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Tackling Science Communication with REU Students: A Formative Evaluation of a Collaborative Approach

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Carol Lynn Alpert ,
Eliot Levine ,
Carol F. Barry ,
Jacqueline Isaacs ,
Alex Fiorentino ,
Kathryn Hollar  and
Karine Thate
Carol Lynn Alpert
Affiliation:
calpert@mos.org, Museum of Science, Strategic Projects, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Eliot Levine
Affiliation:
elevine@donahue.umassp.edu, University of Massachusetts, Donahue Institute, Hadley, Massachusetts, United States
Carol F. Barry
Affiliation:
carol_barry@uml.edu, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing, Lowell, Massachusetts, United States
Jacqueline Isaacs
Affiliation:
jaisaacs@neu.edu, Northeastern University, Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Alex Fiorentino
Affiliation:
afiorentino@mos.org, Museum of Science, Strategic Projects, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Kathryn Hollar
Affiliation:
hollar@seas.harvard.edu, Harvard University, Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center, 02138, Massachusetts, United States
Karine Thate
Affiliation:
kthate@mos.org, Museum of Science, Strategic Projects, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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Abstract

This paper reports on a multi-faceted evaluation of science communication workshops conducted during the summer of 2009 with Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) students from the Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing and the Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, in a partnership between the Museum of Science, Boston Strategic Projects department and faculty from the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers headquartered at Harvard and at Northeastern Universities. The workshops were shown to (1) increase student interest in exploring and understanding the broader impacts of research, and (2) increase student knowledge, confidence and practice of communication skills for both professional and non-professional audiences.

Keywords

educationgovernment policy and fundingnanoscale
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1233: Symposium PP – Materials Education , 2009 , 1233-PP04-12
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

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References

1National Science Foundation Program Solicitation 09 09-598. 2009. Research Experiences for Undergraduates, accessible at http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?WT.z_pims_id= 5517&ods_key=nsf09598 Also, see NSF REU website for links to a detailed listing of all current programs: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5517&from=fund Google Scholar
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