Polar (DCL 16-119): Engaging Students and the Public in Polar Research through Live Interactive Planetarium Shows

华盛顿大学（UW）极地科学中心的科学家和华盛顿州西雅图太平洋科学中心的科学教育工作者将合作，使用太平洋科学中心威拉德史密斯天文馆的新洋地黄投影系统创建极地科学天文馆表演。极地表演将每天在天文馆展出，在这个项目的过程中总共有700场表演。极地科学家和研究生将参加一个旨在教授科学公共传播技能的课程，然后将参加少量的天文馆表演现场演示。选定的极地表演也将“国内广播”到全国各地的其他天文馆。研究人员将致力于情感领域的认知研究，特别关注在呈现风格，图像选择和内容方面的选择如何导致观众的情感参与和对内容的兴趣增加。节目内容将包括两个部分：（1）关于极地的一般材料，适合3-5年级的小学生，（2）来自积极研究项目的材料，适合一般观众。拟议的活动旨在激发对科学的更大兴趣，欣赏和享受;激励学生考虑STEM领域的职业;向公众宣传NSF对极地科学的贡献;传授对地球极地地区及其在全球气候中的作用的认识;并提高参与科学家的舒适度和与公众沟通的能力。评估将确定这些天文馆表演对公众参与极地科学的影响。

Scientists at the University of Washington's (UW) Polar Science Center and science educators at Pacific Science Center in Seattle, WA will collaborate to create polar science planetarium shows using the new Digitalis projection system in Pacific Science Center's Willard Smith Planetarium. The polar shows will be presented daily at the planetarium, for a total of 700 showings over the course of this project. Polar scientists and graduate students will participate in a course designed to teach skills in public communication of science and then will participate in a smaller number of live presentations of the planetarium shows. Selected polar shows will also be "Domecast" to other planetariums around the country. Researchers will contribute to the study of cognition in the affective realm, looking specifically at how choices made in the presentation style, image selection and content can result in emotional engagement of the viewer and increased interest in the content.The content for the shows will consist of two parts: (1) general material about the polar regions, made suitable for elementary school children in grades 3-5, and (2) material derived from active research projects, made suitable for general audiences. The proposed activities are meant to inspire greater interest, appreciation, and enjoyment of science; stimulate students to consider careers in STEM fields; inform the public about NSF's contribution to polar science; impart an awareness of the Earth's polar-regions and their role in global climate; and increase participating scientists' comfort and ability to communicate with public audiences. Evaluations will determine the impact of these planetarium shows on the engagement of the public with the polar sciences.