Communicating the excitement of the hurricane research field programs of 2010 to the public, Part 2: Perspective of the agency Public Information Officers

During the hurricane season of 2010, three closely related research programs were carried out: NASA's Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP), NOAA's Intensity Forecasting Experiment (IFEX) and NSF's PRE-Depression Investigation of Cloud Systems in the Tropics (PREDICT). Together, these 3 programs mounted the most ambitious attack on the long-standing mysteries of why some tropical disturbances become tropical cyclones or hurricanes (and some do not), and why some intensify rapidly while others fizzle out. This presentation focuses on how the media relations offices and personnel of NASA, NOAA, and NSF/NCAR were able to collaborate with all 3 science teams, and with each other, in presenting a coherent story to the public before, during, and following the field programs. Some highlights of successful strategies will be presented, including a summary of outreach using social media, and examples of some of the more effective web pages from each agency.