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An Update on the AAS Astronomy Ambassadors Program
Abstract
The American Astronomical Society, partnering with organizations active
in science education and public outreach (EPO), has launched a series of
professional-development workshops and a community of practice designed
to help improve early-career astronomers’ ability to effectively
communicate with students and the public. Called Astronomy Ambassadors,
the program provides mentoring and training experiences for young
astronomers, from advanced undergraduates to beginning faculty; it also
provides access to resources and a network of contacts within the
astronomy EPO community. By learning how to implement effective
education and outreach strategies, Astronomy Ambassadors become better
teachers, better presenters at meetings, and better representatives of
our science to the public and to government. And because young
astronomers are a more diverse group than those who currently do the
majority of outreach, they help the astronomical community present a
more multicultural and gender-balanced face to the public, enabling
members of underserved groups to see themselves as scientists.
Ambassadors are provided with a large library of outreach activities and
materials that are suitable for a range of venues and audiences and that
will grow with time. For much of this library we are using resources
developed by organizations such as the Astronomical Society of the
Pacific, the Pacific Science Center, and the Center for Astronomy
Education for other outreach programs, though some resources have been
created by one of us (AF) specifically for this program. The first
Astronomy Ambassadors workshop was held at the 221st meeting of the AAS
in January 2013 and served 30 young astronomers chosen from more than 75
applicants. Incorporating feedback from workshop participants and
lessons learned from the reports they’ve submitted after
conducting their own outreach events, we are now planning the second
annual workshop to be held 4-5 January 2014 at the 223rd AAS meeting in
National Harbor, Maryland.
... The American Astronomical Society (AAS), in partnership with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), members of the Center for Astronomy Education (CAE), and other organizations active in science education and public outreach (EPO), has launched a series of professional-development workshops and a Community of Practice designed to help improve early-career astronomers' ability to effectively communicate with students and the public. Called " Astronomy Ambassadors " (Gurton et al. 2013), the program provides mentoring and training experiences for young astronomers, from advanced undergraduates to new faculty; it also provides access to resources and a network of contacts within the astronomy EPO community. 416 Fraknoi et al. ...
The American Astronomical Society, with organizations active in EPO, has launched professional-development workshops and a community of practice to help improve early-career astronomers' ability to communicate effectively. Called "Astron-omy Ambassadors," the program provides mentoring and training for participants, from advanced undergraduates to beginning faculty. By learning to implement effective EPO strategies, Ambassadors become better teachers, meeting presenters, and representa-tives of our science to the public and government. Because young astronomers are a more diverse group than those who now do most outreach, they help the astronomy community present a more multicultural and gender-balanced face to the public, en-abling underserved groups to see themselves as scientists. Ambassadors are given a library of outreach activities and materials, including many developed by cooperating organizations such as the ASP, plus some that have been created by Andrew Fraknoi specifically for this program.
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