HR: 08:15h
AN: OS21D-02 [Abstracts]
TI: It's not that {\it Education and Outreach} is an afterthought, it's just the last thing I do before I
submit my proposal
AU: * Helling, H E
EM: hhelling@ocean-institute.org
AF: Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr.
, Dana Point, CA 92629
United States
AB:
We've all seen the extensive reports about slipping public science literacy and the overwhelming need to improve the bridge
between the science and education communities. By comparison, this is a report from the trenches. They'll be no federal
acronyms (other than to recognize NSF for support), just some tried and proven tips, extracted from the Ocean Institute's
Center for Cooperation in Research and Education, that Earth scientists can employ to more effectively meet broader impact
objectives. We'll share some key lessons that have emerged from an NSF-funded informal science education project {\it Sea
Floor Science}.
{\bf Choose Good Partners.} Finding capable and competent partners that share some benefit from your recent findings (these
include some you'd expect like K-12 school districts, informal science organizations and a few you wouldn't, like art
museums, libraries and Boy Scouts) is a great way to leverage your work, save you time and money. We'll share some
successful examples.
{\bf Be Prepared to Simplify your Work for Lay Audiences.} We've learned how much scientists loathe this necessary part of
the process. Our exhibition on {\it Slopes, Slides and Tsunamis} became FIRST about investigations in instability and THEN
scaffolded into increasing competency in content, skills, science processes and attitudes toward science. We'll show you how
to be smart without being condescending, how to simplify without compromising integrity.
{\bf In the End it's about Efficiency.} There are emerging translation models that will help you convert your work into
something that can help K-12 students meet new rigorous science standards. We'll share our `efficiency' model with you.
{\bf Involve Your Graduate Students.} We'll argue that communication is a necessary part of their training and an efficient
way to translate your science. (Besides, it's either them or you).
{\bf Don't Undersell the Budget.} Good outreach is scalable. Pick your comfort range and recognize that money invested in
broader impact does not necessarily take away from your research money.
{\bf Take Some Risk and Have Some Fun.} Developing high quality broader impact solutions is an emerging new field and you
have the chance to be a pioneer. We'll show you the part of the process that scientists really liked, in some cases, too
much!
UR: http://www.ocean-institute.org
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
DE: 0805 Elementary and secondary education
DE: 0810 Post-secondary education
DE: 0815 Informal education
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting