Solar Astronomy: Science in Service to Education
Kelly Beck (Haas Center for Public Service, Stanford), Deborah Scherrer (Stanford Solar
Center, Stanford), Cherilynn Morrow (Space Science Institute)
What?
The Science in Service Program is a groundbreaking science outreach
program that is based on the principles of service learning. It is the result
of a partnership between Stanford University’s Solar Observatories
Group and Haas Center for Public Service. The partnership was
developed under the auspices of the Solar Group’s Solar Dynamics
Observatory (SDO) project for the purpose of highlighting the science of
the Sun-Earth connection in the pre-launch phase of the SDO mission.
Why?
Who?
Why the combination of science, community service, and education? And why include
a diversity of fields? Listen to what our Stanford students have to say:
Our Stanford Science Fellows represent an
extremely diverse group of potential leaders!
The goal of the Science in Service Program is to engage undergraduates
in public service projects that communicate solar science. The yearlong
program consists of a fall-quarter seminar in the Haas Center and winterspring fellowships in science outreach with the Solar Observatories
Group. The seminar covers four areas: 1) ethics and issues of public
service; 2) science and civic engagement; 3) research-based methods for
effective science teaching (esp. k-12); and 4) an introduction to solar
astronomy. It is a combination of lectures, discussions, and hands-on
activities. Graduates of this course will become Science in Service
Fellows. As fellows they will work with scientists from the Stanford
Solar Observatories Group in outreach to schools and community
organizations. Target audiences include K-14 schools and community
programs, especially those that serve under-represented communities.
Number of Science in Service Fellows: 11
Gender Split
Men
Women
6
5
Class Year
Sophomores 1
Juniors
5
Seniors
5
Majors
Biology
Computer Science
Earth Systems
Human Biology
International Relations
Materials Science
Philosophy
Physics
Symbolic Systems
The Science in Service Program is unique among science outreach efforts
because of its emphasis on the principles and ethics of community service
as applied to science and engineering outreach.
“My academic goal is to study interesting things – in my case, it is
materials science and chemistry. My personal goal is to make the
world a better place for the people I come into contact with. My
career goal is to somehow combine these two.”
“I’ve always divorced engineering (my academic studies) from my
strong personal sense of service (my extracurricular activities). So, I
am definitely interested in learning how to do public service while
utilizing my engineering background.”
“From an early age I was taught that a strong background in the
sciences is fundamental to one’s success in the future, and that I also
had a responsibility, as one who had been given the resources to
achieve, to share the knowledge I have gained. This is especially
important for those groups who are missing quality science support
in school or home, in order to help them fully appreciate the
interesting applications of science.”
“I feel that after two years of working hard academically, I want a
non-academic, community-based program in which I can invest a lot
of my time and become deeply involved.”
“Part of my studies in International Relations includes the
interaction between the public sector and the scientific community.
A program such as this would give me the opportunity to experience
first hand how the scientific and public communities exchange
ideas.”
“The Science in Service program offers a structured introduction to
the roles of science and technology, powerful tools indeed, within
the context of serving others. I hope to make my life one of service
to others, and I value both the intellectual rigor of science and the
application of technology toward the satisfaction of human needs. I
also feel the need for a more refined perspective from which to
evaluate existing and future science-related public policy.”
Project Goals
• Enhance the learning experiences that pre-college students, from
“I crave an opportunity for such an innovative class, which looks at
the problems we study in such a different way. I want to go into a
life with some sort of public impact, and starting that now … would
be an amazing opportunity.”
underserved and underrepresented groups in particular, have in
science and technology.
• Promote leadership in community service in the area of science
and engineering among the next generation of scientists and
engineers.
“As I hope to eventually work in an environment where public
interests and scientific research come together, knowledge of how
such a partnership functions is invaluable.”
• Provide opportunities for science and engineering students to be
involved with service, and increase the number of science and
engineering undergraduates involved in service.
“I am majoring in philosophy and minoring in physics and creative
writing, hoping to combine my interests into a career as a bioethicist
or possibly as a science writer. … I hope that, through this
experience, I can explore my interest in continuing to make the
fundamental aspects of our world accessible to all and find out what
options might be available for me in pursuing my passion for
physics and science ethics.”
Community Service Issues
• Science and civic engagement
Our program uses solar science as a
“hook” to intrigue students and the public
as well as those who wish to reach them.
“I am also interested in pursuing a career in public health postgraduation. For this reason, greater access to the actual public and a
better understanding of what is needed in the world around me can
only benefit my career goals. … Academically, I also crave a class
such as this, which is small and creative, focusing on real-life
problems and doing something to solve them aside from the separated
efforts that are usually employed in classes through extensive reading
or research.”
“I believe that scientific reasoning is a tool, and nothing more. If
used well and with care, scientific reasoning can elevate the human
condition. If used recklessly, secretly, or selfishly, scientific
reasoning can bring great ill. I have studied many forms of
representation and problem solving in the Symbolic Systems
program, and I have learned much about the global theater of human
interactions in the International Relations program. I expect that the
Science in Service Program will help me to gain perspective on the
healthy use of scientific reasoning in international political and public
service pursuits.”
“I am interested in medicine and science research, but primarily
because of the potential effects their areas have on improving service
to communities. … The Science in Service Program would show me
different areas in which science and service overlap and how to
access these areas.”
“I am interested in educational software, so it is the educational
component of the Science in Service program that I’m most interested
in. … I think interactive experience with students is vital to being able
to successfully develop software that will be useful to students and
that will engage them to the extent that it will foster learning.”
Heliospheric Magnetic Imager
“This program seems unique to me in its ability to link both
technological and scientific endeavors with service and community
involvement.”
• What community service is and is not
• Ethics of serving communities
How?
• Public service as an integral part of all
professions
• Reaching diverse audiences
• The Civic Scientist’s role when dealing with
the press and media
•
•
Education Issues
•Research-based methods for effective science
communication
Science
Community
Process Skills [skills of inquiry: observing, measuring, collecting data,
Service
analyzing
data, reasoning, drawing conclusions from evidence]
Content Knowledge [fundamental concepts]
•
Connections to other disciplines, society, life
•
Intellectual confidence, enthusiasm for life-long learning, and curiosity
about the world.
• Learning theories
• How to identify previous knowledge and address
misconceptions
The Haas Center for Public Service at Stanford
University connects academic study with community and
public service to strengthen communities and develop
effective public leaders. To accomplish these broad
objectives, the Center collaborates with associated units
at Stanford and implements programs in many areas of
work. All of the Center's activities contribute to student
learning while providing value and service to the public
and the community.
• Inquiry-based science teaching methods and hands-on
learning
• What is science literacy and why is it important?
• How does one use solar science as a “hook” to generate enthusiasm?
• Science Fellows come from a broad range of subject fields, though require similar
basic science communication skills
• Science faculty offer access to good, in-depth understanding of solar science.
Science Fellows are provided with sufficient tools, skills, and resources to
communicate the basics and appreciate the results of scientific research
• Science Standards
• Inclusive learning environments and cultural issues
Science & Professional Issues
Education
This presentation is available on the web at:
http://solar-center.stanford.edu/presentations/agu03-1208.ppt
• Multiple intelligences
• Testing, pre- and post-assessment/evaluation
• Teaching approaches:
“Guide on the Side” vs. “Sage on the stage”
The authors can be reached at:
kbeck@stanford.edu
dscherrer@solar.stanford.edu
camorrow@colorado.edu