USING EARTHSCOPE'S TRANSPORTABLE ARRAY TO PROMOTE PLACE-BASED LEARNING IN ALASKA AND WESTERN CANADA

The EarthScope Transportable Array (TA) is deploying about 260 stations in Alaska and western Canada. IRIS and EarthScope are partnering with the Alaska Earthquake Center (part of the University of Alaska Geophysical Institute) and Yukon College to increase awareness of earthquakes in Alaska and Canada and the benefits of the Transportable Array for people living in these regions.

The remoteness and inaccessibility of large portions of Alaska and the Yukon require a multifaceted approached to outreach with a focus at the regional level. Region-specific publications have been developed to tie in a sense of place. Meetings and interviews with Alaska Native Elders and tribal councils discussing the seismic history of the regions has led us to a better understanding of how Alaskans view, respond to, and educate themselves about earthquakes.

The creation of Alaska content for IRIS’s Active Earth Monitor, which emphasizes the widespread tectonic and seismic features, offers viewers a glimpse into Alaska’s complexity and seismic potential. Classroom visits, particularly schools with TA stations nearby, and open invitations for laboratory tours have enriched the learning experience for students not only about seismicity, but the instrumentation and techniques that go into gathering the data. Continued efforts to engage residents at large cultural gatherings and community events have led to increased discussion about EarthScope in both Alaska and Canada. Increased collaborations with the now UAF-hosted EarthScope National Office and UNAVCO have generated more opportunities to disseminate information across Alaska. Future efforts include partnering with IRIS’s Seismographs in Schools program to create an online teacher training course that will show educators how to access data, including TA data, for use in their classrooms through the jAmaSeis software.