NOW! LIVE AND UNCENSORED: A TRIAL OF CONTINUOUS SATELLITE-BASED CHAT WITH SECONDARY STUDENTS

Outreach efforts on the part of researchers are crucial to raising scientific literacy. However, such efforts can be detrimental to scientific careers. We are seeking to integrate standard scientific procedures with outreach activities that maximize impact while minimizing non-project time. On May 30th of this year, the authors held a continuous nine-hour chat with secondary school students across the US using a totally mobile computer network. The goal was to bring live and interactive discussions directly from a paleontological dig site to classrooms across the country. This work was based on previous approaches that we have used in the past. That is, teachers were provided with educational materials to focus students on the reasoning why this work was in progress, why fieldwork would provide the answers, and some background as to techniques. Technical hardware and software protocols were agreed upon, and webcast dates set prior to leaving for the field. Once on site, images and videos were used to develop a website that included just-in-time images of field work in progress and documentation of finds. Preliminary interpretations of data and its relevance to paleontology, biology, chemistry, evolution, and the geosciences were included in the web site to help students understand the context of the chat. Unlike previous chats that required landline telephone connections and local internet providers, this one was completely satellite based and could be run completely from a backpack, if necessary, and includes equipment valuable to an expedition aside from educational outreach efforts. The system can be made to work in real time discussions from any place on earth, is compact, is valuable for the fieldwork being conducted, and has scientists “lining” up to participate at field sites. The effectiveness and ease of this approach should encourage pure researchers to participate in educational outreach.