1. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Northern Site Education and Outreach My goal for the workshop is to write draft text (with help) which could become a chapter in a Northern Site Preliminary Design Report. Note: original Design Reports had no outreach chapter. This exercise will be useful for several reasons: Text can form the basis of funding proposals for Auger Education and Outreach, whether stand-alone or integrated with more comprehensive proposals for the Observatory Help us understand how to enhance Southern Site outreach efforts Help us understand costs associated with enhanced and expanded outreach activities in South and North

2. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Text Organization Description and experiences with education/outreach efforts since the beginning of the Observatory. Focus on the Southern Site, lessons learned. (3 pages) Capitalizing on what we have started in Colorado (2 pages) Design of an effective, comprehensive outreach program for the future of the Observatory, North and South (5 pages)

3. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Southern Site Outreach Summary Lots of written material to draw from: ICRC2001 and 2005 proceedings, bi-monthly reports Highlight main efforts, successes: Visitor center and statistics, public talks, school visits, teacher training workshops, Auger Science Fair, Malargüe Day parade participation, Eureka museum exhibit, Michigan Tech scholarship program, JWC school Summarize professional impact study for some of the lessons learned. Example: People living “south of the clock” do not know what the Observatory is doing, why we are in Malargüe.

4. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 What we have started in SE Colorado We have established a strong connection with Lamar Community College, the Southeastern Colorado Enterprise Development (SECED), and the regional education community Several collaborators have visited schools and given talks to civic groups We have started to collect materials and displays for a temporary Visitor Center at LCC

5. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Regional Science Fair at Lamar Community College J. Chirinos, J. Harton, F. Sarazin, G. Snow staffed Auger Observatory display March 1 Projects from all grade levels About 100 entries About 400 students, teachers, parents in attendance

6. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Day before the Science Fair …. Johana enlisting LCC students in star monitoring program

7. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Regional Science Fair at Lamar Community College F. Sarazin and G. Snow mounted an Auger display with posters, brochures, Geiger counters, scintillators. oscilloscopes, …

8. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Regional Science Fair at Lamar Community College J. Harton and F. Sarazin talking about the northern site with Science Fair visitors

9. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Regional Science Fair at Lamar Community College Students waiting for judges J. Harton addressing assembly before awards ceremony

10. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Northern Site Outreach Things we learned from visitors to the Science Fair The Auger Observatory is quite well known in SE Colorado People are anxious to learn more and get involved “Please put a tank on our property!” Teachers are interested in Auger outreach initiatives in their schools Overall, we judge EARLY and CONTINUING outreach efforts to the communities and schools to be very important to our success in the North

11. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Portable beeping Geiger counter display Purchased 3 of these for use in SE Colorado schools These are in Lamar and in use $5K from Colorado governor to seed Auger outreach in Colorado

12. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Nebraska Auger Detector Models at LCC

13. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 LCC job announcement for Auger Outreach Coordinator/Instructor

14. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 LCC job announcement for Auger Outreach Coordinator Announcement will appear soon in: Lamar Daily News (print) Pueblo Chieftain (print) Denver Post (print) HigherEdJobs.com (online) Chronicle of Higher Education (online) National Science Teachers Association (online) Colorado chapter of American Association of Physics Teachers (distribution list) Auger Collaboration mailing list LCC’s goal is to fill the position by October 1, 2006 Snow, Harton, Sarazin, Bauleo, other Coloradans will help recruit applicants and screen them Then we will need to quickly fill the coordinator’s “job jar” and work with and support this person seriously

15. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 LCC job announcement for Auger Outreach Coordinator LCC secured $20K from the Colorado Community College System to support the position Travel Malargüe, Northern Site proposal meetings, regional travel Consumable materials Observatory information brochures Observatory posters for distribution Observatory DVD videos for distribution Equipment Dedicated laptop computer for traveling and visitor center presentations Demonstration and presentation equipment for visitor center Equipment for student cosmic ray research projects at LCC and K-12 schools

16. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 A program of SE Colorado outreach World-class Visitor Center at Lamar C.C. complex Series of public lectures Public events – telescope viewings Frequent visits to schools Research projects for physics classes Joining the growing high school cosmic ray research network (CROP connection) Science fair projects/entries Teacher professional development programs Programs targeting Spanish speaking community … presented at the Lamar meeting in October 2005

17. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Observatory Resources Outreach Program Elements Target Audiences Impact and Evaluation The challenge to design an effective outreach program Clearly define the links and interactions of these 4 components

18. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Observatory Resources Outreach Program Elements Target Audiences Impact and Evaluation The challenge to design an effective outreach program The Observatory The Collaboration 17 Countries The Science Lamar Community College The Visitor Center Teachers Students General Public Media and Press

19. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Observatory Resources Outreach Program Elements Target Audiences Impact and Evaluation The challenge to design an effective outreach program The Observatory The Collaboration The Science Lamar Community College The Visitor Center Teachers Students General Public Media and Press A coordinated selection of activities Best done by a professional educational evaluator Feedback to program

20. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Auger Learning Center Proposal of new names for the North and South Visitor Centers That’s what we want people to do there: learn Enhances our ability to secure funding Improvements discussed for South: cloud chamber or spark chamber, large flat monitor for photo collections, kiosks for short videos and interactive animations Auger Visitor Center

21. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Cosmic Ray Observatory Project (CROP) in Nebraska In early January, Rebecca Burke drove from Lincoln to Lamar with a carload of 4 scintillators/PMTs, extension cables, high voltage supply from CROP’s inventory.

22. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 We now have the equipment in Lamar for one detector set-up Lamar One data acquisition card and GPS from Hal Spinka, Argonne QuarkNet group Upcoming proposal for Phase II of CROP – statewide expansion – can include SE Colorado extension

23. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Teacher Intern Program We plan to secure funding for a teacher summer intern program, 5-6 teachers per summer The participants could: Work with Auger scientists at universities Be trained to staff the Auger Learning Center at LCC for short periods Visit Malargüe and perform shift tasks under supervision Help develop classroom activities using real Auger data Exchange program with Mendoza province teachers, JWC school, for Spanish speaking teachers Earn graduate credit from one of the collaborating universities

24. G. Snow, University of Nebraska University of Chicago 17 August 2006 Exercises with Auger data, publicly available We would like to initiate a project to make Auger data, properly distilled and sanitized, for use in classroom exercises Teacher input needed to develop exercises that match their curriculum needs