Education, Outreach and Communications Efforts for the International Polar Year, 2007-2009

It has been nearly fifty years since the third International Polar Year (IPY) which was expanded and renamed the International Geophysical Year (IGY) held between 1957-58. The upcoming IPY, which will run from March 2007 and March 2009, is consider by many to be a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to share with diverse audiences around the world key concepts relating to the Earth system in general and the polar regions in particular. Like IGY, it will also be an opportunity to showcase "science-in-action," now using modern information technology and emphasizing a human context.

Boulder, Colorado is a global center for polar-related research, data management and logistical support, and also home of the Cooperative Institute for Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado and its National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). The CIRES Outreach team has provided IPY-related education and outreach coordination and community-building through a series of workshops and initiatives. These efforts include conducting an initial survey of K12 science teachers about polar science and misconceptions, and holding the Poles Together: Coordinating IPY Outreach and Education Workshop sponsored by CIRES and NOAA in July, 2005. CIRES is co-hosting a virtual workshop, the Integrated Communication Effort (ICE) Strategic Planning Workshop, with the College of Exploration in the Spring of 2006. A primary outcome of this workshop is the identification of essential polar literacy themes and strategies. CIRES has representation on both the data and education IPY subcommittees, and will continue to work with international collaborators to support the integration of IPY-related research, data and education. The challenges are significant, given the limited funds and lead time available, yet the potential to inspire and engage people around the world about polar regions and their global linkages is enormous. CIRES Outreach will continue to work with local, national and international collaborators and partners to support the education, outreach and communication goals of IPY, building on expertise in the areas of geoscience education evaluation, facilitating inquiry training for scientists and teachers relative to polar science, communicating the process of geoscience research, and working with the global IPY community to assist in coordinating and maximizing efforts.