Dear Colleague: 

We are writing to invite you to participate in a new collaborative research project at Harvard Forest and Hubbard Brook entitled: Embedding Public Engagement with Science at Long Term Ecological Research Sites (PES @ LTERs). The project was recently awarded a three-year grant through NSF’s Advancing Informal STEM Learning program. 

The big-picture vision driving the PES @ LTERs project is to investigate public engagement with science as a potentially transformative force on the cultures, practices, and institutions of science. Because the research programs at Harvard Forest and Hubbard Brook have already established strong foundations in science communication, public engagement, and policy integration, the sites are ideal for pushing these fields forward and addressing important questions such as: 

By participating in this project you and your colleagues will help your LTER site continue to advance as a leader in public engagement and build essential relationships among scientists, stakeholders, and decision-makers across the region. You will also gain opportunities for professional development in effective science communication, public engagement, and broader impacts plans. Moreover, the project offers a rare opportunity to advance understanding of what works and why by integrating social science research and program evaluation into our programs. To read more about the project, please visit this webpage.

So, what does participation mean? There are four broad categories of scientist participation: (1) responding to surveys and interview requests from our social scientist and evaluators, (2) attending workshops and seminars to expand skills and share what you’re learning, (3) engaging in two-way interactions with stakeholders through your own work or as part of this grant, and (4) contributing science content for project outreach. We will notify you of specific opportunities and you can get involved in the activities that suit your interests and schedule.

To get started, we need your help! Next week you will receive a survey from our collaborator John Besley, a professor and social scientist from Michigan State University who studies science communication and informal learning. Please respond to the survey to help this project get off to a strong start. Collectively we represent a relatively small sample size, so we need everyone’s participation for the data to be valid. 

Thank you. Please don't hesitate to be in touch if you have any questions about the project.

Sincerely,

Sarah Garlick and Kathy Fallon Lambert