The Power of Scientist-Educator Partnerships: Formal and Informal Education

During the past decade, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has recognized the need to take a broad approach to increasing environmental literacy and raising awareness about NOAA science and NOAA careers. Partnering with local educational organizations, both formal (public and private schools, universities) and informal (e.g., aquariums, science museums, marine science centers, marine education organizations) is a good way to achieve these goals. In such partnerships, both scientists and educators contribute to the development of materials that integrate science into curricula, activities and exhibits. By engaging formal educational organizations, especially teachers, the impact of scientists interacting with a limited number of teachers or students is magnified as the science content gets passed to other teachers, other classes, and families. Informal education organizations also have access to audiences and events that enable scientists to reach the general public. Scientists can provide the authentic research and cutting-edge content that appeal to students and museum visitors. The Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) has partnered with school districts to create successful educational curriculum products that illustrate NOAA science and NOAA careers. We developed the Microworlds video series - three short videos that feature NOAA scientists interacting with Seattle Public School students to explain how microscopes are used to answer research questions. This curriculum package was designed to be used as an extension of a science kit that is currently used in all 5^th grade classes in Seattle Public Schools. The AFSC has also partnered with the Seattle Aquarium and Pacific Science Center. With the Seattle Aquarium, the AFSC’s research on northern fur seals complements the Aquarium’s northern fur seal education program, and has resulted in the development of an interactive touch-screen kiosk that features AFSC research on fur seal foraging behavior. The Pacific Science Center has developed a program to facilitate interaction between scientists and the general public. Several AFSC scientists have participated in the program, which provides training on science communication and the development of hands-on activities. The power of these partnerships is that thousands more people are reached every year with current NOAA science, inspiring future scientists and promoting stewardship of marine resources.