Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences Summative Report

True to the design we formulated in our proposal, the Inverness Research evaluation studied the COSIA project on two levels: Partnerships and Contributions. The logic underlying these two layers of study is as follows: COSIA creates working and complex partnerships that serve as the engine for the development of new resources and programs. These resources and programs in turn make multiple contributions, ranging from increased institutional capacity, to more skilled delivery of programs by college students and ISEI staff, to benefits for research scientists, to an increased public understanding of ocean science and research. Therefore, the evaluation focused on the ways in which the partnerships functioned, developed new or improved programs and resources, and ultimately added value to the partner institutions. Moving Forward Our evaluation supports the proposition that participation in COSIA has contributed to the creation of strong partnerships with the potential to leverage their work for additional funding and project activity. We have evidence that this project was successful and that the specific local sites involved have generated valuable knowledge about the key components of strong partnerships. Importantly, there is a core group at LHS that knows how to provide centralized support and has experience as the center of a network. COSIA developed an infrastructure to facilitate communication and collaboration among local sites. Finally, the work has resulted in concrete resources - tools, guides, and courses - that provide a foundation for and bolster this partnership work.

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