10 May 2022

Overview

Connecting education and public outreach (EPO) with oceanographic expeditions is becoming increasingly common, and is thus an additional layer of planning, execution and assessment for a chief scientist to manage. In this week, we will review some of the common ways that EPO is incorporated into field work, what is required to implement them (technology and personnel), and some of the common pitfalls to be aware of. We will hear from two experts in science communication to help us think big and creatively about EPO at sea. Finally, we will discuss the assessment tools, processes, and metrics that are used to gauge the efficacy of EPO activities, and how to write these into proposal planning.

Goals

• Understand the types of common EPO connected with deep-sea oceanographic expeditions, what is required to implement them, and common pitfalls

• Understand where to get communication training to help with creating effective products

• Understand what kinds of assessment tools, processes, and metrics are useful and often required from funders.

Pre-Class Activities

• Draft a short paragraph or a few bullet points describing the education, public outreach, and/or communication approach for your proposed Dream Cruise.

• Add a map (preferably bathymetric) to your Dream Cruise prospectus

  • Note: you can use some of the mapping tools mentioned in Week 4, like GeoMapApp or the tool in the Marine Facilities Portal.

• Come prepared to discuss your ideas, as well as maybe tell a story about something that did or did not work out that you were part of.

Class Plan & Materials

• Hour 1 

  • 2:00-2:05: Welcome, introductions, and scene setting

  • 2:05-2:20: Artist, explorer, and author Karen Romano Young

  • 2:20-2:30: Q&A

  • 2:30-2:45: Scientist, explorer, and educator Dr. Dijanna Figueroa

  • 2:45-2:55: Q&A

  • 2:55-3:00: Break

• Hour 2

  • 3:00-3:20: Julie & Beth: How we have funded our own EPO at sea, what has worked or not, how some agencies require assessment, bringing in experts, etc.

  • 3:20-3:30: Q&A

  • 3:30-3:55: Breakout rooms to discuss your project dream idea for EPO

    • Breakout A: Cambronero, Shomberg, Goode, Paula, Huber

    • Breakout B: Roa-Varon, Seabrook, Ponsoni, Orcutt

    • Breakout C: Leonard, Bigham, Cordier, Murdock, Bell

  • 3:55-4:00: Wrap up, questions, prep for next week

Additional Resources

• Some great websites covering basic Scientific Communication from AAAS, Alan Alda Center, Compass, and the Metcalf Institute.

• Spend some time at Schmidt Ocean Institute’s website and the Ocean Exploration Trust website, both of which have wonderful blogs from many expeditions. A professional communicator usually sails to enable these products.

• A website maintained by NOAA/PMEL researchers working at Axial Seamount, including educational activities and blogs from 20+ years of cruises. These were mostly done by scientists aboard.

• Learn about various education and outreach programs with the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) for drilling.

• Short article from Mexican artist Ale de la Puente’s perspective sailing aboard Falkor.

• Learn about project Ocean Memory, a collaborative network of researchers from across the Sciences, Arts and Humanities dedicated to exploring the intersection of Ocean and Memory.

• Learn about NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program

Class Slides - coming soon!