The NCAR Vislab is one example of the many places where staff practice and refine techniques for communicating science to diverse audiences. In the past year, NCAR scientists have trained staff in EO staff to present programs in the Vislab to students, teachers, and visiting dignitaries. The Communicating Science Program seeks to provide staff with training resources needed to become world class communicators through writing, speaking, and reaching out to K-12, public, and professional audiences.
Priority 3: Improving Public Awareness and Understanding
VisLab Outreach Program
Background
NCAR supports several programs that provide tools and training for geoscientific data analysis and visualization for the scientific and educational communities. These tools include state-of-the-art visualization activities and collaborative technologies. NCAR's Visualization Lab (“Vislab”) Outreach program includes 3-D visualizations and presentations for a wide-range of audiences. In FY 2006, the Vislab staff continued its successful partnership with the UCAR Public Visitor Program and supported approximately 144 demonstrations, video conferences, and general meetings involving over 1,700 participants (a 30% increase from last year). The year's audiences included K-12 students, corporate and scientific visitors, government officials, and visiting dignitaries from the Pentagon, the National Science Board, the Korean Meteorological Agency, and the National Fire Protection Association, to name only a few. This partnership will continue throughout FY 2007 as well.
Progress
The NCAR Vislab also continued its important role as an outreach liaison with film and television organizations by providing a venue for television interviews with NCAR staff and by developing digital media that were used in productions by the Weather Channel, HBO, NBC News, the BBC, and many other organizations. The Vislab staff were honored for these ongoing outreach efforts that promote NCAR research and science education and received a UCAR Education and Outreach Outstanding Accomplishment Award.
Plans
In FY 2007, the Vislab plans to increase its media and outreach activities that can be used to educate the public about environmental and scientific issues. In FY2007, we will continue our media and outreach activities in support of educating and informing the public about environmental and scientific issues. In particular, we will be preparing exhibition materials focused on global climate change, related emerging high-resolution experiments, and severe weather predictions.
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