Establishing a learning network to connect museums, scientists and rural communities to discuss scientific information to inform transdisciplinary problem-solving.

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。这一合作项目将促进农村社区关于气候影响的教育。卡内基自然历史博物馆和匹兹堡大学将共同努力，在宾夕法尼亚州西部的默瑟县和鲍德米尔自然保护区建立一个感兴趣的社区成员网络，以探索气候的影响以及如何减轻或适应气候影响。该项目有三个相关的想法：(1)博物馆拥有了解环境变化的宝贵资源，(2)博物馆没有很好地为农村观众服务，(3)复杂的社会科学环境主题与农村社区的社会决策密切相关。该项目将通过建立当地公众受众、STEM专业人员和非正式学习专家之间的关系，为共同开发资源和建设组织能力创造机会，以包容的方式讨论西部PA农村的社会科学问题。该项目的总体目标是探索博物馆如何更好地服务于农村利益相关者，并提高以科学为基础的关于人类造成的气候影响的对话的能力。该项目涉及一个跨学科团队，与卡内基自然历史博物馆提供解释和生态科学方面的专业知识，匹兹堡大学校外环境学习中心(UpClose)提供学习研究方面的专业知识，以及以鲍德米尔自然保护区(PNR)和默瑟县保护区为中心的农村中心提供环境教育、保护和与农村社区互动的专业知识。这些中心将协调专业发展研讨会、协作设计会议和社区聚会，将当地利益攸关方聚集在一起，审查和调整现有资源，包括环境科学数据和气候教育工具，以适应当地问题。这些活动将通过研究实践伙伴关系来组织。每个博物馆都有自己独特的地理、人口、资源和挑战组合。研究问题是：1.该项目如何有效地支持为西部PA农村社区创造社会安全的空间，以便对气候影响进行科学讨论？2.与农村合作伙伴合作如何影响博物馆气候研究中心的发展及其提供旨在支持公众参与的项目的使命？3.博物馆能够以哪些方式支持农村社区对气候主题的学习？数据将从访谈和案例研究中收集。将有两个关于本地网络变化和博物馆变化的纵向研究。此外，当局亦会进行调查，以评估该计划对公众的影响。协议将与中心合作制定。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. This collaborative project will facilitate rural community education on climate impacts. The Carnegie Natural History Museum and the University of Pittsburgh will work together to form a network of interested community members in Mercer County and Powdermill Nature Reserve in western Pennsylvania to explore the impacts of climate and how its effect could be mitigated or accommodated. The project is has three related ideas: (1) museums hold valuable resources for understanding environmental change, (2) museums are not serving rural audiences well, and (3) complex socio-scientific environmental topics are deeply connected to social decision making in rural communities. This project will bring an inclusive approach to the discussion of socio-scientific issues in rural Western PA, through building relationships between local public audiences, STEM professionals, and informal learning specialists, creating opportunities for co-development of resources and building organizational capacity. The overarching goals of the project are to explore how museums can better serve rural stakeholders and increase the capacity for science-based conversations about human-caused climate impacts.This project involves a cross-disciplinary team with Carnegie Museum of Natural History providing expertise in interpretation and ecological science, the University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out of School Environments (UPCLOSE) providing expertise in learning research, and rural Hubs centered at Powdermill Nature Reserve (PNR) and the Mercer County Conservation District providing expertise in environmental education, conservation, and engagement with rural communities. The Hubs will coordinate professional development workshops, collaborative design sessions, and community gatherings to bring local stakeholders together to examine and adapt existing resources, including environmental science data and climate education tools, to local issues. These activities will be structured through a Research Practice Partnership. Each will have its own unique mix of geography, demographics, resources, and challenges.The Research questions are: 1. How can the project effectively support the creation of socially safe spaces for rural Western PA communities to have science-based discussions around climate impacts? 2. How does work with rural partners influence the development of the museum's Center for Climate Studies and its mission to offer programs designed to support public engagement?3. In what ways have museums been able to support learning about climate topics in rural communities? Data will be gathered from interviews and case studies. There will be two longitudinal studies of local network change and museum change. A survey will also be done to assess the impact of the project on the public. Protocols will be developed in collaboration with the Hubs.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.