HR: 16:40h
AN: SH14A-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Sun-Earth Connection Education and Public Outreach Activities in the Washington. DC Metropolitan Area
AU: * Carruthers, G R
EM: george.carruthers@nrl.navy.mil
AF: Naval Research Laboratory Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave. SW Code 7645, Space Science Div., Washington, DC 20375-5320 United States
AU: * Carruthers, G R
EM: george.carruthers@nrl.navy.mil
AF: S.M.A.R.T., Inc., P. O. Box 70871, Washington, DC 20024 United States
AU: Thomas, V L
EM: vthomas@erols.com
AF: S.M.A.R.T., Inc., P. O. Box 70871, Washington, DC 20024 United States
AB: One of the primary education and public outreach activities we have been involved in over the last few years, is a project sponsored by the South East Regional Clearing House (SERCH), a NASA EPO broker-facilitator, to support EPO activities related to NASA's Office of Space Science research themes; specifically (1) The Sun-Earth Connection; (2) Exploration of the Solar System; (3) Astronomical Search for Origins; and (4) Structure and Evolution of the Universe. The grant was by way of the DC Space Grant Consortium, of which S.M.A.R.T. is an affiliate. The objectives of the grant were to provide educational materials and activities related to these themes, in DC Public Schools (and other formal, as well as informal, educational organizations, in the DC metropolitan area). We have also given presentations on these topics in informal educational venues and at universities. The objectives of our SERCH grant included production of videos, as well as CD copies of presentation documents, for use in the schools. Of particular note is that students, and their teachers, are active participants in the videos. The Sun-Earth Connection theme is the one we have focused on initially. Two DC schools, Anacostia Senior High School and Backus Middle School, were participants in the video production. In addition, students working during the summers as Science and Engineering Apprentice Program (SEAP) students at the Naval Research Laboratory participated in some of the videos and in developing and testing instruments used in the EPO activities. Also, the SEC presentations have been used in invited talks on several occasions as part of NRL's Community Outreach activities.
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
SC: SPA-Solar and Heliospheric Physics [SH]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly