University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. Education and Outreach Strategic Plan April 5, 2007

Transcription

1 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Education and Outreach Strategic Plan April 5, 2007 Developed by the UCAR Education and Outreach Strategic Planning Committee

2 Dedication This plan is dedicated to the memory of Diana Josephson, who infused our early discussions with her vision, incisive strategic thinking, and commitment to science and education in the public good. We are saddened that she is not here to share in the realization of her goals. ii

3 Table of Contents Preface...iv UCAR s Mission...1 UCAR s Education and Outreach Vision, Mission, and Values...1 Education and Outreach at UCAR in Service to the Scientific Community...2 Leveraging UCAR s Unique Capabilities for Education and Outreach...5 Goals and Objectives...8 Goal 1 Inspire the public and advance science literacy in the area of the Sun Earth System...8 Goal 2 Develop resources and programs that enhance scientific understanding and support education at all levels...11 Goal 3 Broaden participation in science by including diverse and historically underrepresented populations in our science education programs...16 Toward Strategic Implementation...18 Summary...20 References...21 Appendix 1 Education and Outreach Programs at UCAR, iii

4 Preface Against the background of a planet under stress and undergoing change at an unprecedented rate, our need to observe, understand, and predict the behavior of the Earth is urgent. Present and future generations must be well educated in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for a sound and prosperous society to be sustained. Solid knowledge of the Earth system and courageous leadership will be required to ensure good environmental stewardship. Scientists and research institutions are central to this effort. The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) has a unique role to play in helping educators and learners better understand the Earth and our environment, and use that knowledge for the public good. UCAR is composed of 70 research universities and has affiliations around the world. We are ideally placed to enhance geoscience education because of our institutional mission in research, education, and service; the abundance of scientific expertise within the UCAR community; our extensive facilities; our history of leadership in geoscience education; and the relevance of our research to critical global issues. This Education and Outreach Strategic Plan for UCAR ( ) describes our five year plan for education and outreach activities across all of UCAR. It updates our earlier plan, published in The current plan, developed by leaders in education and outreach from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the UCAR Office of Education and Outreach (EO), and the UCAR Office of Programs (UOP), is set in today s context for geoscience education and complements the UCAR strategic plan, UCAR 2020: Strategic Outlook for the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (2007). It takes into account our institution s expanding educational efforts, the growing importance of partnerships with the UCAR community, and the increasingly international scope of our programs. UCAR has emerged as one of the world s pre eminent institutions for research, education, and service in the Earth system sciences and the geosciences in general. Because it can represent and convene the broad national and even international geoscience community, UCAR can serve as an intellectual commons with tremendous capability to impact STEM education and outreach efforts. Since its founding in 1960, UCAR s collaborations with universities, corporations, and public agencies have fostered the transfer of knowledge and technology for the betterment of society. These partnerships are critical to achieving our vision for education and outreach today and in the future. iv

5 UCAR s Mission To serve and provide leadership to the atmospheric science and related communities through research, computing and observational facilities, and education programs that contribute to the betterment of life on Earth UCAR s Education and Outreach Vision, Mission, and Values Our Vision An informed global community living responsibly with the environment and inspired to follow a path of lifelong scientific learning Our Mission In partnership with the university community, UCAR creates, catalyzes, and supports world class science education programs, resources, and communities. Our Values UCAR s education and outreach plans are infused with the same values that inform all of our activities: responsiveness to the broad community we serve, reliance on strong collaborations with a wide array of partners, active engagement of scientists in education and outreach, nurturing of creativity and innovation, and an emphasis on societal needs and relevance. 1

6 Education and Outreach at UCAR in Service to the Scientific Community The critical need for a well educated workforce, firmly grounded in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), has driven a national consensus. Bold steps must be taken to transform STEM education to preserve the well being of our nation and the world (U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2005). The National Academies report Rising above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future (2006) starkly poses the challenges facing the United States in maintaining leadership in STEM fields. Globalization, fueled largely by modern communication technology, presents appreciable challenges to our nation s economic future. As cutting edge science and engineering education expands in many parts of the world, our nation s longstanding ability to attract and retain gifted students from at home and abroad to become the skilled scientific workforce of the future is diminished. In order to provide this critical STEM workforce of tomorrow, individuals and institutions engaged in the scientific research enterprise must today become partners with educators and learners to promote broader and deeper understanding of STEM fields (Alberts, 1993) and their potential to improve life on Earth. In view of these trends, the NSF has recognized its responsibility to actively cultivate a world class, broadly inclusive science and engineering workforce, and to expand the scientific literacy of all citizens (NSF, 2006). At this time of rapid change and stress on environmental and societal systems, it is vitally important that people understand the connections between the Earth system and the choices made by individuals and society. UCAR is well positioned to help the public, educators, and students better understand the Earth system sciences in particular and the geosciences in general. As an institution with mandates in research, education, and service, UCAR leads and supports the community to integrate scientific research into educational programs of national and international scope. Our unique strengths include broad integrated expertise in science, education, engineering, and information technology, allowing us to act as an intellectual hub for the university community. The quality of K 12 science education and public science literacy is a serious concern among leaders in higher education, and offers an additional important point of connection with UCAR member and affiliate universities. UCAR s educational programs reach learners, educators, other diverse professionals, and the public through unique collaborative programs that broaden access to and participation in the geosciences, deepen scientific understanding, and enhance science literacy. We will continue to build and sustain a broad national and international network of communities engaged in the effort to connect science and education. Through these programs and activities we will involve future generations of scientists, engineers, educators, and civic leaders. We will entrain our staff to help with these efforts and reward them for their contributions, with particular emphasis on increasing the participation of scientists in education and outreach activities. Seeing the broad range of 2

7 those engaged in the enterprise of science at UCAR brings immediacy, authenticity, and human interest to the pursuit of science. Four themes will define the environment for education in the Earth system sciences through the timeframe of our current plan ( ). UCAR must address these through its education programs and activities to continue to provide support and leadership in geoscience education. These themes are The imperative of promoting widespread understanding of science, the scientific process, and the analytical thinking skills needed for citizens to make responsible and informed decisions The call for scientists to demonstrate the broader societal impacts of their research The need to systemically improve K 12 STEM education in ways that will attract qualified individuals into the nation s science and technology workforce The importance of developing a geoscience workforce that reflects the nation s racial, ethic, and gender diversity Scientific Thinking and Intellectual Endeavor: The general public has a poor understanding of what science is, how it differs from other fields of inquiry, what the processes of scientific research are, and how scientific progress is made. Science, to use the basic dictionary definition, is the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of material phenomena. Our efforts to communicate the processes of Earth system science must support and enhance the understanding of scientific thought, scientific methods, and the value of critical thinking. Broader Impacts: The National Science Foundation, since 1997, has required scientists to address the broader impacts of their research when applying for funding. Other agencies have integrated similar requirements within their solicitations. The inclusion of education, infrastructure building, and diversity in proposals has provided a paradigm shift away from science for science s sake and toward responsiveness to broader societal benefits. Although many scientists in the UCAR community undertake and enjoy education and outreach activities, collaboration with educators can be daunting to the uninitiated (Andrews et al., 2005). Through this plan we will assist scientists in the UCAR community as they seek to address the broader impacts of their work by forging partnerships and collaborations through a wide range of educational activities. Workforce Preparedness: UCAR will contribute significantly to workforce preparedness initiatives in the geosciences, seeking to exploit the full potential of our diverse population, following on the recommendations of the National Academies report Rising Above the Gathering Storm (2006). Our strategic plan directly addresses this concern by: Encouraging creation of educational resources and opportunities for professional development anchored in science and inspired by current scientific research, 3

8 Clearly communicating information about climate change, weather, and Earth systems to the public, students, and educators, and Developing, implementing, and promoting programs that directly engage learners and educators in research experiences. Diversity: According to the latest projections by the U.S. Census Bureau (2003), minorities are expected to comprise more than half of the resident college age population of the United States by 2050, up from 34% in UCAR is committed to developing unique collaborative programs that broaden access to, understanding of, and participation in the geosciences by historically underrepresented populations. Excellence demands the input and ideas of all who have a stake in our nation s future. Therefore, we are committed to expanding the pool from which tomorrow s scientists are recruited and nurtured, in order to address the scientific challenges of the 21 st century. UCAR s goals and objectives for education and outreach over the next five years are summarized in Table 1. Table 1 Goal 1. Inspire the public and advance science literacy in the area of the Sun Earth System 2. Develop resources and programs that enhance scientific understanding and support education at all levels 3. Broaden participation in science by including diverse and historically underrepresented populations in our science education programs Objective 1.1 Create robust public programs 1.2 Expand internal and external partnerships to more effectively bring science to the public 1.3 Highlight the human dimensions and societal impacts of Earth system research 2.1 Produce and promote resources that help learners to better understand the Earth system and the impacts of scientific discoveries on society 2.2 Train educators and other professionals to use science content, activities, and technologies 2.3 Engage learners in the dynamic experience of science, including research methods and processes 3.1 Engage diverse communities in learning about, contributing to, and benefiting from the geosciences 3.2 Increase the number of scientists, educators, and other professionals from underrepresented communities participating in the geosciences 4

9 Leveraging UCAR s Unique Capabilities for Education and Outreach At the request and for the benefit of the university community, UCAR has developed a suite of unique education and outreach programs (see Appendix 1). These programs illustrate the responsibility we embrace to serve the community, to lead in areas best suited to a national center, to take advantage of our unique access to scientists and advanced students across the country, and to leverage our state of the art technologies like supercomputers and research aircraft. High energy public events at NCAR share the excitement of the geosciences with the public, in collaboration with numerous community based organizations. We will accomplish our education and outreach goals by building on the strength of our existing programs, with enhancements that support the university community in the context of the national agenda to improve science education and literacy. UCAR s major programs in public science literacy, educational resource development and training, and broadening diversity in the geosciences (described in brief below) form the basis for future work to address our education and outreach goals. We also anticipate the need to develop new programs in collaboration with the university community that build on the education and outreach expertise we have developed over the past two decades. Public Science Literacy UCAR s enduring commitment to sharing our science with the public is exemplified through the exhibits, events, and tours offered in the NCAR Mesa Laboratory. The exhibits in this venue, cosponsored by NCAR and UCAR, are regularly updated to highlight the science of our research Over 90,000 people visit NCAR s Mesa Laboratory community and then leveraged for use in other annually, taking advantage of tours, exhibits, settings. For example, the Climate Discovery visualizations, lectures, and presentations in classroom exhibit, completed in 2006, along with resources gathered during its development, are now being multipurposed in support of the 5

10 broader science education community by offering exhibit panels and associated multimedia to science museums and universities. The Windows to the Universe Web site attracts tens of millions of visitors per year. Web based educational materials in English and Spanish and associated professional development programs and hands on educational resources are enhancing the science literacy of a rapidly expanding international audience. This program offers collaborative opportunities to inform the public, students, and educators of research achievements emerging from the university community. Educational Resource Development and Training Opportunities The unique blend of UCAR s educational resources and professional development programs and their remarkable scope are broadly recognized and relied upon by learning communities. They range from unrivaled research opportunities for the next generation of geoscientists to state of the art curriculum resources for middle school Earth science educators. NCAR s Advanced Study Program is a prestigious postdoctoral program for gifted new atmospheric Unidata Integrated Data Viewer Globe Display of a numerical weather prediction model output of mean sea level pressure. scientists to expand their horizons in a stimulating research environment. The COMET program develops and offers nationally recognized distance learning courses, educational resources, and professional development workshops that support the UCAR community s undergraduates, graduates, and weather forecasters. Through the National Science Digital Library and the Digital Learning Sciences, educators can access exemplary curriculum resources for STEM learning at all levels. Numerous programs within UCAR offer innovative approaches to sharing the science under way at NCAR. Particularly noteworthy are Unidata s data streams, visualization software, and analytical tools, and the GLOBE program s activities to engage students from around the world in modeling scientific processes by observing the natural world, taking measurements, and sharing their data and findings with others. Broadening Diversity in the Geosciences 6

11 UCAR has been a leader for over a decade in efforts to increase the number of geoscientists from communities historically underrepresented in science through the acclaimed Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) program. This intensive mentoring program for third and fourth year minority undergraduate students received the Presidential Award for Mentoring in SOARS can be credited for a growing cohort of graduate students in the atmospheric and related sciences who are completing their degrees and moving into research and other areas of professional employment. Through creation and management of this program, UCAR serves the research community and the nation by building a more diverse workforce in the geosciences. UCAR is now actively expanding its diversity efforts, reaching out to new communities including minority students and teachers at the K 12 level. By developing broader and deeper connections with the Hispanic community, we are now bringing Students engaged in the SOARS program have the opportunity to develop a suite of skills which position them to become leaders in the scientific community. bilingual geoscience educational resources to learners in the United States and around the world. 7

12 Students and teachers are regular visitors to NCAR, providing opportunities for our scientific and education staff to work together to promote science literacy. Exhibits and tours at the NCAR Mesa Lab attract over 90,000 people of all ages, ethnicities, and nationalities each year to learn about our research and its significance to society. During visits, they explore the exhibits visually engaging graphic panels, educational media, and interactive tools conveying information about weather, climate, instrumentation, computing, and modeling. Education staff serve diverse members of the public every day of the year with tours often tailor made to their interests. Self guided audiotours are available for children and adults, in English and Spanish; transcripts have been prepared in ten languages as well as in large type for the visually challenged. Thousands of students from preschool through college are inspired by our scientists personalized presentations and intrigued with hands on science inquiry activities aligned with school curriculum and university course requirements. Resources developed for Mesa Lab audiences are adapted for broader dissemination on Web sites, in workshops, and through public events organized in collaboration with universities, associations, and agencies that share our commitment to enhancing public science literacy. Goals and Objectives 1 Goal 1 Inspire the public and advance science literacy in the area of the Sun Earth System UCAR has a responsibility to communicate the relevance and implications of its research to the general public in order to foster science literacy and informed decision making. The American Association for the Advancement of Science defines the science literate person as one who is aware that science, mathematics, and technology are interdependent human enterprises with strengths and limitations; understands key concepts and principles of science; is familiar with the natural world and recognizes both its diversity and unity; and uses scientific ways of thinking for individual and social purposes (AAAS, 1989). Public policy frequently involves science, yet a large segment of our populace cannot explain basic scientific principles. Science literacy is not merely an intellectual pursuit, it is essential to our stability and prosperity. The paramount goal of our efforts is not solely to transmit science information but, ultimately, to change people s attitudes and actions by integrating science into their lives. Active engagement of scientists in these efforts provides a way to communicate science information to the public while also putting a human face on science. UCAR will encourage the participation of an increased number of scientists in education and outreach activities, including providing training on communication with public audiences as well recognizing of these efforts in meaningful ways. 1 UCAR s goals in education and outreach are giant steps towards achieving our overall vision, and they are anticipated to be achieved over a decade or more. UCAR s objectives are for the intermediate term (five to ten years) and support the longer term goals. UCAR s Education and Outreach programs are described in Appendix 1. 8

13 Objective 1.1 Create robust public programs A Postcard from the Field submitted by a research team on the Ross Sea, in the Antarctic, shares the excitement of research in this remote setting with the public. Educational resources for the curiosity driven independent learner are also frequently successful in formal learning settings. The Windows to the Universe Web site is one such resource developed and maintained at UCAR. Originally designed for informal learning in museums, the Web site brings the Earth and space sciences with interdisciplinary arts and humanities connections to learners and educators around the world in English and Spanish. With over 7,000 pages of content written at three levels of sophistication, the Web site has attracted a vast worldwide audience of about 16 million visitors per year. Through collaborations with the research community, the content base continues to grow as Windows documents the forefront of geoscience research. New features, such as the recently developed Postcards from the Field, allow researchers to post their discoveries in near real time, bringing to life the excitement of field research and scientific careers. Windows to the Universe provides professional development to 1600 teachers a year at venues across the country. The project s monthly electronic newsletter for teachers now reaches over 7,200 subscribers in 139 countries, highlighting resources and events in the UCAR and broader geoscience education community. Through exciting exhibits, tours, events, and Web sites, interactive science activities can be experienced and shared by families, classes, clubs, and other groups. Thanks to the Web, such experiences can be offered across the globe to anyone with access to computer technology. Our activities will target both real and virtual science experiences, using the full spectrum of current and emerging technologies digital libraries that deliver rich collections of resources at many levels, live Web connections to scientists at remote sites who send electronic Postcards from the Field, and events such as GLOBE at Night, through which families around the world become citizen scientists gathering and sharing data from their local environment. These and other resources and programs for informal learning will be designed to advance scientific literacy and skills by piquing curiosity and inspiring learners to continue exploration of the geosciences. 9

14 Objective 1.2 Expand internal and external partnerships to more effectively bring science to the public NCAR s G V soars over the Sierra Nevada during its first science campaign. The public enjoys sharing excitement of the scientific endeavor during recreational activities such as visits to museums, watching t.v., and using new communications technologies such as podcasts. Using High Definition Video (HDV) UCAR has documented scientists and technicians working in a broad spectrum of careers and disciplines as well as the instruments and logistics that support their work and how their discoveries benefit public safety and quality of life. Scientists, a film producer, and educators have partnered in documenting the birth of NSF s long awaited Gulfstream G V aircraft, including the engineering challenges that transformed this executive jet into a highly refined tool for exploring the frontiers of science. During the G V s first field campaign, research scientists, pilots, weather forecasters, and graduate students were filmed while planning and executing a logistically complex field campaign to study atmospheric rotors at the foot of the dramatic Sierra Nevada mountain range. The video is an example of how our scientific enterprise can be captured and disseminated in a variety of popular education venues. As institutions of national scope and world renown, NCAR and UCAR are well positioned to build powerful collaborations with a broad spectrum of national and international partners. Our research, resources, and reputation make us attractive partners to institutions like broadcast networks, film companies, and museums, whose own missions in popular communication and education can vastly amplify our reach. We will partner with these groups in grant proposals, participate actively in their professional organizations, and exchange a range of capabilities from expert advice to ready made products (exhibits, video, and visualizations). 10

15 Objective 1.3 Highlight the human dimensions and societal impacts of Earth system research There are arguably no other fields of modern science that have the immediate relevance of weather, climate, and their associated processes. Climate change, severe storms, droughts, and heat waves are constantly in the news. The debate over our changing environment reaches far beyond journals and laboratories and into classrooms and living rooms around the world. The complex physical relationships that combine to create weather and climate are difficult to grasp, and they are vastly complicated by the social processes that impact and modify them. Our education and outreach materials will be geared not only to public understanding of these processes but ultimately to helping society understand the connections among the Earth system, personal choices, and broader issues such as consumption, development, conflict, and population pressures. We will feature streaming media and podcasts on our Web sites derived from research experiences of scientists in the field and in the laboratory. Our Web seminars and online courses will bring scientific experts on severe weather, climate change processes, adaptation, and related topics to teachers and students, encouraging them to consider how to use this information to benefit their classrooms, families, and communities. Local environmental concerns expressed during a usable science workshop in the Galapagos Islands. NCAR s Center for Capacity Building (CCB) seeks to identify and expose the various subtle ways that atmospheric processes can influence human activities and behavior. For example, most people look at the impact of El Niño on Peru as one related to fisheries. Yet the clothing industry, for example, is very sensitive to seasonal changes and could benefit from any forecast to help hedge their production levels. Usable science activities, involving multidisciplinary participants and activities (research and education) show how scientific information can be used today, in spite of uncertainties in science and in climate, waterand weather related forecasts. The primary goal of CCB is to educate educators at universities and colleges and to train young professionals working in climate sensitive sectors. CCB s core activity is fostering the use of the climate affairs template. The template consists of a core set of areas of concern: climate science, climate impacts on ecosystems and on societies, climate policy and law, climate politics, climate economics, and climate ethics and equity. The template can be modified according to academic emphasis and interest but must include ethics and equity. CCB s activities have expanded to explicitly include climate, water and weatherrelated issues. Goal 2 Develop resources and programs that enhance scientific understanding and support education at all levels UCAR will support learners and educators with a wide range of products and services focused on topics in the Earth system sciences, the processes of Earth system research, and the benefits of this research to societies around the world. We will work with diverse 11

16 students, teachers, and other educational professionals across a broad range of ages and educational levels. Our programs will connect students and teachers with authentic scientific research experiences, engage them in analyses of real time data, and introduce them to role models for the many career pathways in the geosciences and related disciplines. We will encourage more scientists to participate actively in developing educational resources and training educators and students. NCAR postdoctoral fellows and graduate student visitors with 2006 Thompson Lecturer Robert A. Houze, Jr. (U. of Washington). The Thompson Lecture series brings prominent scientists to NCAR to promote interactions with the fellows and opportunities for them to receive guidance on their research and career plans. The Advanced Study Program (ASP) serves as an educational and intellectual hub for NCAR and the university community it serves. Through its component Postdoctoral Fellowship, Graduate Visitor, and Faculty Fellowship Programs, along with its Summer Colloquium, ASP encourages the development of young scientists, directs attention to emerging scientific topics needing special emphasis, and supports interactions with universities. Postdoctoral fellows in ASP conduct their research in collaboration with NCAR scientists throughout the institution and have access to diverse advanced training opportunities to enhance their professional development. Through the Graduate Visitor and Faculty Fellowship Programs, ASP hosts graduate students and university faculty who conduct of their research in residence at NCAR for periods of 3 to 12 months. NCAR scientists also spend time teaching and doing research at universities through the auspices of the Faculty Fellowship Program. The ASP annual Summer Colloquium for graduate students focuses on new or rapidly developing areas of research for which good course material may not yet be available. The resources we create and promote, and the services we provide, will cover a range of topics across the geosciences. They will expand beyond basic concepts drawn from the geosciences to include systems science approaches to the study of our planet. Our work will also delve into the societal impacts of changes in the Earth system. Scientific understanding has an increasingly important role to play in human affairs, so it is extremely important that our educational efforts highlight the interplay between science and society. Societal relevance is key at a time when support for science education is becoming increasingly competitive. To be successful, we must be fully accountable for the quality and impacts of our programs and products. We must develop methodologies and partnerships that support the K 12 education community by aligning STEM curricula with education standards and tracking progress in student achievement. 12

17 Objective 2.1 Produce and promote resources that help learners to better understand the Earth system and the impacts of scientific discoveries on society UCAR will provide materials and services to educators and students that can be easily accessed in formats that meet their needs. We will develop and promote novel vehicles and services, such as digital libraries and cyberinfrastructure for data dissemination and analysis. We will create and promote the use of software tools and services for students and educators. We will host events, workshops, conferences, and tours, which provide opportunities to learn about science and meet scientists. Our programs, services, and resources will reach a broad range of students, teachers, and other educators, from preschoolers to university faculty. As in all our activities, we will leverage the strengths of our existing programs and collaborate with the larger UCAR community to achieve this objective. Our current five year collaboration in the NSF funded Center for Multi Scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes at Colorado State University is an excellent example. NASA image of Hurricane Michael moving northeast toward Newfoundland. This case study is used in the COMET training for Canadian Maritime forecasters. Since 2002, the U.S. National Weather Service and the Meteorological Service of Canada have partnered with UCAR s Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training (COMET) to improve weather forecasting in northern latitudes. This unique education/training effort combines online modules with traditional on site courses and workshops. Distance modules include offerings such as an exercise that tracks a hurricane as it moves into the Maritime region off the Canadian coast. Access to this and all of COMET s distance learning materials is provided at no cost through its MetEd Web site ( Additionally, a Northern Latitude Meteorology Web site ( provides a forum for sharing expertise within the community of northern latitude forecasters. Residence courses are also presented annually. A Winter Weather Workshop has been held annually since Starting in 2005, a series of mountain weather courses has been offered to prepare forecasters for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. 13

18 Objective 2.2 Train educators and other professionals to use science content, activities, and technologies NSDL NSTA Web seminars featuring content experts and innovative digtal resources engage teacher participants with mark up tools and question forums. Advances in technology are dramatically changing the way in which science is shared with educational audiences, policy makers, and the general public. UCAR s vision for leveraging these innovations has made it a leader in developing and implementing new learning environments, such as online courses and digital libraries that enrich education with technology enhanced resources. The National Science Digital Library (NSDL) and Digital Learning Sciences (DSL) are examples of UCAR programs that help learners discover information that in the past was not widely accessible. In addition to offering online access to data sets, articles, lesson plans, and simulations, NSDL and DLESE provide context, tools, and services around resources to enhance their utility and serve as centers for collaboration across research and education communities. An NSDL collaboration with the National Science Teachers Association to deliver online professional development for K 12 teachers illustrates the conceptual and social synergies enabled by digital libraries. Interactive Web seminars, featuring resources and experts from NSDL s partners, are helping teachers increase both their content knowledge and their technology skills. Our resources and services are used in many venues by many types of educators, including classroom teachers, university professors, staff at museums and other informal educational institutions, and instructors of courses for practicing meteorologists. We will develop materials and services to support educators of many types in diverse educational settings. For example, we have transferred content developed in NCAR Climate and Global Change professional development workshops for teachers into a Teachers Guide for our Mesa Lab Climate Discovery exhibit, as well as making it available through the Windows to the Universe Web site, and as an online professional development course. These resources are also being used in workshops with new partners in the fields of environmental health and museum based preservice teacher education. 14

19 Objective 2.3 Engage learners in the dynamic experience of science, including research methods and processes An international group of GLOBE students use an instrument shelter to take weather measurements. Through inquiry and field based programs like GLOBE, students learn science by doing science. They learn how to take high quality scientific measurements related to water, soil, atmosphere, phenology, and land cover to study their local environments. Students share their measurements with each other and with scientists around the world through a global database. By connecting students and educators with scientists, UCAR helps to engage and support the next generation of Earth system scientists. In turn, students and educators contribute to our scientific understanding of Earth through participation in important ground truth measurements of satellite and other remotely sensed data. By connecting students in 109 countries, UCAR programs like GLOBE encourage young people around the world to make connections between local, regional, and global environmental issues. In turn, the students learn more about science, more about each other, and more about our planet. Too often, students, teachers, and the general public regard science as a static body of knowledge. Working with partners in the larger UCAR community, and building on our programmatic strengths, we will promote understanding of science as a process by which new knowledge is gained, evaluated, revised, and applied to real world situations. We will expose learners and educators to the process of scientific research and the methods it employs. We will provide genuine opportunities for students and teachers to participate in research so they can better understand how science is actually done. The GLOBE program is an excellent example of how global collaboration in education can promote improved environmental literacy in a problem based context. 15

20 Goal 3 Broaden participation in science by including diverse and historically underrepresented populations in our science education programs The most pressing challenges facing future generations may well result from impacts on the Earth system that are occurring in our lifetime. Effective and equitable responses to these challenges will come from our children, but only if we prepare them. We share the responsibility to nurture the future researchers who will develop new insights into the Earth system, to encourage the future leaders who will use these insights to develop sustainable and just policies, and to engage future citizens who will incorporate awareness of the Earth into the fabric of their daily lives. UCAR will encourage an increased number of scientists to engage in diversityfocused education and outreach efforts to provide an array of role models, to put a human face on the geosciences, and to build community among the scientists of today and the more diverse scientific community of tomorrow. Supplemental funds from NCAR and UCAR have been dedicated to developing new diversity initiatives in the next five years. SOARS protégé and University of California graduate student Bret Harper standing near one of the wind turbines being tested at the National Renewable Energy Research Lab. Each year, 24 to 30 undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds spend the summer at UCAR doing original research in collaboration with UCAR scientists. These students are part of the Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) program, which combines research internships, mentoring, and a dynamic learning community. The benefits are two way, enriching both the students and the scientific and cultural environment of UCAR, which gains the diversity of people, backgrounds, research interests, and approaches. 16

21 Objective 3.1: Engage diverse communities in learning about, contributing to, and benefiting from the geosciences Increasing the diversity of those engaged in the geosciences will make our field more robust, more creative, and more relevant. A variety of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences will offer new insights to the study of the Earth system. As in many fields, research in geoscience increasingly involves collaborative teams, and studies show that diverse groups design more innovative solutions to problems and bring a higher level of critical analysis to decisions (McLeod et al., 1996). Greater diversity will make the science more relevant. In a country where scientific priorities are set by the competition of ideas in a peer reviewed arena, one way to honor all communities scientific priorities is to make certain that each community has qualified participants in the peer review process. Ultimately, diversity will improve the quality of education. Research has also shown that the most effective learning environments are ones that are diverse and that the benefits extend to all students who participate, not just students from minority groups (Gurin, 1999). Teachers explore properties of ice during a workshop on scientific inquiry at the annual BSTARS conference at NCAR's Mesa Lab. The Bilingual Science Teachers Annual Resources Symposium (BSTARS) was created in 2005 to address UCAR s commitment to developing programs and resources to reach underrepresented communities. BSTARS brings bilingual educators to NCAR each year for a day of hands on workshops aimed at enhancing educators knowledge of Earth science content and providing Spanishlanguage geoscience activities for classroom use. The symposium s focus in 2006 was on weather and climate, the Sun Earth connection, science literacy, and scientific inquiry, with an overall goal of broadening collaboration with, bilingual educators in the Metro Denver region and beyond. Barriers to reaching our rapidly expanding Hispanic population will be overcome by translating our Web sites into Spanish and by engaging Spanish media in reporting on educational and scientific topics and events. We will partner with universities, precollege schools and programs, school districts and state departments of education, and civic groups such as Hispanic chambers of commerce to develop and implement programs that effectively bring the geosciences (and STEM more broadly) to this community, with an emphasis on the meaningful, exciting, and promising careers possible in the field. Objective 3.2: Increase the number of scientists, educators, and other professionals from underrepresented communities participating in the geosciences 17

22 Students in the University of Hawaii's Meteorology Department VisionLab study a satellite image generated using equipment purchased with funds from the Unidata Equipment Award Program and matching funds from the university's School of Ocean and Earth Science Technology. UCAR s Unidata program sprang from a need for universities to acquire real time meteorological data for teaching and research purposes. Always evolving with community needs and the technological environment, the Unidata program has grown into a vibrant community of over 160 colleges and universities vested in the common goal of sharing meteorological data and software to access, manage, analyze, and visualize that data. A community governance model and a shared vision for the of importance data and tools in education and research encourage vigorous participation in Unidata program activities. Through their outreach efforts, several Unidata and UCAR university programs are also impacting K 12 education in their respective communities by applying weather and climate data to study a range of Earth and environmental science problems. Outreach efforts at the College of DuPage and Florida State University are two examples that illustrate how Unidata empowers its member institutions to advance science education. The need to broaden participation in the geosciences is pressing. Consider just one measure: the National Science Foundation reports that only 5% of bachelor s degrees in geoscience are awarded to Latino, Hispanic, Black, or African American students (Czujko, 2005), although members of these groups compose over 31% of the population aged 18 to 24 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2003). Within the atmospheric sciences the need is, if anything, more acute. Of the nearly 2,000 graduate degrees awarded from 1973 to 2000, only 47 went to people from historically underrepresented groups (Czujko, 2005). By 2050, white and Euro Americans will make up less than 50% of the U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2003). Given the profound demographic changes under way in the United States, we will be much more successful in meeting future workforce needs if we include more participants from currently underrepresented groups. In order to achieve our second objective, education and outreach programs and activities across UCAR will invest in sustained efforts to increase the number of scientists, educators, and other professionals from groups underrepresented in the geosciences. We will do this by promoting multiple pathways into the geosciences at multiple educational levels. We will both lead and support significant collaborative efforts that focus on grades K 16. At more advanced professional and educational levels, we will support, advocate for, and collaborate with efforts in the larger UCAR community. Toward Strategic Implementation Achievement of UCAR s long range vision for education and outreach An informed global community living responsibly with the environment, inspired to follow a path of lifelong scientific learning will be a demanding task. In order to turn this 18

23 vision into reality, UCAR will work through its education and outreach mission to achieve the specific goals and objectives in this plan over the next five years. An essential element to progress will be to ensure that the necessary institutional infrastructure exists to optimize communication and collaboration across all partners in the education and outreach enterprise at UCAR. In December 2000, UCAR took a major step in this direction by creating the Office of Education and Outreach, which seeks to encourage collaboration and partnerships, leverage resources, and build efficiencies of scale in support of all of UCAR, the broader UCAR community, and the external geoscience education and outreach community. This office complements significant stand alone programs within UCAR and NCAR (see Appendix 1). With such extensive and growing commitment to education and outreach across UCAR, additional institutional infrastructure is needed to enhance opportunities for communication and collaboration. To this end, UCAR will constitute the UCAR Education and Outreach Council to further promote communication, information sharing, and collaboration. The council will be composed of an Executive Board and members drawn from leaders in education, outreach, and diversity from across the institution. The council will meet regularly to share information about achievements of individual programs, funding opportunities, opportunities for collaboration, and other topics of interest to the membership (such as diversity and effective strategies for integrating research and education) and to raise issues upon which a consensus needs to be developed. The council will be responsible for implementing procedures for assessing progress toward the goals and objectives of this plan through the work of UCAR programs, offices, and its own efforts and will report results periodically to the UCAR community. UCAR will also create an Education Advisory Board by Spring 2008, comprising external leaders in education and outreach drawn from across the country, who will periodically meet to consider UCAR s education and outreach programs and make recommendations to the Education Executive Board on opportunities and strategies for the future. The first task of the Education and Outreach Council will be to develop specific implementation strategies for the goals and objectives identified in this strategic plan, with metrics, by the end of These implementation strategies, which should be achievable and measurable in the one to three year timeframe, may take into account specific programs currently under way across UCAR, since these are the tools we have in place to help move us toward our long range vision. The Council Executive Board will also work over the coming year to recruit the Education Advisory Board, so that by Spring 2008, the Advisory Board can meet, assess our implementation strategy, and make recommendations for the future. 19

24 Summary The global challenges to society posed by the rapid changes under way in the Earth system underline the increasing importance of UCAR s leadership and support in the integration of research and education in the Earth sciences. Our unique strengths allow us to act as an intellectual commons for the research and education community, bringing together the diverse professional sectors needed to effectively achieve our goals. We will reach learners, educators, other diverse professionals, and the public through unique collaborative programs that broaden access to and participation in the geosciences, deepen scientific understanding, and enhance science literacy. We will continue to build and sustain a broad national and international network of communities engaged in the effort to connect science and education. Through these programs and activities we will engage and nurture future generations of scientists, engineers, educators, and civic leaders who will be well prepared to develop solutions to the challenges of tomorrow. 20