In the Communities of Learning for Urban Environments and Science (CLUES) project, the four museums of the Philadelphia-Camden Informal Science Education Collaborative worked to build informal science education (ISE) capacity in historically underserved communities. The program offered comprehensive professional development (PD) to Apprentices from 8-11 community-based organizations (CBO), enabling them to develop and deliver hands-on family science workshops. Apprentices, in turn, trained Presenters from the CBOs to assist in delivering the workshops. Families attended CLUES events both at the museums and in their own communities. The events focused on environmental topics that are especially relevant to urban communities, including broad topics such as climate change and the energy cycle to more specific topics such as animals and habitats in urban neighborhoods.
The LTER Network is an innovative platform for training the next generation of natural scientists in collaborative, integrative, long-term research in ecology. An important objective of the network is to share knowledge with other communities. The LTER Network Office addresses this objective by managing a Communication and Outreach program that targets key communities—scientists, policy makers, educators and students, and the mass media as a proxy of the rest of the non-specific audiences—and maintain strategic partnerships and collaborations that provide improved access to these communities.
The National COSEE Network, primarily funded by the National Science Foundation, is in its thirteenth year. It is comprised of regional and thematic Centers comprised of ocean science research and formal and informal science education institutions. The network has grown to one of the largest organizations of ocean science research and education institutions, with over 280 members. COSEE is currently transitioning to an independent, international consortium. Its dues paying members are continuing to serve as a broader impacts arm for the ocean science community.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Gail ScowcroftWilliam SpitzerAnnette deCharon