Geoscience Education and Public Outreach Network (GEPON) Workshop; Boulder, CO; March 22-24, 2006

本次规划研讨会的目的是建立一个地球科学教育和公众推广网络（GEPON），阐明一个成功的网络模式的特征、策略和管理模式，并正式向美国国家科学基金会和地球科学社区提出网络实施、支持和可持续性的建议。讲习班将由综援处和联安援助团共同主办。预期的研讨会成果包括：1)利用现有学科特定网络的教育和公众推广（EPO）网络模型，2)实现成功GEPON的管理基础设施，以及3)确定代表以推动GEPON计划向前发展。GEPON网络和本次研讨会是2005年5月由nsf资助的地球科学推广研讨会提出的正式建议。26名积极从事地球科学教育和推广活动的科学家和教育工作者参加了研讨会。与会者建议建立一个网络，作为支持有效EPO和公众参与科学事业的重要战略。他们还建议随后召开一次会议，阐明成功的网络工作的特点、策略和管理模式。讲习班将促进EPO在地球系统科学领域的工作。讲习班的参加者将包括来自地球系统教育和研究各学科的代表。这次研讨会以及最终建立GEPON，为这些科学家、教育工作者和外联专业人员提供了重要的机会，使他们能够合作，并使公众了解科学研究的重要性及其带来的好处。

The purpose of this planning workshop is to establish a Geoscience Education and Public Outreach Network (GEPON), to articulate the characteristics, strategies, and management models for a successful network model, and to formalize recommendations to the NSF and the geoscience community for network implementation, support and sustainability. The workshop will be co-hosted by IRIS and UNAVCO. Expected workshop outcomes include: 1) An Education and Punlic Outreach (EPO) network model that leverages existing discipline-specific networks, 2) A management infrastructure to realize a successful GEPON, and 3) Identification of representatives to move the GEPON initiative forward. The GEPON network and this workshop were formal recommendations stemming from the NSF-funded geoscience outreach workshop held in May 2005. The workshop was attended by twenty-six scientists and educators actively engaged in geoscience education and outreach activities. Attendees recommended the creation of a network as an important strategy to support effective EPO and engagement of the public with the enterprise of science. They also recommended a subsequent meeting to articulate the characteristics, strategies, and management models for a successful network effort. The workshop will advance EPO efforts in the area of Earth systems science. Workshop participants will include representatives from disciplines within Earth systems education and research. This workshop and, ultimately, the establishment of GEPON, represent significant opportunities for these scientists, educators, and outreach professionals to collaborate and engage the public in understanding the criticality of scientific research and the benefits derived from it.