T243 Training, Assessment, and Outreach That Enhance Communication of Geosciences for Formal and Informal Audiences (Posters)

Tuesday, 29 October 2013
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Hall D

EARTHCUBE ON YOUTUBE: A STUDENT-PRODUCED VIDEO TO ENCOURAGE INTEREST IN THE EARTHCUBE INITIATIVE

Paper number: T243-6
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

The digital revolution has changed the way we communicate and go about our daily lives. New technologies and advanced cyberinfrastructure are vital to conduct Earth science research in the 21st century. On the near horizon, EarthCube is a powerful new National Science Foundation initiative with the goal of building a comprehensive data and knowledge management system in the Earth, atmospheric, and oceanic sciences. A group of undergraduate and graduate geology students participated in creating a short (2-minute), informational video about EarthCube to pique interest and encourage involvement in this new initiative. The group conducted a series of short surveys with researchers and students before and after at the premiere of this video to gather feedback on how the current Earth science community collects data and the potential of EarthCube.

Students came from a wide range of disciplines including geology, geophysics, geological engineering, mining engineering, and atmospheric sciences. Of the 73 respondents, the majority of students and researchers report that they spend 30% of their time searching for Earth science data. Over 60% agreed that having all Earth science data available digitally would make their work more efficient and increase their interactions with other. About 80% of the viewers felt the video was informative and gave them a clear idea of what EarthCube was about, as well as making them excited about accessing Earth science data through a centralized portal. There were many questions after the video and it was clear that there is high interest in using EarthCube if the initiative is able to deliver a user-friendly interface to integrate the many Earth-related disciplines.

As the eventual end-users of EarthCube, the young generation of students is enthusiastic about participating and helping shape the future that will become an indispensible tool for better science. EarthCube will be a valuable pathway to new interactions, discoveries, and explorations for inclusive Earth science research, teaching, and outreach.