This Pathways project, led by Hubbard Brook Research Foundation (HBRF), develops and pilots a model to foster engagement and learning among diverse stakeholders related to timely ecosystem, social, economic, and policy issues in rural regions of New England's Northern Forest. As such, this project seeks to serve as a model for how other rural areas across the US that have pressing concerns that relate to science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM) may partner with scientists, community members, and local organizations to better understand and become involved in regional issues. Research carried out for more than 50 years at the 7,800-acre Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest?among the longest-running ecosystem studies in the world?has significant implications for decision making at local as well as national levels on topics including climate change, environmental stresses on tree physiology, biomass energy, and invasive pests and pathogens. By employing a Pubic Engagement with Science approach, the project goals focus on learning and equitable participation by both public audiences (local communities and organizations) and professional audiences (scientists who want to engage in informal science learning). In this case, "equitable" means valuing the experiences and knowledge that diverse people have. "Learning" is designed to occur for all participants, such that everyone has a deeper, broader, and more nuanced understanding of STEM, the regional issues, and opportunities for the future. HBRF has designed a three-part model that includes multi-stakeholder dialogue events, workshops and dialogues with scientists working in the region, and regional capacity building for supporting outcomes of the dialogues and workshops. The project evaluation aligns closely with the Public Engagement with Science approach and project goals. As such, over the course of project activities, the evaluation measures both the public's learning and capacity to engage with other stakeholder around regional issues as well as those of the scientists. In addition, the evaluation will document the strategies and capacities of the HBRF model to broaden and sustain productive interactions among diverse regional stakeholders. Dissemination of this pilot project's findings include a case study reflecting on the process, lessons learned, and potential best practices related to the PES model as well as presentations by project leadership at community, scientific, and educational meetings. The pilot would then provide a foundation for an on-going, expanded effort for HBRF in the Northern Forest and/or an expanded effort in the region around a set off issues. In either case, the full-scale project would build from the refined model as well as the capacity built through the pilot.
This poster was presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting in Washington, DC. It discusses a project that connects rural, underserved youth and families in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho to STEM concepts important in sustainable building design.
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Palouse Discovery Science CenterKathleen RyanChristine BervanKathy DawesPatty McNamara
This poster was presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting. It describes the radio and stage storytelling programs undertaken by the Center for Chemical Evolution, a CCI jointly funded by NSF and NASA.
This poster shows the development of the project Scientists for Tomorrow during the three years of its implementation: two first years under the full funding of the NSF and the third year as a no-cost extension. Also the poster describes how the project was incorporating more community centers and with it more participants through the development of the "self-sustained" mode of implementation. The poster introduces also the next step of the project - the Scientists for Tomorrow - National Alliance.
The attached document describes the results of evaluation of affective and cognitive impact of the Fusion Science Theater show model. Affective gains were measured by post-show questionnaires and cognitive gains were measured by having audience members vote for their prediction to the investigation question before and after the "lesson" of the show. Appendix includes instruments.
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Madison Area Technical CollegeDr. Joanne Cantor
This is the poster for the CCI Solar Fuels and Westside Science Club collaboration presented by Michelle Hansen and Benjamin Dickow at the 2014 AISL PI meeting in Washington DC.
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
California Institute of Technology Center for Chemical InnovationMichelle Hansen
This poster was presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting. Led by Washington University, Making Natural Connections: An Authentic Field Research Collaboration (DRL-0739874), is a series of two field-based informal science education programs in environmental biology targeting St. Louis area teenagers. The project aims for engagement of science research institutions and career scientists in the execution of informal science education programming, bringing real and dynamic context to the science content and allowing for deep and transparent career exploration by teenage participants. Project goals
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Washington University in St. LouisSusan FlowersKim MedleyKatherine Beyer
The data collection for this project involved three audiences: (1) a post-event survey completed by participants at the 'Eight-Legged Encounters' event, (2) a club experience survey completed by middle school students in an after-school club, and (3) focus groups, observations, and end-of-course evaluations conducted with students in the BIOS 497/897 'Communicating Science through Outreach' seminar class at the University of Lincoln, Nebraska. Year two data collection was completed from September 2013 - March 2014. Appendix includes survey.
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
University of Nebraska-LincolnEileen Hebets
The data collection for this project involves three audiences: (1) a post-event survey completed by participants at the 'Eight-Legged Encounters' event, (2) a club experience survey completed by middle school students in an after school club, and (3) focus groups, observations, and end-of-course evaluations conducted with students in the BIOS 497/897 'Communicating Science through Outreach' seminar class at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Data was collected from February to April, 2013 and the evaluation was conducted by the Bureau of Sociological Research (BOSR). Appendix contains surveys
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
University of Nebraska-LincolnEileen Hebets
'The Breathing City' is an Arts & Science collaboration between Urban Meteorologist, Dr Janet Barlow (University of Reading); Designer Chris Rose (University of Brighton); and Composer Holger Zschenderlein (University of Brighton). It centres on developing multi-sensory perspectives based on the interpretation and representation of scientific data.
DATE:
TEAM MEMBERS:
Janet BarlowChris RoseHolger Zschenderlein