Embedding Environmental Scientists in Informal Science Educational Institutions: Perspectives of an Embedded Meteorologist at the Exploratorium

The Exploratorium museum in San Francisco, CA hosted four teams of NOAA scientists for three-week residencies with the goal of bringing NOAA and its scientists to the public in a non-traditional setting. The scientists conducted trainings for the Exploratorium staff, called Explainers, which consist of High School through Post-graduate employees whose expertise is empowering the public to go deeper in their exploration of exhibits.

Participating as the fourth group of NOAA scientists, the goal of our team was to assist the public in understanding the differences between weather and climate. In order to accomplish this task we spent the first week developing our specific physical demonstrations related to atmospheric physics that show the underlying science that drives weather and climate phenomena. For the NOAA scientists, this was also a week where we learned from the Explainers how to pose questions properly so that the public is able to gain a deeper understanding of weather and climate.

The use of technology, particularly the iPad, is one method that we employed to distinguish these differences. Information was shared on useful weather apps and explanations on radar meteorology to showing climate simulations and the impact of atmospheric CO2 emissions. In this talk, we will explore the visiting scientists program from the perspective of the scientists and their interactions with the general public and museum staff. Conclusions on what worked well and what adjustments were made will be discussed in detail.