In 2013, COSEE-OS continued to build its online presence by hosting several successful webinar series, as well as facilitating online and in-person workshops to promote the broader impact efforts of scientists.
Early in 2013, OS hosted a three-part, ocean physics-themed
Turbulence Webinar Series reaching 78 participants in the live sessions and more than 1,800 viewing the webinar archive videos. Featuring Dr. Pete Jumars from the University of Maine, Drs. Jeannette Yen and Donald Webster from Georgia Tech – the preparation for this series was accomplished through virtual collaboration between the presenters.
As part of the education and outreach efforts for the Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study (SPURS), the OS team hosted
two webinar series to coincide with oceanographic cruises to study a high-salinity area in the Atlantic Ocean. The two three-part series (March and September) featured presentation from six SPURS scientists and reached 159 live participants with a the first series having a 42% retention rate (i.e., the number of participants attending two or more webinars), which was our highest retention rate to date. The archived videos have been watched over 4,300 times since the conclusion of the series.
OS also used its experience working with scientists to facilitate education and outreach for NASA Aquarius, recently launching a
revamped website for the mission. The site, which was several months in the making, now provides easier access to a significant collection of resources, images, data maps, lessons, activities and documents relating to ocean salinity, circulation, the water cycle and climate. The homepage features an interactive feature that allows visitors an opportunity to explore Aquarius’s salinity data and learn about points of interest around the globe. In addition, newly created “theme” pages are designed to help educators readily access relevant STEM information for their students.
In addition to these scientist-lead webinars and outreach products, COSEE-OS has continued to collaborate with the Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP) to offer practical, “nuts-and-bolts” style webinars to provide advice to students about their career pathways. Presented by IBP facilitators and featuring up to two guest panelists in each session, the topics for these webinars have targeted various stages of the STEM pipeline including:
- Information on Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (November)
- Getting Funding for Graduate School (July/September)
- Negotiating a Post-doc Position (April)
- Transitioning from a Community College to a Four-year University (February)
IBP and OS also co-hosted a pair of ‘Be Inclusive’ workshops at the Aquatic Sciences Meeting (New Orleans, LA) to promote strategies for connecting with diverse audiences while addressing barriers to participation. OS plans to host a similar workshop at the upcoming 2014 Ocean Sciences Meeting, and to continue their fruitful collaborations with IBP in the future.
