Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Center for Polar Education and Communication  (CPEC)

Outline
The Center for Polar Education and Communication (CPEC) will serve as an office for the coordination and integration of education, outreach and communication efforts prior to and during International Polar Year 2007-2008, and then as a clearinghouse for the further development and dissemination of educational and related materials after the formal activities of IPY have been completed. The recent “Report of the Implementation Workshop” published by the National Research Council notes that “education and outreach are small investments compared to some of the other activities proposed for the IPY, yet they will be a significant legacy that the IPY leaves to future generations.”(NRC, 2004, p. 33) Based in Boulder, Colorado at the University of Colorado's cooperative institute, CIRES (Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences,) and working closely with the strong Arctic and Antarctic research and data management communities at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), the Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), NOAA and other national labs, CPEC will draw on the strong background and expertise of existing CIRES programs and ongoing relationships with partners such as the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE), AGU and ASLO. CPEC will provide training, online forums and seminars and other “inrearch” to participants in IPY, offer professional development for teachers and scientists, work closely with national and international task forces and committees to coordinate efforts, assist various IPY education, outreach and communication programs in developing, evaluating, marketing and leveraging their efforts, and contribute to building a lasting legacy for the spectrum of IPY research and activities. UCAR's Office of Education and Outreach will help CPEC to coordinate access to NCAR scientists and those in the UCAR university community, collaborate with CPEC educators in developing hands-on science inquiry activities and web-based content, exhibits, public programs, and lectures. UCAR's Windows to the Universe (W2U) web site, a comprehensive Earth and Space science educational resource, will serve as a major dissemination vehicle for news and educational resources developed as a part of the IPY educational initiatives. W2U has a large worldwide audience of students, teachers, and members of the general public (approximately 7 million annual visitors). After IPY is completed, CPEC will work with data managers, curriculum developers and science education and communications specialists to add value and broaden the legacy of IPY to benefit the next generation of polar scientists and communities

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Building on existing institutional capacities and talents, the CPEC will help to increase the impact and meet the ambitious education, outreach and communication goals set out in IPY Framework, the Education and Outreach Position Paper, the Report of the Implementation Workshop, as well as implement key recommendations from the “Bridging the Poles” workshop. By working with existing communities of polar reporters and teacher, and providing the training, tools, know-how and infrastructure to the IPY community to effectively communicate to educational and non-technical audiences various aspects and insights relating to IPY, CPEC will work to achieve the ambitious goals of IPY.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
CPEC will focus on national science education programs in the United States while seeking catalytic international partnerships with the Arctic Council and the University of the Arctic, and global education programs such as the GLOBE program and the International Baccalaureate Organization. Communication outreach will include international media outlets.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
CPEC will be based in Boulder, Colorado at the University of Colorado. The center will provide equal emphasis on Arctic and Antarctic regions, strive to articulate the differences as well as the similarities between the two poles, and highlight their global linkages to the Earth system.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
CPEC will require the cooperation of the Joint Committee and other appropriate bodies and agencies to engage with and recruit from the IPY community in order to solicit their participation in relevant training, outreach and communication efforts.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
CPEC, working closely with other planned and emerging education and outreach programs associated with IPY, and integrating efforts with data management initiatives, such as the proposed IPY Data Information System (IPYDIS), will leave an interdisciplinary education and communications network that can be enhanced and extended beyond the formal IPY.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Logistics will primarily require proper communication tools and cyberinfrastructure, to coordinate education, as well as the ability to conduct outreach and communication activities with field researchers and data managers .

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
We will seek the support and guidance of the National Committee and relevant agencies and partners.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Expansion

CPEC will draw upon existing partnerships and programs at CIRES Education and Outreach and is designed to support and complement the planned POLAR POST online journal and the related POLAR pilot project currently in review with the National Science Foundation's Geoscience Education program.

How will the project be organised and managed?
CPEC will be managed through the CIRES Education and Outreach office co-directed by Susan Buhr and Mark McCaffrey. Leveraging existing expertise within CIRES and other partners at the University of Colorado including NSIDC, INSTAAR, and UCAR and other national labs in the region, CPEC will be guided by a diverse, interdisciplinary Advisory Board. Staff will develop and implement programs for the coordination, training, evaluation and dissemination of IPY-related education materials that will be organized around specific themes or issues that have been already identified or emerge from IPY planning processes.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
CPEC will support the development and communication of information that address the five science and technology recommendations, and help achieve the goals articulated in the chapter “Increasing Public Understanding and Participation in Polar Science through the International Polar Year” of the Vision report (NRC,2004).

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
CPEC will work with data providers and educationally oriented data management experts from organizations such as the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) to ensure that metadata and data access and discovery issues are properly vetted to meet the needs of education and non-technical audiences.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding from the National Science Foundation and agencies directly involved with IPY such as NOAA will be sought to support the initial establishment of the center. The CPEC will seek partnerships with the research community to assist them in meeting their education, outreach and communication requirements.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
The Report of the Implementation Workshop notes that “most workshop participants were not experts in education and outreach, but they recognized its importance.” (p. 33). The CPEC will utilize existing expertise, tools and talent from CIRES Education and Outreach, UCAR, NSIDC and INSTAAR to help “increase public knowledge and interest of the polar regions, engage northern residents more fully in outreach activities, enhance polar science influence on policy, and help internationalize polar science.” (ibid.) We are aware of many of the efforts planned for IPY Education and Outreach and we will seek ways to collaborate with these and emerging efforts.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Susan Buhr
UCB 449


Boulder, CO 80309
USA

Tel: 303.492.5670
Mobile: no
Fax: 303.735.3644
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation