“ASSET EARTH” AS A METHOD OF OUTREACH TO IMPROVE THE SCIENTIFIC LITERACY OF WAUBONSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THE WAUBONSEE COMMUNITY

The Earth Science Department and Community Education Department of Waubonsee Community College have been sponsoring a series of presentations to our students and the college community on current trends in science, under the title of “Asset Earth”. They typically are hour long presentations followed by an informal meet-and-greet session with the presenter(s). It was initiated with a presentation given by an IRIS Distinguished lecture as part of the Grand Opening of our new Science Building in 2006, and has grown from that successful event to include speakers from the faculty of Waubonsee and surrounding Universities, as well as members of the Waubonsee Community. The intent is to provide a colloquium-type presentation that is geared to our general student population and the Waubonsee Community to increase their scientific literacy and acumen. A key to the success of the program is the coordination with the Community Education and Marketing Departments of the College. Working with the Community Education Department has provided access to resources for promotion and logistics beyond the simple mailings, campus posters, and other motivational strategies provided by the Earth Science Department and Waubonsee faculty. Promotional materials are mailed to the entire Waubonsee community in the non-credit course schedules, as well as individualized letters to surrounding high schools, and 2 and 4 year Colleges and Universities with Earth Science or Geology faculty. To date, we have had several successful events covering topics such as earthquakes, orphan tsunami, tornadoes, renewable energy, climate change and the evolution – intelligent design debate. The most popular events are typically panel discussions following the viewing of a controversial movie (Inconvenient Truth, Flock of Dodos). Future planned events will celebrate Darwin's birthday and 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy.