Emerging Planetary Researchers Enhance Public Engagement Skills

The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Community of Practice for Education (SCoPE) – part of the NASA Science Activation (SciAct) Program – empowers Earth and Space Science and Engineering Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to effectively share their research with support from SciAct education specialists. This initiative focuses on NASA-funded SMEs to improve their ability to communicate scientific concepts to diverse audiences.

During the Summer 2026 FORCE Summer School at Arizona State University, seven undergraduate interns received training through partnerships with NASA SCoPE and FORCE, a laboratory that simulates extreme planetary conditions to study planetary formation and behavior. The program aimed to develop the interns’ ability to convey complex scientific findings to non-expert audiences.

The training included two workshops on June 25–26, followed by weekly office hours. It emphasized skills such as distilling research into clear narratives, creating engaging outreach materials, and optimizing interactions with the public. Interns also learned to design effective research posters and outreach stations to showcase their work.

The program concluded with two public engagement activities. The first was the FORCE Open House, where approximately 50 attendees explored the laboratory, interacted with researchers, and participated in hands-on demonstrations led by interns. The second was a poster session at ASU, where interns presented their research to faculty, staff, and students, receiving valuable feedback on their scientific communication.

By integrating science communication training into the Summer School, NASA SCoPE equipped emerging planetary scientists with practical tools to engage both scientific and general audiences. The open house and poster session highlighted how such training enhances researchers’ confidence and strengthens connections between planetary science and broader communities. NASA SCoPE operates under cooperative agreement 80NSSC21M0006, supporting the SciAct Program’s mission to link learners with authentic NASA science through partnerships.

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