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Successful Partnering Produces Award Winning Proposal for Native Education Project (10/15/2007)

In July 2007, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded funding to a proposal developed by ACRF Education and Outreach and WGBH Boston—public television's pre-eminent production house. The winning project, titled "Engaging Alaska Natives with the Geosciences," will add digital media and teacher professional development resources related to the Arctic geoscience to the WGBH Teachers' Domain website and use them to engage Native Alaskans in the geosciences.

Teachers' Domain is a mission-driven service designed to harness the broadcast, interactive, and educational programming resources of public television and its institutional partners to support standards-based teaching and learning in grades K-12. Currently focused on science, these digital library collections and online courses feature video segments from series' such as NOVA, Frontline, and The American Experience, as well as interviews, audio clips, interactive web-based activities, photographs, animations, graphics, and primary source document texts.

With funding from NSF, principle investigators will develop a collection of background essays, lesson plans, and digital media that focus on Arctic geoscience. A total of 40 new resources, many of them focused on climate change and its impacts on Native way of life in the Arctic, will be added to Teachers' Domain. The project directly addresses the goals of broadening participation in the geosciences and increasing visibility of the geosciences among underrepresented communities, in this case Native Alaskans. To this end, a diverse range of academics, teachers, scientists, and Native organization representatives have been recruited to serve on the project's Advisory Board.

Andrea Maestas, ACRF Education and Outreach Coordinator, will serve on the project's management team. ARM will offer ongoing access to researchers and scientists engaged in atmospheric sciences, especially those involved with the program's North Slope of Alaska research site. In collaboration with local Native service providers, ACRF Education and Outreach will also assist project partners in developing a series of live training and support sessions.

Many of the multimedia resources collected by ACRF Education and Outreach for the development of its interactive kiosk series called "Climate Change: Science and Traditional Knowledge" will be used throughout the project. The kiosk series has a strong focus on traditional knowledge, and the interviews with elders from the Barrow community will be key to representing Native perspectives on climate change. ACRF Education and Outreach will also contribute lesson plans and other resources previously developed for North Slope schools.

Collaborating with WGBH Boston and the various partners involved in this project is a significant step toward expanding the capacity of ACRF Education and Outreach. While the project will inherently focus on Native Alaskan students, the Teachers' Domain is used by science educators in 144 countries and all 50 states. The resources developed though this project will serve to promote the relevance of the geosciences worldwide.

ARM Climate Research Facility in Papua New Guinea Launches Kiosk (7/8/2007)

The Climate Change: Science and Traditional Knowledge kiosk project for the ACRF Tropical Western Pacific sites has come full circle. Four years ago, ACRF Education and Outreach started building educational kiosks to promote awareness and understanding of ARM research in Manus Island, Papua New Guinea; Republic of Nauru; and Darwin, Australia. On June 12, 2007, the last of the three kiosks was launched in Lorengau, Manus Island, which is where the TWP kiosk project was initiated. On that day more than 200 people attended a dedication ceremony held at the Lorengau open market.

ACRF educational kiosks run an interactive computer program that enables users to select and listen to interviews about climate change and climate research taking place in the regions that host ACRF sites. The kiosks were inspired by studies showing that indigenous people tend to understand and embrace science more fully when it is presented in the context of traditional ecological knowledge. For the Manus kiosk, ACRF Education and Outreach staff worked with videographer Hans La Cour of Tradewind Communications to videotape interviews with people from the community to discuss their observations of climate change. The interviews with elders, teachers, and community leaders provide a "traditional" approach to observing weather and climate as they explain how climate change will impact their subsistence way of life. Common concerns among the locals include sea level rise, coastal erosion, unpredictable seasons, and persistent drought.

Interviews with atmospheric scientists from the ARM Program and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology were also included in the kiosk to provide a scientific perspective of climate change. The scientists give straightforward explanations of concepts such as the greenhouse effect, solar radiation, the Pacific warm pool, and the El Niño phenomenon. ARM scientists also explain why the Pacific region is so crucial to global climate and describe the functions of the instruments located at the research facilities.

Dedication Day for Kiosk on Manus Island

The kiosk dedication in Lorengau was planned to coincide with the community's observance of World Environment Day. To kick off the kiosk dedication students from selected schools marched in uniform around the open market where people gathered to participate in the festivities. Several students made speeches about various environmental issues specific to the island, such as revitalizing the mangrove tree population and repairing coral reefs.

Speeches by Provincial Administrator Wep Kanawi and Education Administrator Leonard Jonli highlighted the significance of the collaboration between the country of Papua New Guinea and U.S. Department of Energy to operate the ACRF on Manus Island.

"We are thankful to the U.S. Department of Energy for this resource provided to us regarding climate research," Kanawi said. "As an island community, we must remain aware of climate changes that will directly impact our future. This kiosk will help us educate our community about the importance of scientific research and understanding of weather and climate."

A demonstration of the much anticipated kiosk was provided by ACRF Education and Outreach director Andrea Maestas. Under a thatched-roof shelter, the crowd gathered for a first look at the interviews from the Manus community. Students who were allowed to attend the event were given front row seats to the presentation.

Several people who contributed interviews to the kiosk attended the opening ceremony and received certificates of appreciation along with ACRF safety hats. The crowd then made its way to Papindo Supermarket where the kiosk is displayed. Governor Stephen Pokawin gave a short speech and cut the ribbon that enveloped the kiosk. As soon as it was officially launched, people anxiously lined up for a chance to use the kiosk.

Schools Get Hands on Demonstration

Because most students were attending classes during the dedication ceremony, Maestas visited Pombrut Primary School and Manus Secondary School to present information about the ACRF Education and Outreach program and show the new kiosk.

Designed to be played on classroom or personal computers, the kiosk program will be distributed on disc to interested teachers and students throughout Manus Island and Port Moresby, where the PNG National Weather Service headquarters is located.

Barrow Teachers Learn About International Polar Year (4/9/2007)

Science teachers in Barrow, Alaska, know that climate change is something their students can experience simply by stepping out into their own back yards. But that doesn't mean teachers don't need resources and materials to help them engage their students in climate studies. Last month, ACRF Education and Outreach sponsored two teachers from ACRF's host community of Barrow to attend the National Science Teacher's Association's annual conference in Saint Louis, Missouri. Imelda Cabana, from Eben Hopson Middle School, and Gary Boen, from Kiita Alternative School, were selected by the North Slope Borough School District to attend the conference.

ACRF Education and Outreach chose to support the teachers to attend the NSTA conference as part of its International Polar Year outreach efforts (www.arm.gov/acrf/ipy-education.stm). This year, the NSTA conference featured several symposiums and workshops on climate studies at the poles. Field experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and National Science Foundation (NSF) presented information about polar climate, how it is changing, and the potential impacts of those changes.

"The two seminars that I got the most out of were Polar Climates and The Fragile Ice. They were very relevant to what's happening in my own back yard," Boen said. "I learned a lot about what is causing sea ice to melt and also the major impacts of melting land ice. Barrow is at sea level, so even one meter in sea level rise will impact us."

NSTA is an organization committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning. It currently has a membership of more than 55,000 science teachers, science supervisors and scientists. NSTA conferences are recognized as high-quality professional development opportunities and excellent venues for collecting information and materials for use in the classroom.

"I spent a whole afternoon just going through the exhibit hall," Cabana said. "I picked up lots of free resources from the many booths that were promoting their educational resources, from books to CDs. I have a lot of things to share with other teachers in Barrow."

One of the goals of the ARM Education and Outreach program is to promote awareness and understanding of climate studies in each of our host communities. This goal becomes especially important during the IPY as the Arctic region becomes one of the focal points of international scientific research. After attending the NSTA conference, Boen and Cabana said they plan to teach about IPY next school year.

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"The NSTA conference was awesome. I am energized about IPY and have joined the discussion ranks," Boen said. "I have two big bags of stuff that I got through the seminars and the exhibit hall that I'm still sifting through."

Classroom tours of the ARM site in Barrow will be scheduled as follow up activities.

Oklahoma Science Fair: The Results are In! (2/24/2007)

On February 24, 2007, two students walked away from the Oklahoma Mesonet/ARM Science Fair with a trophy in-hand. Parker Stambaugh, a seventh-grader at Emerson Junior High in Enid, and Giezi Flores, a sixth-grader from Monroe Elementary in Enid, were first-place winners in the upper and lower divisions, respectively. The competition was stiff as students from five schools in Enid and Oklahoma City brought top-notch science experiments to the table. The judging team spanned all education levels from undergraduates to professional meteorologists.

Stambaugh titled his experiment "Still Breathing Easy." He tracked his peak flow meter results for his asthma with air pressure to see if there was a correlation.

"Great job! Remember, the null hypothesis and the alternate hypothesis should be mutually exclusive. In other words, if one is true, then the other one should be false. The null hypothesis is the one that assumes you will find no relationship. Again, I was impressed that you used science to help figure out something that you observe every day. That's what science is all about," one judge told Stambaugh.

Flores' experiment was called "The Eyes Got It." She investigated how wind speed might increase the chances that her baby sister's eyes would water. The judges said, "Good job at looking into something interesting from your every day life. That's what science is all about! Idea for next time: think about other variables that might impact your sister's watery eyes. You did an excellent job of documenting your data collection. That helped your score a lot."

Science fair judges play an important role in preparing the students for regional and state competitions as they make suggestions for additional research and encourage the students to improve their speaking skills, board layout and design, and unit usage.

ACRF Education and Outreach Presents Women in Science Conference (2/27/2007)

ACRF Education and Outreach staff presented information about the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program at the Women In Science Conference at the Omniplex Science Museum. The event was sponsored by the Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (OK-EPSCOR). Conference attendance was about 300 students and teachers. Panel discussions were divided by discipline: natural and environmental sciences, physical sciences and health sciences. Most speakers were female scientists from each discipline; they spoke about their careers, educational backgrounds, and how to prepare for careers in science majors.

Getting Ready for Another EarthStorm (2/10/2007)

The Oklahoma Climatological will offer the EarthStorm weather institute for teachers again this summer in Norman, Okla. Limited to 20 participants, the workshop is a popular professional development resource for teachers who want to build their knowledge base of atmospheric sciences. Teachers will be provided with a variety of hand-outs and materials. The workshop, scheduled for July 17-20, 2007, is free of charge. Registration will begin April 1. More information about EarthStorm can found online at http://earthstorm.ocs.ou.edu/for_teachers/workshops.php.

This is what one teacher had to say about EarthStorm 2006:

I learned so much! This was my first time to be exposed to an "extensive" amount of weather information. It was awesome. I learned a lot of terminology and have a better handle on why different types of weather occur. Most helpful to me were the activities that I can take back to my classroom to help bring weather alive. I enjoyed seeing the ARM and Mesonet facilities and so appreciated the willingness to put things on a level I could understand. I so appreciate the opportunity to view the weather facilities. I would appreciate the opportunity to learn more. Thank you!

ARM Sponsors Barrow Teachers to Attend NSTA Conference (2/1/2007)

Beginning March 29, 2007, teachers from across the United States will flock to Saint Louis, Missouri, to attend an annual conference hosted by the National Science Teacher's Association. This year, the ARM Program will sponsor two teachers from the North Slope of Alaska to attend the conference as part of an International Polar Year (IPY) outreach effort. Several workshops and symposia related to the IPY are on the conference agenda this year, which will be especially relevant to Alaska teachers.

The Superintendent of the North Slope Borough School District in Barrow will select two science teachers to attend the conference; ARM Education and Outreach staff will also attend the workshop and utilize the time to build stronger working relationships with the Alaska teachers.

Oklahoma Students Gear Up for 15th Annual Oklahoma Mesonet/ARM Science Fair (1/26/2007)

For the past 15 years, Oklahoma students have competed for Best in Show honors at the annual Oklahoma Mesonet/ARM Science Fair. This year, the science fair will be exceptionally exciting as it has been named an official centennial event. Oklahoma is celebrating 100 years of statehood, and students will do their best to showcase the state's enthusiasm for weather and climate science.

The science fair will be held on February 24, 2007, on the University of Oklahoma campus in the newly constructed National Weather Center. Students will compete in several weather categories, and members of the Norman Weather organizations will serve as judges. Students will have an opportunity to interact with professional meteorologists.

Students from schools across the state of Oklahoma are invited to participate in the science fair. Project submissions are limited to those using weather data provided by the Oklahoma Mesonet, ARM, Storm Prediction Center, or National Weather Service. Projects are scored on a scale of 100 points based on a standard criteria form used by the judges. The "student interview" is an extremely important component of the competition. It gives students an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to articulate the development of the project and express how they arrived at their conclusions. Projects earning scores of 80-100 receive Superior ribbons; 60-70 receive Excellent ribbons; and 40-59 receive Honorable Mention ribbons.

Science fair participants will be given a tour of the new National Weather Center - a great opportunity to see research and operational meteorologists in action. The awards ceremony will be held in the same room where University of Oklahoma undergraduate students study to become the next generation of meteorologists.

Stay tuned for news about ribbon winners and details about this exciting event!

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Last Modified: October 16, 2007

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