OUTREACH TRAINING AND INTEGRATION OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR EARLY CAREER PALEOBIOLOGISTS

At the Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, we are developing programs and activities that engage undergraduates, graduates, and postdocs via integration of geosciences (with a focus on paleobiology), training the next generation of scientists, and science communication and public outreach. These activities span both formal learning through course work as well as a variety of out-of-class informal learning activities (informal science education). Many of these activities also have international components, e.g., an ongoing, long-term project to advance understanding of ancient Neotropical biodiversity in Panama. Students receive formal learning and training through our seminar course entitled “Broader Impacts of Science on Society” and related organized courses that have communication and outreach components. Class projects have included deliverables such as development of our Panama project web site and e-newsletter intended for multiple target audiences, including the public. We have also formalized outreach activities via the implementation of an optional non-traditional thesis track that, in addition to traditional research, incorporates a broader impact deliverable into the degree program. Our early career scientists also are engage in informal learning, i.e., the kind of activities that occur outside of formal coursework. These activities have included working on natural history exhibits, participation in evaluation and assessment, working alongside citizen scientists, and presenting talks to fossil clubs. Outcomes of these formal and informal broader impact activities result in early career geoscientists who are better trained and have more practical experience in real world outreach and communication with the public.