Public Outreach Plan
CLEVER recognizes our significant opportunity to be exemplars of scientific diversity. We recognize that culturally responsive STEAM education and enrichment efforts are required to meet the socioemotional and educational needs of historically excluded communities in STEAM (Johnson, 2019). The CLEVER Team has 3 Community IDEA goals (1) engaging the broader community in science communication, (2) implementing K-12 STEAM enrichment programs for students and teachers, and (3) facilitating student development in higher education with curricular exchanges and conference sponsorship.
Exploring the Moon Camp
CLEVER has established a relationship with Freedom Middle School in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Freedom students originate from over 100 countries from around the world and collectively speak more than 54 languages. Two camps, “Moon Exploration” and “Water from Rocks” will provide students real-world avenues for STEAM immersion.
Education and Public Outreach (EPO) in Puerto Rico
Universidad Ana G. Méndez (UAGM) & University of Central Florida (UCF): The programs will include site visits and public engagement in the local population, and they will be designed with UCF expertise in supporting students with disabilities. This collaboration will also increase the number of projects that provide professional development for science and math teachers in Puerto Rico to help reinforce scientific concepts in the classroom and increase interest in STEAM careers.
CEISMC Expanded Learning Summer Camp
Summer Educational Experiences: CLEVER will host summer camps that should increase under-represented student satisfaction, self-confidence, and interest toward STEAM careers.
Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT)
The GIFT program is a very successful CEISMC program that CLEVER will participate in. GIFT is a professional development program focused on science curriculum development and continuing education for K-12 teachers through STEM internships in university and industry research labs. The program provides real world context and experience to build innovative and relevant curricula for use in the classroom and to promote career awareness for students.
Chicago State University
Develop workshops and curricula for students in the Chemistry, Physics and Engineering Program at Chicago State University and engage in exchange of scientific ideas and opportunities for mentorship.
Tactile Books
To best serve students and audiences with visible and invisible disabilities, we propose to create and publish one or two tactile books: Dust and solar wind and /or meteorites and micro-impacts. These will be added to the current SSERVI collection with content posted on the SSERVI website. Further, we will ensure that the materials and resources are accessible to the summer camps and educator workshops.
Atlanta Science Festival
A very popular annual event with over 50,000 attendees from all age groups that promotes science, engineering and math. The festival is usually held annually in mid-March and involves many demonstrations and participatory activities offered over two weeks at multiple institutions throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area, including GT. The CLEVER team will host an EXPO booth at both Georgia Tech and Piedmont Park that highlights the Artemis Program and focused topics that include solar wind, micrometeorites and dust.
Georgia Tech Observatory & Aloha Telescope
Partners with local schools and K-12 students and teachers to share live video images of the moon and bring astronomy curriculum into K-12 schools.
Photo Gallery
Christina Buffo at Atlanta Science Festival
Christina Buffo holds out a sample scent for people to smell, which was presented at the Atlanta Science Festival, March 9, 2023. The scent is meant to replicate the smell of space.
What does Space smell like
A small bottle with the scent sample that is meant to replicate the smell of space, presented at the Atlanta Science Festival in 2023.
Sample from Atlanta Science Festival
Packaging from a scent sample that is meant to replicate the smell of space, presented at the Atlanta Science Festival in 2023.
Freebots Team Wins First Place
Freebots won the First Place Champion’s Award in FLL’s (First Lego League) Regional Tournament, December 2018
REVEALS Goes to DragonCon 2019
At DragonCon 2019, several members of the REVEALS team participated in a number of events. Dr. Valeria La Saponara, Dr. Esther Beltran, Dr. Thom Orlando, Dr. Micah Schaibel, and Dr. Stephen Robinson served on multiple panels and gave lectures in the Science Track.
Esther Beltran talks at TEDxUF Salon
Dr. Esther Beltran of the University of Central Florida, spoke at the second TEDxUF Salon event in October 2018
Dr. Thomas Orlando Visits Morris Brandon Elementary
In August 2017, Dr. Thomas Orlando visited the 4th grade students at Morris Brandon Elementary School in Atlanta, to talk about his work with NASA, the eclipse, and the importance of using the approved eclipse safety glasses.