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High school students learned about coral reefs with Chutimon Singhakarn.

With a focus on advancing diversity in STEM fields, and sharing geoscience research and academic pathways with elementary, middle and high students and community members on Oʻahu, eight graduate students in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) participated in an outreach training and development program.

A SOEST staff member and oceanography graduate students, Aaron Judah and Blake Stoner-Osborne, co-led the program with support from an innovative mini-grants program from the Catalyst Awards for Science Advancement. They developed a training workshop to share best practices for science communication and hosted work sessions during which participating graduate students planned and developed their outreach presentations, demonstrations and activities.

students looking at lego demonstration
Carla Baizeau shared a Lego-based sea-level rise activity with middle school students.

“It was such a special opportunity to get to brainstorm new outreach activities with dedicated graduate students!” said Stoner-Osborne. “We’re very fortunate to have such passionate and creative graduate students here in SOEST who are able to connect and share their passions with community members, teachers, and students of all ages.”

Students from SOEST graduate programs in atmospheric sciences, marine biology and oceanography, including Carla Baizeau, Harold Carlson, Alexus Cazares, Dianne Deauna, Kuʻi Keliipuleole, Emma Layton, Naomi Rohrbaugh and Chutimon Singhakarn, developed outreach modules and shared them with a range of audiences. The students created presentations and hands-on activities for high school students visiting the UH Mānoa campus and elementary, middle and high schools at their home campuses; a workshop to demystify academic pathways to graduate school; social media videos about the deep sea; and presentations and activities for community members of all ages at public events and a public library.

Their collective efforts resulted in thousands of “likes” on social media and connections with 100 elementary students, hundreds of middle and high school students, and dozens of community members. Through this opportunity, the graduate students enhanced their communication skills and shared their research and passion with local K–12 students and community members.

“Marcie [Grabowski, SOEST outreach specialist], Blake, and Aaron helped me create a fun sea level rise activity which enabled me to actually connect with high school and middle school students on a topic I am really passionate about,” said Baizeau. “The sessions were so enjoyable and enriching. I am excited to do it again!”

–By Marcie Grabowski

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