Full Proposals for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Proposed IPY Activity Details

1.0 PROPOSER INFORMATION

(Activity ID No: 457)

1.1 Title of Activity
Ice Stories: Educational Resources for the International Polar Year

1.2 Short Form Title of Proposed Activity
Ice Stories

1.3 Activity Leader Details
Mary Miller
Exploratorium
USA

1.4 Lead International Organisation(s) (if applicable)
WMO

1.5 Other Countries involved in the activity
New Zealand

1.6 Expression of Intent ID #'s brought together in this proposed activity

1.7 Location of Field Activities
Bipolar

1.8 Which IPY themes are addressed
1. Current state of the environment
2. Change in the polar regions
3. Polar-global linkages/tele-connections
4. Exploring new frontiers
5. The polar regions as vantage points
6. The human dimension in polar regions

1.9 What is the main IPY target addressed by this activity
3. Education. Outreach, Communication

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2.0 SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITY

The International Polar Year (IPY 2007-09) gives the public, teachers and students an extraordinary opportunity to experience the process of scientific discovery in action. Ice Stories provides a public face for IPY by using the power of contemporary media to bring current research to mass audiences with unprecedented intimacy and immediacy.

Ice Stories includes:

• A media-rich, dynamic and continuously updated public Web site
• A media-assets database for journalists, media producers, educators, and museum partners
• Training program in media production and story-telling for 15 scientist-correspondents a year.

Ice Stories provides the public with access to IPY research through the development of a network of Exploratorium-trained polar field correspondents. It makes use of the design, education and production capacity of an informal science center to create a bridge between scientific discovery and interested members of the public. Ice Stories employs sophisticated media production and communication technology as well as strong partnerships with allied research groups and with scientists and international organizations at the poles. The content of Ice Stories reflects the latest research in many diverse fields and demonstrates the interdisciplinary nature of polar research. The Exploratorium has pioneered in translating current science research into exhibits and presentations accessible to museum and Web audiences. It also has long experience creating award-winning Web sites, professional-development workshops, community outreach, and institutional alliances.

Beyond the journalistic presence and educational potential of Ice Stories, its lasting legacy grows from its media-literate scientists, the media they create during IPY, and the training model the project introduces. By training scientists early in their careers, the Exploratorium gives them knowledge and tools to make their research widely accessible and to inspire the public and future generations of scientists. The project also models means of direct communication by scientists to the public and ways science centers and scientists can work together to increase public understanding of science.

2.1 What is the evidence of inter-disciplinarity in this activity?
Covers many different disciplines from biology to climate to astrophysics to geology, bridges the gap between science and the media and provides training for scientists to directly communicate their work to the public.

2.2 What will be the significant advances/developments from this activity? What will be the major deliverables? What are the outputs for your peers?
We will create a continuously updated website for the public during IPY, highlighting contributions from media-trained scientists, filmmakers, artists, and institutions involved in polar research. We will create a media exhibit on the floor, from which we will host live events and webcasts during IPY. We will maintain a data base of media from scientist-field correspondents and contributors that will be available to broadcast media, education groups, museums, and others interested in creating their own materials about IPY. We will train scientists to use the power of contemporary media to communicate with the public during IPY and for the rest of their careers. We will model the ways in which informal science educators from the museum community can collaborate with scientists and science institutions to inform the public about the process and results of scientific research.

2.3 Outline the geographical location(s) for the proposed field work (approximate coordinates will be helpful if possible)

2.4 Define the approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities?

2.5 What major logistic support/facilities will be required for this project?

2.6 How will the required logistics be supplied? Have operators been approached?

2.7 If working in the Arctic regions, has there been contact with local indigenous groups or relevant authorities regarding access?

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3.0 STRUCTURE OF THE ACTIVITY

3.1 Origin of the activity
This is a new activity developed for the IPY period

3.2 How will the activity be organised and managed? Describe the proposed management structure and means for coordinating across the cluster
The Exploratorium will maintain a production team of video, text, and audio producers who will process media pieces on a daily basis coming from polar researchers in the field. We will communicate with field correspondents (polar scientists) to improve the content and quality of their contributions, giving them hands-on experience communicating with the public. We will establish periodic live communications with polar researchers, resulting in live webcasts that will be viewable from the museum floor and on the web.

3.3 Will the activity leave a legacy of infrastructure and if so in what form?
The Exploratorium will maintain the website and the database archive of IPY materials after IPY ends. The scientists who participate will have training that will allow them to more effectively communicate with the public for the rest of their careers. We would also seek opportunities to continue working directly with scientists to increase the public understanding of research at the poles and elsewhere in the world, especially for important emerging issues such as global warming.

3.4 Will the activity involve nations other than traditional polar nations? How will this be addressed?
We are currently considering a collaboration with IGLO in which we might produce a webcast from Tuvalo to highlight impacts of global warming in rising sea levels.

3.5 Will this activity be linked with other IPY core activities? If yes please specify
We welcome and have planned collaborations with major IPY scienc projects, such ANDRILL, South Pole Telescope, and LTER, as well as smaller projects like Penguin Science and Native Alaska Knowledge Network. We will recruit scientist-correspondents from a mix of Arctic and Antarctic science project and look forward to connecting with them through the IPY network.

3.6 How will the activity manage its data? Is there a viable plan and which data management organisations/structures will be involved?
The Exploratorium will maintain our own media assets data base of materials collected by scientists and others at the poles. We plan to work with other data organizers to allow ease of cross referencing to other data bases. We will allow free access to the data base and use of materials for educational purposes and will grant rights to commercial purposes during and after IPY.

3.7 Data Policy Agreement
Will this activity sign up to the IPY draft Data Policy (see website)
Yes

3.8 How will the activity contribute to developing the next generation of polar scientists, logisticians, etc.?
Through the website, webcasts, and educational data base, we will reach young people and the general public and convey the excitement and challenges of working at the poles. The scientists themselves will serve as the communicators and role models for the next generation of polar scientists, just as IGY drew many current polar scientists into the field.

3.9 How will this activity address education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
This project is expressly an education and outreach vehicle for multi-disciplinary science. It also serves as an educational activity for young scientists to become better communicators by training in story-telling and the use of cutting-edge media tools (blogs, podcasts, video clips, webcasts, animated slide shows, etc. ).

3.10 What are the proposed sources of funding for this activity?
We are seeking funding from NSF, Office of Polar Programs and Informal Science Education as well as private foundations interested in supporting education on environmental issues.

3.11 Additional Comments
The Exploratorium is a leader in the informal science community in pioneering the use of new media and the internet to bring the process of science to the general public. We have completed a successful project in Antarctica in 2001/2 and have many contacts in the U.S. polar program. We look forward to extending our work to the Arctic and to science organizations throughout the world.

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4.0 CONSORTIUM INFORMATION

4.1 Contact Details

Lead Contact
Ms Mary Miller
Exploratorium
3601 Lyon Street, San Francisco, CA
94123
USA

Tel:          415 561 0347
Mobile:   N/A
Fax:         415 561 0307
Email:       marym@exploratorium.edu

Second Contact
Ms Robyn Higdon
Exploratorium
3601 Lyon Street San Francisco, CA
94123
USA

Tel:          415-353-0416
Mobile:   N/A
Fax:         N/A
Email:      robyn@exploratorium.edu

4.2 Other significant consortium members and their affiliation