The STEM Ambassador Program: Supporting Scientists' Engagement with Public Audiences

作为在非正式环境中加强学习的总体战略的一部分，推进非正式STEM学习(AISL)计划为各种环境中使用的创新研究、方法和资源提供资金。促进对科学的更大包容为科学和社会都带来了好处。在这个创新和发展项目中，犹他大学将研究如何维持和扩大STEM大使计划(STEMAP)，该计划始于2016年，由AISL资助。该方案制定了一项创新程序，培训科学家通过在非传统环境中开展活动，让不能或不能通过常规科学教育场所(如博物馆、学校、动物园)接触科学的公众参与进来。经过STEMAP最初努力培训的65名科学家有效地参与了超过45个环境，包括一个经济适用房开发项目、一个青年住宿治疗中心、一个州立监狱、一个烹饪班、一个日托设施和几个老年中心。申请该项目的科学家数量迅速超过了STEMAP的能力。其他机构表示有兴趣复制这项培训。该项目将探索扩大和维持公众参与培训的战略，以支持更多的科学家在更多的场所吸引更多的人。结果将有助于更广泛地实施STEMAP和其他公共参与方案的努力，其中许多方案面临类似的规模和可持续性挑战。对于非正式科学学习社区的许多人来说，扩大和维持公众参与科学(PES)计划是一个核心挑战。该项目将探索扩大和维持STEM大使计划的战略。研究问题包括：(1)不同的计划形式如何增加或限制计划的能力和参与结果？(2)通过参与公众参与的科学活动为科学家及其机构带来什么好处，这些活动可能成为继续这些活动的动力？(3)在商业和其他专业环境中发展的资金和组织模式是否适用于维持这些计划？为了解决可伸缩性问题，该项目将探讨三种传播形式的有效性：(1)为面对面受训人员创建导师方案，(2)培训培训者的方法，以及(3)面对面指导的在线培训。项目小组将创建一个评价工具包，其中包括参与者调查、观察员标准和根据AISL奖1811022开发的“现场”评估工具，以评估受训人员以三种形式开展的参与活动的有效性。为了解决可持续性问题，项目团队将通过调查和访谈向参与的科学家及其机构记录公众参与培训的价值。来自商业部门的顾问将创建PES园区理事会，以探索有助于持续参与努力的可能的财务、组织和领导力计划。成果将发表在同行评议的期刊上，并汇编成传播框架，为扩大和维持STEMAP和其他公共参与科学项目的行动提供信息，以吸引更多难以接触到的受众。因弗内斯研究公司将作为该项目的外部评估者。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

As part of its overall strategy to enhance learning in informal environments, the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program funds innovative research, approaches, and resources for use in a variety of settings. Fostering greater inclusion in science creates benefits for both science and society. In this Innovations and Development project, the University of Utah will investigate how to sustain and scale the STEM Ambassador Program (STEMAP), begun in 2016 with AISL funding. STEMAP developed an innovative process to train scientists to engage members of the public, who cannot or do not gain access to science via conventional science education venues (such as museums, schools, zoos), by implementing activities in non-traditional settings. The 65 scientists trained by the initial STEMAP effort effectively engaged in over 45 settings including an affordable housing development, a youth residential treatment center, a state prison, a cooking class, a daycare facility, and several senior centers. The number of scientists applying to the program quickly exceeded STEMAP's capacity. Other institutions expressed interest in replicating the training. This project will explore strategies for scaling and sustaining public engagement training to support more scientists who can engage more people in more venues. Outcomes will serve to inform the broader implementation of STEMAP and the efforts of other public engagement programs, many of which face similar scaling and sustainability challenges. Scaling and sustaining public engagement of science (PES) programs is a central challenge for many in the informal science learning community. This project will explore strategies to scale and sustain the STEM Ambassador Program. Research questions include: (1) How do different program formats increase or restrict program capacity and engagement outcomes? (2) What benefits accrue to scientists and their institutions by participating in public engagement in science activities that might serve as motivators to continue these activities? (3) Are funding and organizational models developed in business and other professional settings applicable to sustaining these programs? To address scalability, this project will explore the effectiveness of three dissemination formats: (1) the creation of a mentorship program for in-person trainees, (2) a train-the-trainer approach, and (3) online training with in-person mentorship. The project team will create an evaluation toolkit with participant surveys, rubrics for observers, and "on-the-spot" assessment tools developed under AISL Award 1811022 to assess the effectiveness of engagement activities delivered by trainees in each of the three formats. To address sustainability, the project team will document the values of public engagement training to both the participating scientists and their institutions via surveys and interviews. Consultants from the business sectors will create a PES Campus Council to explore possible financial, organizational, and leadership plans that will help sustain engagement efforts. Outcomes will be published in peer-reviewed journals and compiled into a dissemination framework to inform actions to scale and sustain STEMAP and other public engagement of science programs to engage more hard-to-reach audiences. Inverness Research will serve as the project's external evaluator.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.