space science research. During the presentation we will provide some details about our in- dividual projects, the overall structure of our program, establishing community links and some of the lessons we learned along the way. Finally, we would like to acknowl- edge NASA, Louisiana State University, the Louisiana Systemic Initiatives Program and the Louisiana Technology Innovation Fund for their support.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    PubMed

    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.

  11. Successfully Engaging Scientists in NASA Education and Public Outreach: Examples from a Teacher Professional Development Workshop Series and a Planetary Analog Festival

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jones, A. P.; Hsu, B. C.; Bleacher, L.; Shaner, A. J.

    2014-12-01

    The Lunar Workshops for Educators are a series of weeklong workshops for grade 6-9 science teachers focused on lunar science and exploration, sponsored by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). These workshops have been held across the country for the past five years, in places underserved with respect to NASA workshops and at LRO team member institutions. MarsFest is a planetary analog festival that has been held annually in Death Valley National Park since 2012, made possible with support from the Curiosity (primarily the Sample Analysis at Mars) Education and Public Outreach team, NASA's Ames Research Center, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, the SETI Institute, and Death Valley National Park. Both the Lunar Workshops for Educators and MarsFest rely strongly on scientist engagement for their success. In the Lunar Workshops, scientists and engineers give talks for workshop participants, support facility tours and field trips, and, where possible, have lunch with the teachers to interact with them in a less formal setting. Teachers have enthusiastically appreciated and benefited from all of these interactions, and the scientists and engineers also provide positive feedback about their involvement. In MarsFest, scientists and engineers give public presentations and take park visitors on field trips to planetary analog sites. The trips are led by scientists who do research at the field trip sites whenever possible. Surveys of festival participants indicate an appreciation for learning about scientific research being conducted in the park from the people involved in that research, and scientists and engineers report enjoying sharing their work with the public through this program. The key to effective scientist engagement in all of the workshops and festivals has been a close relationship and open communication between the scientists and engineers and the activity facilitators. I will provide more details about both of these programs, how scientists and engineers

  12. Education Outreach at M.I.T. Plasma Science and Fusion Center

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rivenberg, P.; Censabella, V.

    2000-10-01

    At the MIT PSFC student and staff volunteers work together to increase the public's knowledge of fusion and plasma-related experiments. Seeking to generate excitement about science, engineering and mathematics, the PSFC holds a number of outreach activities throughout the year, including Middle and High School Outreach Days and the Mr. Magnet program. During the past year, in collaboration with the MIT Museum, the PSFC reprogrammed their C-Mod, Jr Video Game to be operated via the keyboard instead of joysticks. The game will eventually be available on the web and on disc. The PSFC maintains a Home Page on the World Wide Web, which can be reached at http://www.psfc.mit.edu.

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  15. Community-based learning in a challenging context: the development and evaluation of an outreach dental public health programme in Damascus University, Syria.

    PubMed

    Joury, E

    2016-02-01

    This study aimed to describe the development and evaluation of an outreach dental public health (DPH) programme in Damascus University, in terms of developing undergraduates' required knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA), improving the quality aspects of training and assessment (T&A), and achieving the satisfaction of served children and their social network. The outreach DPH programme offered opportunities to undergraduates to carry out outreach health-promotion activities, conduct and communicate the results of applied DPH research, and build partnership with students in other higher education sectors. A cross-sectional evaluation collected mixed qualitative and quantitative data, by a means of a short-essay and a self-completed questionnaire, from 400 third-year dental undergraduates, on KSA gained from outreach activities and quality aspects of T&A. The latter were compared with corresponding figures of other traditional dental programmes (TDP). Satisfaction with the outreach activities were collected from 215 children with special needs and 130 parents and school staff, by questionnaires. The response rates were 74.8%, 100% and 100% for undergraduates, children and parents/school staff, respectively. The derived categories of students' gained KSA included the following: unique clinical skills, social responsibility, voluntarism, communication, team working, personal growth, reflection on career aspirations and self-satisfaction with the contribution to needy groups. Their satisfaction with quality aspects of T&A was significantly higher than TDP (P < 0.001). Children's and parents/school staff's satisfaction was high. The outreach DPH programme in Damascus University is a successful example of developing undergraduates' required KSA, improving the quality aspects of T&A, and achieving the satisfaction of served community. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Live Educational Outreach for Ocean Exploration: High-Bandwidth Ship-to-Shore Broadcasts Using Internet2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coleman, D. F.; Ballard, R. D.

    2005-12-01

    During the past 3 field seasons, our group at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, in partnership with the Institute for Exploration and a number of educational institutions, has conducted a series of ocean exploration expeditions with a significant focus on educational outreach through "telepresence" - utilizing live transmissions of video, audio, and data streams across the Internet and Internet2. Our educational partners include Immersion Presents, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Jason Foundation for Education, and the National Geographic Society, all who provided partial funding for the expeditions. The primary funding agency each year was NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and our outreach efforts were conducted in collaboration with them. During each expedition, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) systems were employed to examine interesting geological and archaeological sites on the seafloor. These expeditions include the investigation of ancient shipwrecks in the Black Sea in 2003, a survey of the Titanic shipwreck site in 2004, and a detailed sampling and mapping effort at the Lost City Hydrothermal Field in 2005. High-definition video cameras on the ROVs collected the footage that was then digitally encoded, IP-encapsulated, and streamed across a satellite link to a shore-based hub, where the streams were redistributed. During each expedition, live half-hour-long educational broadcasts were produced 4 times per day for 10 days. These shows were distributed using satellite and internet technologies to a variety of venues, including museums, aquariums, science centers, public schools, and universities. In addition to the live broadcasts, educational products were developed to enhance the learning experience. These include activity modules and curriculum-based material for teachers and informal educators. Each educational partner also maintained a web site that followed the expedition and provided additional background information

  17. The Mauna Kea Observatories Outreach Committee Brings Astronomy To The Hawaiian Public

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heyer, I.; Harvey, J.; Usuda, K. S.; Fujihara, G.; Hamilton, J.

    2010-08-01

    The Mauna Kea Observatories Outreach Committee (MKOOC) combines the outreach activities of the 13 telescopes on Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. For the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009 we branded our annual local events, and in addition developed several unique activities and products to bring astronomy to the public during IYA. Our Journey Through The Universe classroom visit and teacher training program was augmented by several evening public events for the whole family. For AstroDay we developed a set of astronomy trading cards, such that people had to visit all the observatory booths to collect the whole set. In collaboration with the local newspapers, we produced an astronomy supplement, available both on paper and online, highlighting the work being done at our observatories. A year-long introductory astronomy class for K-12 teachers was held, emphasizing hands-on activities to teach important concepts. In collaboration with a local supermarket, we held a poster contest for students, making the connection between astronomy and Hawaiian culture. We also participated in the "100 Hours of Astronomy" webcast. In the fall, we celebrated the Galilean Nights with an all-observatories block party, with activities, music, and give-aways.

  18. Educational outreach at the NSF Engineering Research Center for Data Storage Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Williams, James E., Jr.

    1996-07-01

    An aspect of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center in Data Storage Systems (DSSC) program that is valued by our sponsors is the way we use our different educational programs to impact the data storage industry in a positive fashion. The most common way to teach data storage materials is in classes that are offered as part of the Carnegie Mellon curriculum. Another way the DSSC attempts to educate students is through outreach programs such as the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates and Young Scholars programs, both of which have been very successful and place emphasis and including women, under represented minorities and disable d students. The Center has also established cooperative outreach partnerships which serve to both educate students and benefit the industry. One example is the cooperative program we have had with the Magnetics Technology Centre at the National University of Singapore to help strengthen their research and educational efforts to benefit U.S. data storage companies with plants in Singapore. In addition, the Center has started a program that will help train outstanding students from technical institutes to increase their value as technicians to the data storage industry when they graduate.

  19. 78 FR 47419 - Requirements for the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers Program and the OSHA Outreach...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-05

    ...] Requirements for the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers Program and the OSHA Outreach Training Program... approval of the information collection requirements contained in the OSHA Training Institute Education... Educational Programs, or Kimberly Mason, OSHA Training Institute Education Centers Program at the address...

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  1. Education and Outreach on Space Sciences and Technologies in Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  3. Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Communication, Education and Outreach Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benthien, M. L.

    2003-12-01

    The SCEC Communication, Education, and Outreach Program (CEO) offers student research experiences, web-based education tools, classroom curricula, museum displays, public information brochures, online newsletters, and technical workshops and publications. This year, much progress has been made on the development of the Electronic Encyclopedia of Earthquakes (E3), a collaborative project with CUREE and IRIS. The E3 development system is now fully operational, and 165 entries are in the pipeline. When complete, information and resources for over 500 Earth science and engineering topics will be included, with connections to curricular materials useful for teaching Earth Science, engineering, physics and mathematics. To coordinate activities for the 10-year anniversary of the Northridge Earthquake in 2004 (and beyond), the "Earthquake Country Alliance" is being organized by SCEC CEO to present common messages, to share or promote existing resources, and to develop new activities and products jointly (such as a new version of Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country). The group includes earthquake science and engineering researchers and practicing professionals, preparedness experts, response and recovery officials, news media representatives, and education specialists. A web portal, http://www.earthquakecountry.info, is being developed established with links to web pages and descriptions of other resources and services that the Alliance members provide. Another ongoing strength of SCEC is the Summer Intern program, which now has a year-round counterpart with students working on IT projects at USC. Since Fall 2002, over 32 students have participated in the program, including 7 students working with scientists throughout SCEC, 17 students involved in the USC "Earthquake Information Technology" intern program, and 7 students involved in CEO projects. These and other activities of the SCEC CEO program will be presented, along with lessons learned during program design and

  4. Educational and Community Outreach Efforts by the United States Polar Rock Repository during the International Polar Year

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grunow, A.; Codispoti, J. E.

    2010-12-01

    The US Polar Rock Repository (USPRR) houses more than 19,000 rock samples from polar regions and these samples are made available to the scientific, educational and museum community. The USPRR has been active in promoting polar earth science to educational and community groups. During the past year, outreach efforts reached over 12,000 people. The USPRR outreach involve tours of the facility, school presentations, online laboratory exercises, working with the Columbus Metro Parks, teaching at summer camps, teaching special geology field assignments at the middle school level, as well as offering an ‘Antarctic Rock Box’ that contains representative samples of the three types of rocks, minerals, fossils, and books and activities about geology and Antarctica. The rock box activities have been designed and reviewed by educators and scientists to use as an educational supplement to the Earth Science course of study. The activities have been designed around the Academic Content Standards: k-12 Science manual published by the Ohio Department of Education to ensure that the activities and topics are focused on those mandated by the state of Ohio. The USPRR website has a Virtual Web Antarctic Expedition with many activities for Middle to High School age students. The students learn about how to plan a field season, safety techniques, how to make a remote field camp, identify what equipment is needed, learn about the different transportation choices, weather issues, understanding GPS, etc. Educational and community networks have been built in part, by directly contacting individuals at an institution and partnering with them on educational outreach. The institutions have been very interested in doing this because it brings scientists to the classroom and to the public. This type of outreach has also served as an opening for children to consider possible career choices in science that they may not have considered before. In many of the presentations, a female geologist

  5. Collaborative outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanmarti-Vila, Lydia; García-Matos, Marta; Beduini, Federica; Carrasco, Silvia

    2016-09-01

    Many research projects and scientific initiatives multiple their impact and relevance through collaborations. It is the contact and exchange with others that often brings a scientist's work to the next level. The same happens with outreach: sharing activities, concepts, materials and knowhow may lead to greater impact, more innovative, inspirational ideas with enough potential to create pioneering outreach activities. A good example for this is the FP7 European project "GoPhoton!", an initiative of ECOP (European Centres of Outreach in Photonics) that ran through 2014 and 2015 and finished at the beginning of 2016 and was directed at the general public, young minds as well as current and future entrepreneurs. This project was based on the idea of sharing activities - which is at the core of ECOP's identity- already existing in other nodes (institutions within the project), or created within GoPhoton! The main concept was the effective leverage of local links such as the networks of educators and professionals in general, industrial clusters, museums, universities, governmental and non-governmental organizations, all from a Pan-European perspective possible through ECOP. This has resulted in over 200 events impacting over two million people. The sharing of activities across institutions that have different resources, facilities, and cultural environments is not straightforward. One of the biggest challenges for the consortium was to be able to extract the concept and identity of each activity, so that it could be realistically adapted to each local context. A crucial point was being able to effectively use the knowhow gained from a partner's activity, in a way that the essence of the activity remained untainted across the participating nodes, while still triggering innovation locally.

  6. Use of Web 2.0 Technologies for Public Outreach on a Simulated Mars Mission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shiro, B.; Palaia, J.; Ferrone, K.

    2009-12-01

    Recent advances in social media and internet communications have revolutionized the ways people interact and disseminate information. Astronauts are already starting to take advantage of these tools by blogging and tweeting from space, and almost all NASA missions now have presences on the major social networking sites. One priority for future human explorers on Mars will be communicating their experiences to the people back on Earth. During July 2009, a six-member crew of volunteers carried out a simulated Mars mission at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) on Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic. Living in a habitat, conducting EVAs wearing spacesuits, and observing communication delays with “Earth,” the crew endured restrictions similar to those that will be faced by future human Mars explorers. Throughout the expedition, crewmembers posted regular blog entries, reports, photos, videos, and updates to their website and social media outlets Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Picasa Web Albums. During the sixteen EVAs of their field science research campaign, FMARS crewmembers collected GPS track information and took geotagged photos using GPS-enabled cameras. They combined their traverse GPS tracks with photo location information into KML/KMZ files that website visitors can view in Google Maps or Google Earth. Although the crew observed a strict 20-minute communication delay with “Earth” to simulate a real Mars mission, they broke this rule to conduct four very successful live webcasts with student groups using Skype since education and public outreach were important objectives of the endeavor. This presentation will highlight the use of Web 2.0 technologies for public outreach during the simulated Mars expedition and the implications for other remote scientific journeys. The author embarks on a "rover" to carry out an EVA near the FMARS Habitat. The satellite dish to the right of the structure was used for all communications with the remote

  7. Project Return: Community Education Initiative and Babygram Hospital Outreach, 1991-92.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Office of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment.

    Project Return, a dropout recovery program to assist pregnant and parenting teenagers and parents of elementary school children to return to school, was first implemented in 1989-90. By 1991-92, there were two components of Project Return: its community education initiative in seven elementary schools, and the Babygram Hospital Outreach Program…

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  9. Science Festivals: Grand Experiments in Public Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hari, K.

    2015-12-01

    Since the Cambridge Science Festival launched in 2007, communities across the United States have experimented with the science festival format, working out what it means to celebrate science and technology. What have we learned, and where might we go from here? The Science Festival Alliance has supported and tracked developments among U.S. festivals, and this presentation will present key findings from three years of independent evaluation. While science festivals have coalesced into a distinct category of outreach activity, the diversity of science festival initiatives reflects the unique character of the regions in which the festivals are organized. This symposium will consider how festivals generate innovative public programming by adapting to local conditions and spur further innovation by sharing insights into such adaptations with other festivals. With over 55 annual large scale science festivals in the US alone, we will discuss the implications of a dramatic increase in future festival activity.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Anderson, Carl; Bohmann, Leonard; Naber, Jeffrey

    2013-01-30

    to 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.« less

  12. Communicable Astronomy for IYA: Using the Networks of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manning, J.; Gibbs, M.; Gurton, S.; Fraknoi, A.

    2008-12-01

    At the forefront of sharing the excitement of the exploration of the universe for 120 years, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) is poised to use its networks and services to implement education and outreach programs for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy (IYA). The ASP is partnering with NASA, the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the American Astronomical Society (AAS) and other organizations on IYA projects, and is developing signature programs for implementation--with the overarching goal of employing its networks of scientists, educators and amateur astronomers in efforts to improve science education and science literacy. This presentation will describe the ASP's efforts to make astronomy and science "communicable" through these astronomy intermediaries--to reach the larger public, to link astronomy to other sciences, and to create legacy programs that will continue beyond 2009.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  14. Taking Outreach to New Heights with SOFIA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dodds, J.; Wold-Brennon, R.

    2014-12-01

    NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) mission conducts an Education and Public Outreach program that leverage the unique attributes of the world's largest airborne observatory. After reaching a series of milestones, SOFIA achieved Full Operational Capability (FOC) in May, 2014, equivalent to a launch in the space telescope world. Still in early stages, the Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors (AAA) effort aspires to improve teaching, inspire students, and inform U.S. communities by incorporating educators into the crew, where they fly to the stratosphere and engage with scientists and mission specialists. The program's 55 Ambassadors, selected through a highly competitive national call for applications, flew aboard the aircraft during 3 science phases of observatory operations. These dedicated educators not only incorporate content knowledge and specific components of their experience into their curricula and education programming, they also appear and present at events in their communities. Their efforts to date have impacted thousands. During the presentation, SOFIA Ambassadors will overview this national program, share experiences during flight weeks, and present the spectrum of successful outreach efforts implemented.Outcomes: Participants will obtain updates on the SOFIA AAA program, receive information on the future of this national program, and benefit from examples of using authentic science experiences to improve professional practices.

  15. Assessing extension and outreach education levels for biofuel feedstock production in the Western United States

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A growing biofuels industry requires the development of effective methods to educate farmers, government, and agribusiness about biofuel feedstock production if the market is going to significantly expand beyond first generation biofuels. Extension and outreach education provides a conduit for impor...

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

    PubMed

    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.

  17. Strengthening Scientific Literacy on Polar Regions through Education, Outreach and Communication (EOC)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shabudin, Ahmad Firdaus Ahmad; Rahim, Rashidah Abdul; Ng, Theam Foo

    2016-01-01

    In the 21st century, mankind must acknowledge the roles of Polar Regions in global sustainability, especially its interrelationship with Earth's climate system. Notably, dissemination of science knowledge and awareness that arises through education, outreach, and effective communication are key instruments that can help towards environmental…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

  19. Earthscope National Office Education and Outreach Program: 2014 Update on Broader-Impacts Activities and Outcomes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Semken, S. C.; Robinson, S.; Bohon, W.; Schwab, P.; Arrowsmith, R.; Garnero, E.; Pettis, L.; Baumback, D.; Dick, C.

    2014-12-01

    The EarthScope Program (www.earthscope.org), funded by the National Science Foundation, fosters interdisciplinary exploration of the geologic structure and evolution of the North American continent by means of geodesy, seismology, magnetotellurics, in-situ fault-zone sampling, geochronology, and high-resolution topographic measurements. EarthScope data, and the scientific findings they underpin, continue to revolutionize geoscientific research, enhance understanding and mitigation of geologic hazards, and bolster applications of geoscience in environmental management and sustainability. The EarthScope Program also produces and shares a wide range of resources and opportunities for education and outreach (E&O) in the Earth system sciences. The EarthScope National Office (ESNO) at Arizona State University serves all EarthScope stakeholders, including researchers, educators, students, and the general public. ESNO supports and promotes E&O through social media and the web, inSights newsletters and published articles, E&O workshops for informal educators (interpreters), an annual Speaker Series, assistance to grassroots K-12 STEM teacher professional development projects (typically led by EarthScope researchers), continuing education for researchers, collaborations with other Earth-science E&O providers, and biennial National Conferences. The EarthScope E&O program at ESNO, now in its final year at Arizona State University, leads and supports wide dissemination of the data, findings, and legacy of EarthScope. Significant activities in 2014 include an Interpretive Workshop in Alaska; the US Science and Engineering Festival; the Decade Symposium in Washington, DC; the Great ShakeOut; local and regional outreach; and a continued strong and exemplary E&O presence online. The EarthScope National Office is supported by the National Science Foundation under grants EAR-1101100 and EAR-1216301. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material

  20. Evaluating the Authenticity of Egyptian Cartonnage Fragments: Educational Outreach in Search of the Truth.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marty, Paul; Sheahan, Kim; Lacy, Ann

    This paper presents preliminary results from a five year longitudinal study on the efficacy of integrating museum resources into elementary and middle school curricula through educational outreach activities, over the Internet and in the classroom. From 1997 to 2003, museum educators at the University of Illinois' Spurlock Museum have explored how…

  1. Education and Public Outreach for the PICASSO-CENA Satellite-Based Research Mission: K-12 Students Use Sun Photometers to Assist Scientists in Validating Atmospheric Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robinson, D. Q.

    2001-05-01

    Hampton University, a historically black university, is leading the Education and Public Outreach (EPO) portion of the PICASSO-CENA satellite-based research mission. Currently scheduled for launch in 2004, PICASSO-CENA will use LIDAR (LIght Detection and Ranging), to study earth's atmosphere. The PICASSO-CENA Outreach program works with scientists, teachers, and students to better understand the effects of clouds and aerosols on earth's atmosphere. This program actively involves students nationwide in NASA research by having them obtain sun photometer measurements from their schools and homes for comparison with data collected by the PICASSO-CENA mission. Students collect data from their classroom ground observations and report the data via the Internet. Scientists will use the data from the PICASSO-CENA research and the student ground-truthing observations to improve predications about climatic change. The two-band passive remote sensing sun photometer is designed for student use as a stand alone instrument to study atmospheric turbidity or in conjunction with satellite data to provide ground-truthing. The instrument will collect measurements of column optical depth from the ground level. These measurements will not only give the students an appreciation for atmospheric turbidity, but will also provide quantitative correlative information to the PICASSO-CENA mission on ground-level optical depth. Student data obtained in this manner will be sufficiently accurate for scientists to use as ground truthing. Thus, students will have the opportunity to be involved with a NASA satellite-based research mission.

  2. Educational Outreach in a Large Retail Chain: Opportunities, Challenges, and Suggested Approaches.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ponessa, Joseph T.

    2003-01-01

    To raise public awareness about lead poison hazards associated with home repair/remodeling, literature was distributed and training for store employees conducted in large retail home centers. Although store managers were supportive, their hectic work situation made training difficult. Following outreach in 22 of 23 stores, postcards returned by…

  3. State of the Universe of Astronomy on Tap Public Outreach Events

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rice, Emily; Constellation of Astronomy on Tap Host Stars

    2018-01-01

    Astronomy on Tap (AoT, http://astronomyontap.org) is a series of free public outreach events featuring engaging science presentations combined with music, games, and prizes in a fun, interactive atmosphere. AoT events feature one or more presentations given primarily by local professional scientists and graduate students, but also by visiting scientists, undergraduate students, educators, amateur astronomers, writers, artists, and other astronomy enthusiasts. Events are held at social venues like bars, coffee shops, and art galleries in order to bring science, the stories behind the research, and updates on the latest astronomy news directly to the public in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. Since the first New York City event in April 2013, nearly 400 AoT-affiliated events have been held in over 30 locations worldwide and the expansion is accelerating. The casual, social nature of AoT events provides important professional development opportunities in networking and in science communication, which we describe in a separate poster. The flexible format and content of a typical AoT event is easy to adapt and expand based on the priorities, resources, and interests of local organizers. We present the 2017 launches, including the first events in Europe and the first events conducted in French and Spanish, summarize the Universe of ongoing AoT events, and share recommendations for launching new satellite locations, also described in detail in our “Launch Manifesto” available upon request.

  4. The Mauna Kea Observatories Outreach Committee brings Astronomy to the Hawaiian Public

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heyer, Ingeborg; Harvey, J.; Usuda, K. S.; Fujihara, G.

    2010-01-01

    The Mauna Kea Observatories Outreach Committee (MKOOC) combines the outreach activities of the 13 telescopes on Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawai`i. For the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009 we branded our annual local events, and in addition developed several unique activities and products to bring astronomy to the public during IYA. Our Journey Through The Universe classroom visit and teacher training program was augmented by several evening public events for the whole family. For AstroDay we developed a set of astronomy trading cards, such that people had to visit all the observatory booths to collect the whole set. In collaboration with the local newspapers we produced an astronomy supplement, available both on paper and online, highlighting the work being done at our observatories. A year-long introductory astronomy class for K-12 teachers was held, emphasizing hands-on activities to teach important concepts. In collaboration with a local supermarket we held a poster contest for students, making the connection between astronomy and Hawaiian culture. We also participated in the "100 Hours for Astronomy" webcast. In the fall we celebrated the Galilean Nights with an all-observatories block party, with activities, music, and give-aways.

  5. Concept Maps Applied to Mars Exploration Public Outreach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Briggs, Geoffrey; Canas, Alberto; Shamma, David; Scargle, Jeffrey; Novak, Joseph

    2004-01-01

    This paper describes CMEX Mars, an effort in the creation of a comprehensive set of concept maps to describe all aspects of Mars exploration. These concept maps, created using the CmapTools software developed by the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, are available on the Internet at http:/cmex.arc.nasa.gov/CMEX and are linked among themselves as well as to resources on the Internet. The work described took place mainly between 1998 and 2001 and combined the goals of: 1) developing a library of concept maps for educational outreach while also 2) refining the capabilities of the software used to create the interactive maps and 3) making them available on the Internet. Here we focus on the library of Mars exploration concept maps that has been created.

  6. Evaluation of the Role of Public Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement in Stormwater Funding Decisions in New England

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    A detailed report examining the role of public outreach and stakeholder engagement in stormwater funding decisions based on the experiences of eleven small and medium-sized communities in New England.

  7. Healthy Weight: Community Outreach Initiative. Strategy Development Workshop Report (Bethesda, Maryland, February 17-18, 2004)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2005

    2005-01-01

    The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Obesity Education Initiative (OEI) convened a two-day meeting to help develop a national public education outreach initiative to help reduce and prevent overweight and obesity in the United States. This Strategy Development Workshop, held on February 17-18, 2004, convened more that 70 public…

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

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Allner, Matthew; McKay, C.; Coe, L.; Rask, Jon; Paradise, Jim; Wynne, J.J.

    2008-01-01

    Introduction: NASA 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. Purpose: This 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. Methods: The investigation further provides a detailed overview of the structure of these two NASA education outreach programs, while providing information regarding selection criteria and program developments over time. Results: Since 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.

  9. French language space science educational outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

  11. Models for Information Assurance Education and Outreach: A Report on Year 2 Implementation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Jianjun

    2014-01-01

    "Models for Information Assurance Education and Outreach" (MIAEO) is an NSF-funded, three-year project to support hands-on explorations in "network security" and "cryptography" through Research Experience Vitalizing Science-University Program (REVS-UP) at California State University, Bakersfield. In addition, the…

  12. Earth Science Outreach: A Move in the Right Direction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  13. Outreach as a Unifying Concept in Science Education and Science Communication

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boyd, K.; Balgopal, M.; Birner, T.

    2016-12-01

    Recently there have been many calls for enhanced communication between scientists and the public in order to increase scientific literacy and improve attitudes toward science. However, these educational outreach (E/O) efforts often encounter structural barriers and the processes that support attainment of the goals of E/O are not well documented. This project provides a look at the current state of the literature on E/O done by scientists. It shows that E/O endeavors are diverse and not well-studied. Research efforts have concentrated on evaluation of specific programs, rather than the underlying principles and processes that influence how scientists interact and communicate with the public. The outcomes that have been examined focus on participants and there is little discussion of influences on facilitators. The research findings are also varied and exist in different disciplines with little overlap, making it difficult to synthesize our understanding of E/O. In this study, we contend that increasing dialogue between the fields of science education and science communication as well as building and utilizing theoretical foundations will help to scaffold the research on E/O. Studies of scientists' discourse and impacts on scientists of participating in E/O are areas that need further investigation. Preliminary results of one such study focusing on a geoscientist will also be presented. The results of this literature review project will help to expand our understanding of the research around E/O and how to extend E/O research to improve the impact of geoscience E/O.

  14. Cure4Kids for Kids: school-based cancer education outreach.

    PubMed

    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.

  15. A Public Outreach Blog for the CANDELS Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kartaltepe, Jeyhan S.; Pforr, J.; CANDELS Collaboration

    2013-01-01

    In May 2012 the CANDELS collaboration launched a public outreach blog, aimed at the general public, where we discuss CANDELS related science. CANDELS (the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey) is a large Hubble Space Telescope Multi-Cycle Treasury Program to image portions of the five most commonly studied deep fields in the near-infrared with WFC3. This large collaboration encompasses a wide range of science topics including galaxy evolution and observational cosmology. We seek to understand how galaxies in the early universe formed and evolved to become the galaxies we see today. We post on a wide variety of topics including general background discussion on many issues in extragalactic astronomy, current science results and papers, highlights from meetings that we have attended, and what life as an astronomer is like (going on observing runs, writing proposals, and how we became interested in astronomy). The posts are written by a large number of collaboration members at different career stages (including students, postdocs, and permanent staff/faculty members) and is widely read and advertised on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Our blog can be found here: http://candels-collaboration.blogspot.com

  16. Expanding the Universe of "Astronomy on Tap" Public Outreach Events

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rice, Emily L.; Levine, Brian; Livermore, Rachael C.; Silverman, Jeffrey M.; LaMassa, Stephanie M.; Tyndall, Amy; Muna, Demitri; Garofali, Kristen; Morris, Brett; Byler, Nell; Fyhrie, Adalyn; Rehnberg, Morgan; Hart, Quyen N.; Connelly, Jennifer L.; Silvia, Devin W.; Morrison, Sarah J.; Agarwal, Bhaskar; Tremblay, Grant; Schwamb, Megan E.

    2016-01-01

    Astronomy on Tap (AoT, astronomyontap.org) is free public outreach event featuring engaging science presentations in bars, often combined with music, games, and prizes, to encourage a fun, interactive atmosphere. AoT events feature several short astronomy-related presentations primarily by local professional scientists, but also by visiting scientists, students, educators, amatuer astronomers, writers, and artists. Events are held in social venues (bars, coffee shops, art galleries, etc.) in order to bring science directly to the public in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. With this we hope to engage a more diverse audience than typical lectures at academic and cultural institutions and to develop enthusiasm for science among voting, tax-paying adults. The flexible format and content of an AoT event is easy to adapt and expand based on the priorities, resources, and interests of local organizers. The social nature of AoT events provides important professional development and networking opportunities in science communication. Since the first New York City event in April 2013, Astronomy on Tap has expanded to more than ten cities globally, including monthly events in NYC, Austin, Seattle, and Tucson; semi-regular events in Columbus, New Haven, Santiago, Toronto, and Denver; occasional (so far) events in Rochester (NY), Baltimore, Lansing, and Washington, DC; and one-off events in Chicago and Taipei. Several venues regularly attract audiences of over 200 people. We have received media coverage online, in print, and occasionally even on radio and television. In this poster we describe the overarching goals and characteristics of AoT events, distinct adaptations of various locations, resources we have developed, and the methods we use to coordinate among the worldwide local organizers.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  18. Adapt for Outreach: Taking Technology on the Road

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hyatt, Jason; Craig, Angela

    2009-01-01

    Outreach occurs systemwide at Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (PLCMC). All branches are involved in reaching their surrounding neighborhoods and patrons. Under the guidance of the outreach manager, the outreach department provides support for these efforts and also offers focused programming via 12 staff members. The department is…

  19. A longitudinal study of Salmonella from snakes used in a public outreach program.

    PubMed

    Goupil, Brad A; Trent, Ava M; Bender, Jeff; Olsen, Karen E; Morningstar, Brenda R; Wünschmann, Arno

    2012-12-01

    Snakes are considered to be a source of Salmonella infection for humans, but little is known about the actual serotype prevalence in healthy snakes over time. Twelve snakes involved in a public outreach program, representing seven different species, were tested weekly for shedding of Salmonella sp. over a period of 10 consecutive weeks. The snakes were housed in close proximity but in separate exhibits. Fresh fecal samples (when available) or cloacal swabs were cultured for Salmonella sp., and subsequent Salmonella isolates were serotyped. As representatives of the feed source, the feces of two mice and the intestines of one rat were cultured weekly. Fecal samples from 11 of the 12 snakes were positive for Salmonella at least once. Seven (58%) of 12 snakes were culture positive five times or more. The weekly prevalence of Salmonella shedding varied between 25% and 66%. Two or more different serotypes were isolated from nine snakes over time; however, a predominant serotype was generally isolated from each of these snakes. Altogether 15 different serotypes were identified. Serotypes of public health concern included Newport, Oranienburg, and Muenchen. Two samples from feeder rodents were positive for Salmonella. The results are consistent with previous studies showing high intestinal colonization rates with Salmonella sp. in snakes. Frequent and intermittent shedding of multiple serotypes was evident. Feeder rodents might serve as a source for intestinal colonization. Appropriate handling protocols should be implemented for all reptiles associated with public outreach programs to minimize risk of Salmonella transmission to the public.

  20. Measuring the impact of outreach and enrollment strategies for public health insurance in California.

    PubMed

    Cousineau, Michael R; Stevens, Gregory D; Farias, Albert

    2011-02-01

    OBJECTIVE AND STUDY SETTING: To evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches to outreach on public health insurance enrollment in 25 California counties with a Children's Health Initiative. Administrative enrollment databases. The use of eight enrollment strategies were identified in each quarter from 2001 to 2007 for each of 25 counties (county quarter). Strategies were categorized as either technology or nontechnology. New enrollments were obtained for Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, and Healthy Kids. Bivariate and multivariate analyses assessed the link between each strategy and new enrollments rates of children. Methods Surveys of key informants determined whether a specific outreach strategy was used in each quarter. These were linked to new enrollments in each county quarter. Between 2001 and 2007, enrollment grew in all three children's health programs. We controlled for the effects of counties, seasons, and county-specific child poverty rates. There was an increase in enrollment rates of 11 percent in periods when technology-based systems were in use compared with when these approaches were inactive. Non-technology-based approaches, including school-linked approaches, yielded a 12 percent increase in new enrollments rates. Deploying seven to eight strategies yielded 54 percent more new enrollments per 10,000 children compared with periods with none of the specific strategies. National health care reform provides new opportunities to expand coverage to millions of Americans. An investment in technology-based enrollment systems will maximize new enrollments, particularly into Medicaid; nontechnological approaches may help identify harder-to-reach populations. Moreover, incorporating several strategies, whether phased in or implemented simultaneously, will enhance enrollments. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

    2011-01-01

    The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program began as a series of discrete efforts implemented by each of the instrument teams and has evolved into a well-rounded program with a full suite of national and international programs. The SDO E/PO team has put forth much effort in the past few years to increase our cohesiveness by adopting common goals and increasing the amount of overlap between our programs. In this paper, we outline the context and overall philosophy for our combined programs, present a brief overview of all SDO E/PO programs along with more detailed highlight of a few key programs, followed by a review of our results up to date. Concluding is a summary of the successes, failures, and lessons learned that future missions can use as a guide, while further incorporating their own content to enhance the public's knowledge and appreciation of NASA?s science and technology as well as its benefit to society.

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

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    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...

  3. Inclusive Planetary Science Outreach and Education: a Pioneering European Experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  4. Exploration Station 2010 Brings Science to the Public

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wawro, Martha; Asher, Pranoti

    2011-04-01

    Exploration Station is a public outreach event held prior to the AGU Fall Meeting each year and is a joint venture between AGU and NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The event features hands-on science activities for the public. This year's event was held in conjunction with the AGU public lecture given by SDO lead project scientist, Dean Pesnell. Many members of the general public attended, including families with children. They were joined by many AGU members, who also enjoyed the exhibits and explored the possible education and outreach activities available within the AGU community. Educators from across AGU were involved, but space physics and planetary sciences were especially well represented.

  5. Stroke Investigative Research and Education Network: Community Engagement and Outreach Within Phenomics Core.

    PubMed

    Jenkins, Carolyn; Arulogun, Oyedunni Sola; Singh, Arti; Mande, Aliyu T; Ajayi, Eric; Calys-Tagoe, Benedict; Ovbiagele, Bruce; Lackland, Daniel T; Sarfo, Fred Stephen; Akinyemi, Rufus; Akpalu, Albert; Obiako, Reginald; Melikam, Enzinne Sylvia; Laryea, Ruth; Shidali, Vincent; Sagoe, Kwamena; Ibinaiye, Philip; Fakunle, Adekunie Gregory; Owolabi, Lukman F; Owolabi, Mayowa O

    2016-04-01

    Stroke is the leading cause of neurological hospital admissions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the second leading cause of death globally. The Stroke Investigative Research and Education Network seeks to comprehensively characterize the genomic, sociocultural, economic, and behavioral risk factors for stroke and to build effective teams for research to address and decrease the burden of stroke and other noncommunicable diseases in SSA. One of the first steps to address this goal is to effectively engage the communities that suffer the high burden of disease. The purpose of this article is to describe plans to elucidate information about knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices about stroke and genomics from patients, caregivers, and local leaders, to recruit participation in research activities and dissemination of ongoing results, as well as to facilitate research uptake and impact within the broader communities of scientists, health professionals, policy makers, and others. We describe the (a) study sites and their communities; (b) plans for community advisory boards, focus groups, and surveys; (c) methods for data management in REDCap database; (d) analyses of qualitative data; (e) evaluation of community and public engagement across multiple sites and research teams in SSA and the United States; (f) use of RE-AIM for presentation of evaluation data; and (g) community indicators of success. This is the first of its kind public outreach engagement initiative to evaluate stroke and genomics in SSA, and has implications as a model for assessment in other high-stroke risk populations. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

  6. Creating scientific and technical talent through educational outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Diggs, Darnell E.; Grote, James G.; Fielding, Jennifer; Jones, Keith W.; Jenkins, Larry C.; Turner, I. Leon

    2007-09-01

    Using descriptive and explanatory research methodologies, researchers have qualitatively investigated factors influential in causing our nation's youth to decide whether to select science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as their academic majors. Furthermore, researchers have also examined what causes African American men and women to decide whether they desire to become engineers and scientists. Using preexisting studies numerous themes have emerged from these data, which supports educational outreach as a powerful tool for encouraging our youth to consider the STEM disciplines. This paper highlights Air Force Research Laboratory researchers' efforts in combating the forces that could jeopardize our nation's position as one of the leaders in technology and scientific innovations.

  7. STEREO Education and Public Outreach Efforts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kucera, Therese

    2007-01-01

    STEREO has had a big year this year with its launch and the start of data collection. STEREO has mostly focused on informal educational venues, most notably with STEREO 3D images made available to museums through the NASA Museum Alliance. Other activities have involved making STEREO imagery available though the AMNH network and Viewspace, continued partnership with the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, data sonification projects, preservice teacher training, and learning activity development.

  8. Using a Forest Health Index as an Outreach Tool for Improving Public Understanding of Ecosystem Dynamics and Research-Based Management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Osenga, E. C.; Cundiff, J.; Arnott, J. C.; Katzenberger, J.; Taylor, J. R.; Jack-Scott, E.

    2015-12-01

    An interactive tool called the Forest Health Index (FHI) has been developed for the Roaring Fork watershed of Colorado, with the purpose of improving public understanding of local forest management and ecosystem dynamics. The watershed contains large areas of White River National Forest, which plays a significant role in the local economy, particularly for recreation and tourism. Local interest in healthy forests is therefore strong, but public understanding of forest ecosystems is often simplified. This can pose challenges for land managers and researchers seeking a scientifically informed approach to forest restoration, management, and planning. Now in its second iteration, the FHI is a tool designed to help bridge that gap. The FHI uses a suite of indicators to create a numeric rating of forest functionality and change, based on the desired forest state in relation to four categories: Ecological Integrity, Public Health and Safety, Ecosystem Services, and Sustainable Use and Management. The rating is based on data derived from several sources including local weather stations, stream gauge data, SNOTEL sites, and National Forest Service archives. In addition to offering local outreach and education, this project offers broader insight into effective communication methods, as well as into the challenges of using quantitative analysis to rate ecosystem health. Goals of the FHI include its use in schools as a means of using local data and place-based learning to teach basic math and science concepts, improved public understanding of ecological complexity and need for ongoing forest management, and, in the future, its use as a model for outreach tools in other forested communities in the Intermountain West.

  9. Best Practices in Pulic Outreach Events

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  10. Frontier Fields: Engaging Educators, the Youth, and the Public in Exploring the Cosmic Frontier

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lawton, Brandon L.; Eisenhamer, Bonnie; Smith, Denise A.; Summers, Frank; Darnell, John A.; Ryer, Holly

    2015-01-01

    The Frontier Fields is a multi-cycle program of six deep-field observations of strong-lensing galaxy clusters that will be taken in parallel with six deep 'blank fields.' The three-year long collaborative program is led by observations from NASA's Great Observatories. 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 education and public outreach (EPO) project to follow the progress of the Frontier Fields.For over two decades, the Hubble EPO 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.The Frontier Fields program has just completed its first year. This talk will feature the goals and current status of the Frontier Fields EPO program. We will highlight OPO's strategies and infrastructure

  11. The Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência and its Outreach

    PubMed Central

    Leão, Maria João; Godinho, Ana; Fernandes, Pedro

    2012-01-01

    The Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC) is biomedical research institute that acts as a host institution for small research groups, in Portugal. Most of its activities reach out to the scientific community in several ways. The IGC organizes regular series of seminars with invited international speakers, workshops, courses and conferences, and an in-house PhD programme. Specific outreach needs had to be met in the two instances that are described here. GTPB The Gulbenkian Training Programme in Bioinformatics (GTPB) started as a regular activity in 1999 in response to the demand of users seeking opportunities to acquire hands-on practical skills in Bioinformatics in an effective way. Training provision in Bioinformatics requires the conciliation of a variety of interests into a series of highly effective training events, in which scientists can acquire skills and a high degree of independence in their usage. The GTPB programme currently offers more than 30 themes, of which 15 to 20 are chosen for single events in each year. The GTPB has provided training to more than 2000 researchers and students, so far. IGC Outreach A dedicated outreach programme targets science education and public engagement in science, for different audience groups. The aim of the outreach programme is to promote scientific literacy, foster careers in science and empower citizens to engage in cutting-edge biomedical research. Activities include Open Days, seminars and laboratory workshops for teachers, development of online, multimedia and hard-copy resources and experimental protocols to be used in schools, visits to schools with hands-on experiments and career talks by researchers and facility staff. Less conventional outreach activities include direct participation in venues for the general public (such a a music festival, for example) have created unexpected opportunities for fundraising and direct financial support for students engaged in research projects.

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

    PubMed

    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

  13. Utah's Mobile Earth Science Outreach Vehicle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  14. Improved management of acute kidney injury in primary care using e-alerts and an educational outreach programme.

    PubMed

    Tollitt, James; Flanagan, Emma; McCorkindale, Sheila; Glynn-Atkins, Sam; Emmett, Lauren; Darby, Denise; Ritchie, James; Bennett, Brandon; Sinha, Smeeta; Poulikakos, Dimitrios

    2018-04-28

    Acute kidney injury (AKI) detected in primary care is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. AKI electronic alerts (e-alerts) and educational programmes have recently been implemented but their contribution to improve AKI care is unknown. This project aimed to improve response to AKI detected in primary care and used a factorial design to evaluate the impact of the UK National Health Service (NHS) AKI e-alert and AKI educational outreach sessions on time to response to primary care AKI stages 2 and 3 between April and August 2016. A total of 46 primary care practices were randomized into four groups. A 2 × 2 factorial design exposed each group to different combinations of two interventions. The primary outcome was 'time to repeat test' or hospitalization following AKI e-alert for stages 2 and 3. Yates algorithm was used to evaluate the impact of each intervention. Time to response and mortality pre- and post-intervention were analysed using Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test respectively. The factorial design included two interventions: an AKI educational outreach programme and the NHS AKI e-alerts. 1807 (0.8%) primary care blood tests demonstrated AKI 1-3 (78.3% stage 1, 14.8% stage 2, 6.9% stage 3). There were 391 stage 2 and 3 events from 251 patients. E-alerts demonstrated a reduction in mean response time (-29 hours). Educational outreach had a smaller effect (-3 hours). Median response time to AKI 2 and 3 pre- and post-interventions was 27 hours versus 16 hours respectively (P = 0.037). Stage 2 and 3 event-related 30-day all-cause mortality decreased following the interventions (15.6% versus 3.9% P = 0.036). AKI e-alerts in primary care hasten response to AKI 2 and 3 and reduce all-cause mortality. Educational outreach sessions further improve response time.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

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

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

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

    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

  17. PEEEC [Project for Early Education of Exceptional Children] Outreach: Annual Report 1980-1981.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Millican, Jerri; Kibler, Robert G.

    The document consists of the final report of the PEEEC (Project for Early Education of Exceptional Children) Outreach program, a program to stimulate high quality programs for preschool handicapped children and families in Kentucky. Following a definition of terms are sections outlining goals, objectives, and activities of three program…

  18. Cassini-Huygens Outreach: It takes a village to reach the world.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wessen, A.; McConnell, S.

    As ancient mariners, we charted our journeys and our destinies by the stars in the night sky. Their cosmic mysteries have drawn us all, from the icy fjords of Norway to the wheat fields of the North American plains. Today, an international collaboration of countries has pointed a collective compass toward Saturn, seeking to understand its nature, its history, its rings and its moons, by guiding the Cassini spacecraft in a first- ever orbital exploration and by launching the Huygens probe into the cosmic realm of Titan. All across the world we seek to make this jewel of the solar system a part of our shared human experience, to inspire the next generation of explorers. The Cassini-Huygens Education and Public Outreach team may be small, but we are hundreds large through the mission scientists, technical personnel and partners we work with to reach the world. With partners like ESA, ASI and others with expertise in reaching students and educators such as the Bay Area Writing project, Don Johnston Publishing and the Caltech Precollege Science Initiative (CAPSI), the Cassini-Huygens Education and Public Outreach team has been able to create unique programs that are meaningful and useful to our audiences while reaching the world.

  19. NASA IceBridge and PolarTREC - Education and Outreach Partnership

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  20. LESSONS-LEARNED AND SUCCESS STORIES FROM EPA'S REAL-TIME ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING, DATA DELIVERY, AND PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAM

    EPA Science Inventory

    TTSD has completed a series of technology transfer and risk communication handbooks, case studies, and summary reports for community-based environmental monitoring projects under EPA's Real-Time Environmental Monitoring, Data Delivery, and Public Outreach Program. The Program tak...

  1. Design and management of public health outreach using interoperable mobile multimedia: an analysis of a national winter weather preparedness campaign.

    PubMed

    Bandera, Cesar

    2016-05-25

    The Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR) in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts outreach for public preparedness for natural and manmade incidents. In 2011, OPHPR conducted a nationwide mobile public health (m-Health) campaign that pushed brief videos on preparing for severe winter weather onto cell phones, with the objective of evaluating the interoperability of multimedia m-Health outreach with diverse cell phones (including handsets without Internet capability), carriers, and user preferences. Existing OPHPR outreach material on winter weather preparedness was converted into mobile-ready multimedia using mobile marketing best practices to improve audiovisual quality and relevance. Middleware complying with opt-in requirements was developed to push nine bi-weekly multimedia broadcasts onto subscribers' cell phones, and OPHPR promoted the campaign on its web site and to subscribers on its govdelivery.com notification platform. Multimedia, text, and voice messaging activity to/from the middleware was logged and analyzed. Adapting existing media into mobile video was straightforward using open source and commercial software, including web pages, PDF documents, and public service announcements. The middleware successfully delivered all outreach videos to all participants (a total of 504 videos) regardless of the participant's device. 54 % of videos were viewed on cell phones, 32 % on computers, and 14 % were retrieved by search engine web crawlers. 21 % of participating cell phones did not have Internet access, yet still received and displayed all videos. The time from media push to media viewing on cell phones was half that of push to viewing on computers. Video delivered through multimedia messaging can be as interoperable as text messages, while providing much richer information. This may be the only multimedia mechanism available to outreach campaigns targeting vulnerable populations impacted by the digital divide

  2. Development of a photonics outreach and education program through partnerships at Universidad Metropolitana for Puerto Rico and the IYL

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Diaz, A.; Friedman, J. S.; Saltares, R.; Gordillo, R.; Trujillo, E.

    2016-09-01

    As the only photonics center in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean we have developed since 2014 and for the International Year of Light 2015 a comprehensive education and outreach program. We show how we have successfully reached an audience of more than 9,500 including K-12 students and teachers, general public, and specialized audiences, by partnering with other institutions and private companies to maximize resources. We present our experience, challenges, rewards and results or our activities and the types of partnerships we developed with institutions and private companies that were fundamental to achieve our goals.

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

    PubMed Central

    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

  4. State of global pediatric neurosurgery outreach: survey by the International Education Subcommittee.

    PubMed

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

    2017-08-01

    OBJECTIVE Neurosurgical services are increasingly recognized as essential components of surgical care worldwide. The degree of interest among neurosurgeons regarding international work, and the barriers to involvement in global neurosurgical outreach, are largely unexplored. The authors distributed a survey to members of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (AANS/CNS) Joint Section on Pediatric Neurosurgery to assess the state of global outreach among its members and to 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 their involvement in global neurosurgical outreach, geographic location, nature of the participation, and barriers to further involvement. RESULTS A 35.3% response rate was obtained, with 116 respondents completing the survey. Sixty-one percent have performed or taught neurosurgery in a developing country, and 49% travel 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 communications from local surgeons (77%). Seventy-one percent 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. CONCLUSIONS Any coordinated effort to expand global neurosurgical capacity begins with appreciation for the current state of outreach efforts. Increasing participation in global outreach will

  5. Simulation, Analysis, and Design of the Princeton Adaptable Stellarator for Education and Outreach (PASEO)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carlson, Jared; Dominguez, Arturo; N/A Collaboration

    2017-10-01

    The PPPL Science Education Department, in collaboration with IPP, is currently developing a versatile small scale Stellarator for education and outreach purposes. The Princeton Adaptable Stellarator for Education and Outreach (PASEO) will provide visual demonstrations of Stellarator physics and serve as a lab platform for undergraduate and graduate students. Based off the Columbia Non-Neutral Torus (CNT) (1), and mini-CNTs (2), PASEO will create pure electron plasmas to study magnetic surfaces. PASEO uses similar geometries to these, but has an adjustable coil configuration to increase its versatility and conform to a highly visible vacuum chamber geometry. To simulate the magnetic surfaces in these new configurations, a MATALB code utilizing the Biot Savart law and a Fourth Order Runge-Kutta method was developed, leading to new optimal current ratios. The design for PASEO and its predicted plasma confinement are presented. (1) T.S. Pedersen et al., Fusion Science and Technology Vol. 46 July 2004 (2) C. Dugan, et al., American Physical Society; 48th Annual Meeting of the Division of Plasma Physics, October 30-November 3, 2006

  6. Exploring the Oceans With OOI and IODP: A New Partnership in Education and Outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gröschel, H.; Robigou, V.; Whitman, J.; Jagoda, S. K.; Randle, D.

    2003-12-01

    The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), a new program supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), will investigate ocean and Earth processes using deep-sea and coastal observatories, as well as a lithospheric plate-scale cabled observatory that spans most of the geological and oceanographic processes of our planet. October 2003 marked the beginning of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP), the third phase of a scientific ocean drilling effort known for its international cooperation, multidisciplinary research, and technological innovation. A workshop exploring the scientific, technical, and educational linkages between OOI and IODP was held in July 2003. Four scientific thematic groups discussed and prioritized common goals of the two programs, and identified experiments and technologies needed to achieve these objectives. The Education and Outreach (E&O) group attended the science sessions and presented seed ideas on activities for all participants to discuss and evaluate. A multidisciplinary dialogue between E&O facilitators, research scientists, and technology specialists was initiated. OOI/IODP participants support the recommendation of the IODP Education Workshop (May 2003) that the IODP and US Science Support Program (USSSP)-successor program have clear commitments to education and outreach. Specific organizational recommendations for OOI/IODP are: (1) E&O should have equal status with science and engineering in the OOI management/planning structure, and enjoy adequate staffing at a US program office; (2) an E&O Advisory Committee of scientists, engineers, technology experts, and educators should be established to develop and implement a viable, vibrant E&O plan; (3) E&O staff and advisors should (a) provide assistance to researchers in fulfilling E&O proposal requirements from preparation to review stages, (b) promote submittal of proposals to government agencies specifically for OOI/IODP-related E&O activities, and (c) identify and foster

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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.

  8. Sun-Earth Days- "Have a Solar Blast"- Educational Outreach on a National Scale

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mortfield, P.; Lewis, E. M.; Cline, T.; Thieman, J. R.

    2001-05-01

    a wide network for learning about the Sun across the USA. Numerous publications announced the event and Discovery Science Channel supported NASA's Sun-Earth Days with two special programs, SAVAGE SUN and THE SUN. There have been many lessons learned during the development and initiation of Sun-Earth Days, as a national event. The most rewarding and exciting outcome was the demand for materials and the positive response for the event, leading to the determination to continue as an annual event. The results will be featured and plans announced for the second annual event, which features the Sun and the science from Sun-Earth Connection missions, in anticipation of others joining us for 2002 to make use of this medium for their education and outreach efforts

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  10. Informal optics education and outreach programs in Southern California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silberman, Donn M.; Cartland, Robert; Monacelli, Brian; Whitmore, Desire

    2010-08-01

    Over the past decade, Southern California has seen informal optics education and outreach programs grow substantially, mainly due to efforts from members of the Optical Society of Southern California (OSSC) and more recently the Optical Society of America, UC Irvine, Student Chapter. Also, the Optics Institute of Southern California (OISC) has served as a focal point for many of these programs, as an independent organization working closely with society members and other partners. This paper provides an update of these programs, including a new OSSC website that provides a new platform for significantly expanding the member participation efforts.

  11. Analysing researchers’ outreach efforts and the association with publication metrics: A case study of Kudos

    PubMed Central

    Aung, Htet Htet; Aw, Ashley Sara; Rapple, Charlie; Theng, Yin-Leng

    2017-01-01

    With the growth of scholarly collaboration networks and social communication platforms, members of the scholarly community are experimenting with their approach to disseminating research outputs, in an effort to increase their audience and outreach. However, from a researcher’s point of view, it is difficult to determine whether efforts to make work more visible are worthwhile (in terms of the association with publication metrics) and within that, difficult to assess which platform or network is most effective for sharing work and connecting to a wider audience. We undertook a case study of Kudos (https://www.growkudos.com), a web-based service that claims to help researchers increase the outreach of their publications, to examine the most effective tools for sharing publications online, and to investigate which actions are associated with improved metrics. We extracted a dataset from Kudos of 830,565 unique publications claimed by authors, for which 20,775 had actions taken to explain or share via Kudos, and for 4,867 of these full text download data from publishers was available. Findings show that researchers are most likely to share their work on Facebook, but links shared on Twitter are more likely to be clicked on. A Mann-Whitney U test revealed that a treatment group (publications having actions in Kudos) had a significantly higher median average of 149 full text downloads (23.1% more) per publication as compared to a control group (having no actions in Kudos) with a median average of 121 full text downloads per publication. These findings suggest that performing actions on publications, such as sharing, explaining, or enriching, could help to increase the number of full text downloads of a publication. PMID:28817627

  12. The Rural Outreach Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Coleman, Clarence D.

    2000-01-01

    The Rural Outreach Project was designed to increase the diversity of NASA's workforce by: 1) Conducting educational research designed to investigate the most effective strategies for expanding innovative, NASA-sponsored pre-college programs into rural areas; 2) Field-testing identified rural intervention strategies; 3) Implementing expanded NASA educational programs to include 300 rural students who are disabled, female and/or minority; and 4) Disseminating project strategies. The Project was a partnership that included NASA Langley Research Center's Office of Education, Norfolk State University, Cooperative Hampton Roads Organizations for Minorities in Engineering (CHROME) and Paul D. Camp Community College. There were four goals and activities identified for this project; 1) Ascertain effective strategies for expanding successful NASA-sponsored urban-based, pre-college programs into rural settings; 2) Field test identified rural intervention strategies; 3) Publish or disseminate two reports, concerning project research and activities at a national conference; 4) Provide educational outreach to 300, previously underserved, rural students who are disabled, female and /or minority.

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    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…

  14. Linking Research, Education and Public Engagement in Geoscience: Leadership and Strategic Partnerships

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spellman, K.

    2017-12-01

    A changing climate has impacted Alaska communities at unprecedented rates, and the need for efficient and effective climate change learning in the Boreal and Arctic regions is urgent. Learning programs that can both increase personal understanding and connection to climate change science and also inform large scale scientific research about climate change are an attractive option for building community adaptive capacity at multiple scales. Citizen science has emerged as a powerful tool for facilitating learning across scales, and for building partnerships across natural sciences research, education, and outreach disciplines. As an early career scientist and interdisciplinary researcher, citizen science has become the centerpiece of my work and has provided some of the most rewarding moments of my career. I will discuss my early career journey building a research and leadership portfolio integrating climate change research, learning research, and public outreach through citizen science. I will share key experiences from graduate student to early career PI that cultivated my leadership skills and ability to build partnerships necessary to create citizen science programs that emphasize synergy between climate change research and education.

  15. Communicating the Science of Nasa's Maven Mission through Public Engagement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mason, T.; Peticolas, L. M.; Wood, E. L.

    2014-12-01

    As education, public outreach, and communications professionals, we see the direct benefits of online outreach and other public engagement strategies in communicating complex scientific concepts. While public understanding of science and scientific literacy rates has stagnated at best, online engagement has never been more active. About 40% of Americans receive information about science and technology primarily from online sources; however, the ability to pursue enhanced learning opportunities is directly correlated with higher education and income. The MAVEN E/PO team has recognized an opportunity to bring the science of the mission to a growing, online community of engaged learners and potential supporters of future scientific research and data. We have taken a wide variety of approaches to educate the public—particularly non-traditional audiences—about a mission that is not as "sexy" as many other NASA missions, but is critical to understanding the evolution of Mars over time as part of an ongoing, long-term effort by NASA's Mars Exploration Program. We will highlight some of the tools—including online platforms—that we have used to share the science of MAVEN and will present preliminary evaluation results from our education and public outreach projects.

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

    PubMed

    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 < .0005, which is statistically significant. Forty respondents (91%) were of the opinion that statin side effects are the most common cause of treatment discontinuation. This work demonstrated the impact of an educational outreach intervention on improving 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

  17. NASA Education and Public Outreach Initiatives at the MIT Center for Space Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Porro, I. L.

    2003-12-01

    Since its inception in 1999, the EPO office of the MIT Center for Space Research (CSR) has fostered direct participation of local scientists in educational initiatives such as teachers workshops and public tours of the Chandra Operations and Control Center. The role played by the CSR EPO office has grown significantly, thanks to the award of a number of EPO grants associated with the Chandra and HETE missions. In the past year about one-third of the CSR research staff was involved in the office's EPO initiatives: more than 500 K-12 students, about half from underrepresented groups, were included in formal education programs and informal education events attracted an estimated 900 people. Today the mission of the CSR EPO office is focused in two areas: professional development for K-12 science teachers, and educational programs in out-of-school time. To be associated with major NASA research missions is beneficial to our mission in several respects, but provides also specific challenges. We present here some of the strategies and intiatives that we have undertaken to overcome those challenges.

  18. Exploring new possibilities of astronomy education and outreach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    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

  19. Validating Standardized Testing: The Role of the SAT and ACT in Undergraduate Admissions. [Hearing before the California Legislature, Senate Select Committee on Higher Education Admissions and Outreach, Sacramento, California, February 5, 1998].

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    California State Legislature, Sacramento. Senate Select Committee on Higher Education Admissions and Outreach.

    This report contains testimony and materials presented at the California Senate Select Committee on Higher Education Admissions and Outreach hearing, February 1998, held to examine the role of the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT) in undergraduate admissions to the public universities of California. In her…

  20. The Optics Institute of Southern California: organizing and implementing outreach effort

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silberman, Donn M.

    2003-10-01

    The Optics Institute of Southern California is organizing the local educational outreach effort. Working with local optics businesses, society chapters, science discovery centers, K-12, community college and university educators, and others from the global optics education and training community, the OISC is becoming a one-stop clearing house for a wide range of educational outreach activities.