Bringing Megacity Environmental Impacts to a Global Community of Learners and Educators on the World Wide Web through Windows to the Universe

A dedicated education and outreach project was developed to support and complement the MILAGRO campaign (March 1 – 30, 2006), which took place in Mexico City and adjoining communities. MILAGRO is an intensive observational mission to study the emissions, and the chemical and physical transformations of gaseous and aerosol pollutants within and in the outflow of the world's second largest metropolitan area, Mexico City. This Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) Campaign took place March 1 - 30, 2006, and involved coordinated aircraft and ground-based measurements supported by extensive modeling and satellite observations. The project brought the compelling and socially relevant science of MILAGRO to both Spanish and English speaking audiences around the world through the Windows to the Universe website, which serves an annual audience of over 11 million visitors, allowing diverse students, educators, and the public to become better informed about critical atmospheric research issues, the process of scientific discovery, and related career opportunities. Reports from the field, from participating scientists, graduate students, and educators from Mexico and the United States, brought the science of the campaign to life for a global audience of learners, including those living in other megacity environments around the world. The presentation will present the results of this education and outreach effort, and comment on lessons learned during this field-oriented education and outreach activity.