Recorded presentation2.3
Understanding clouds, weather, climate, and modeling: education and outreach from the Center for Multi-scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes
Susan Q. Foster, UCAR, Boulder, CO; and S. Denning, D. A. Randall, R. M. Johnson, J. Bergman, H. Drossman, L. Gardiner, B. Hatheway, R. Russell, B. Jones, J. Lanting, R. Pandya, L. Pitot, and D. Swartz
The need for improving the representation of cloud processes in climate models limits the reliability of climate-change simulations. The new National Science Foundation-funded Center for Multi-scale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes (CMMAP) at Colorado State University will address this problem over the next five years through a revolutionary new approach to representing cloud processes on their native scales, including the cloud-scale interactions among the many physical and chemical processes that are active in cloud systems. In CMMAP's first year, many resources have been developed and disseminated to support educational outreach efforts in the atmospheric, oceanic, and hydrologic sciences. A new high school Colorado Climate Conference drew prestigious climate scientists to speak to students. A summer Weather and Climate Workshop at Colorado State University and the National Center for Atmospheric Research introduced K-12 teachers to Earth system science, and provided a rich toolkit of teaching materials. The Little Shop of Physics 2006-2007 school year tour featured a new “It's Up in the Air” Program reaching 50 schools and 20,000 K-12 students. The Windows to the Universe web site at University Corporation for Atmospheric Research is significantly expanding online content on clouds, weather, climate, and modeling in English and Spanish for the benefit of K-12 audiences and the general public. Diversity goals are also being addressed by new undergraduate and graduate level protégés from UCAR's Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research (SOARS) Program and diverse graduate students at five universities participating directly in CMMAP research. After school activities at the Catamount Institute are engaging middle school students from underrepresented populations in exploring local weather and climate. This presentation will describe these activities and how new CMMAP educational resources can be accessed. Recorded presentation
Session 2, K-12 EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH
Monday, 21 January 2008, 4:00 PM-5:30 PM, 209
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