RAPID: Developing and Researching Youth-Driven Media that Highlights Science as an Act of Service During a Public Health Crisis

在2019冠状病毒病大流行期间，众多媒体关注了科学和科学家在促进公共卫生方面的关键作用。与目前许多媒体以成人科学家为形象进行宣传不同，该项目将开发以青少年科学家为形象进行新冠肺炎相关科学研究的媒体。该媒体将根据有色人种青年焦点小组的调查结果开发，并将包括旨在鼓励青年看到科学价值的特点，同时将自己设想为科学的参与者。这些特点包括展示有色人种青年的第一人称叙事；把科学描绘成一个团队的努力；并将科学定义为为当地社区和整个社会服务的行为。俄勒冈大学尤金分校的研究人员在制作出具有这些特征的视频后，将与有色人种青年分享视频，他们将在焦点小组中分享他们的反应。本项目将通过增进对媒体特征的了解，推动青年追求科学事业和职业道路，从而扩大科学职业道路的参与。该项目由“面向学生和教师的创新技术体验”（ITEST）项目资助，该项目支持有助于提高学生对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）以及信息和通信技术（ICT）职业的知识和兴趣的实践、项目要素、背景和过程的理解。俄勒冈大学尤金分校的研究人员将对30名在STEM职业中代表性不足的种族或族裔的高中生进行焦点小组讨论。这些焦点小组将包括与COVID-19大流行和科学目的有关的思考。根据这些焦点小组的数据，俄勒冈大学新闻与传播学院的本科生将使用专业和学生科学家进行与COVID-19相关研究的镜头，以及高中生的第一人称叙述，制作一个名为“科学即服务”的新视频。这段视频将强调由不同团队开展的科学的全球性、以社区为中心、以服务为导向的性质。然后，研究小组将进行一项定性研究，以确定来自代表性不足群体的年轻人如何对这段新视频做出反应，方法是对30名认同STEM职业中代表性不足的种族或族裔的高中生进行焦点小组讨论。这些焦点小组在学生观看视频后进行，旨在引出学生对科学的看法、科学身份和追求科学的动机。不断的比较分析将说明青年如何看待科学以及他们追求科学事业和职业道路的动机。经验性研究结果将在经验性期刊上分享，而录象将通过现有的国家网络和组织广泛传播。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous media sources have placed a spotlight on the critical role of science and scientists in promoting public health. In contrast to many existing media sources that portray images of adult scientists, this project will develop media that portrays youth scientists as they conduct scientific research related to COVID-19. This media will be developed based on the findings from focus groups with youth of color, and it will include features that are designed to encourage youth to see the value of science while envisioning themselves as participants in science. These features include showing first-person narratives of youth of color; portraying science as a team endeavor; and framing science as an act of service to local communities and to society at large. After developing a video with these features, researchers at the University of Oregon Eugene will share the video with youth of color who will share their responses in focus groups. This project will broaden participation in science career pathways by advancing knowledge of the features of media that motivate youth to pursue science careers and career pathways. This project is funded by the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program, which supports projects that build understandings of practices, program elements, contexts and processes contributing to increasing students' knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT) careers.Researchers at the University of Oregon Eugene will conduct focus groups with 30 high school students who identify with races or ethnicities that are underrepresented in STEM careers. These focus groups will include reflections related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the purpose of science. Informed by data from these focus groups, undergraduate students in the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication will use footage from professional and student scientists conducting research related to COVID-19, as well as first-person narratives from high school students, to produce a new video titled “Science as Service.” This video will highlight the global, community-focused, service-oriented nature of science as conducted by diverse teams. The research team will then conduct a qualitative study to determine how youth from underrepresented groups respond to this new video by conducting focus groups with 30 high school students who identify with races or ethnicities that are underrepresented in STEM careers. These focus groups, conducted after the students watched the video, will be designed to elicit aspects of the students’ perceptions of science, science identities, and motivations to pursue science. A constant comparative analysis will illustrate how youth perceived science and their motivations to pursue science careers and career pathways relative to the video. Empirical findings will be shared in empirical journals, while the video will be disseminated widely through existing national networks and organizations.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.