Climate Science Education, Outreach, and Diversity at CMMAP

November 29, 2012

Scott Denning

Hosted by Sonia Kreidenweis

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Abstract

CMMAP is one of 17 NSF Science and Technology Centers, developing and using multiscale models to better understand the climate system. A crucial part of every STC is to enhance education, engage external audiences about the research, and broaden participation in our field. We support an integrated effort to educate and engage diverse people from "K to Gray." The Little Shop of Physics is an exciting program that has worked with public schools to enagage over 200,000 kids and thousands of their teachers over 20 years. Every summer, we host dozens of science teachers in a fun but very intense course on teaching weather and climate. New undergraduate courses at CSU and Colorado College have been very well received. CMMAP has also funded 47 graduate students at seven universities in an amazing variety of fields, and includes an annual professional development workshop for every student. Finally, our web-based outreach reaches millions of discrete users each month in Spanish and English.