Climate change: NASA's eyes on the arctic will partner with the , the , and scientists at the of to develop permanent and traveling exhibits and programs that feature climate change data collected…

Climate change: NASA's eyes on the arctic will partner with the , the , and scientists at the of to develop permanent and traveling exhibits and programs that feature climate change data collected by NASA earth-orbiting satellites. Alaska is an ideal place on which to focus such exhibits. Surface temperatures in the arctic are increasing at twice the global rate and alaska residents are already feeling some of the impacts of climate change. Warming permafrost BAS led to structural damage of homes and other buildings in parts of alaska and retreating sea ICE BAS spurred coastal erosion. University of alaska scientists are intensively studying these phenomena, and can provide data sets related to vegetation change, permafrost thaw, methane emissions, and chlorophyll production in northern oceans, sea ICE dynamics, insect outbreaks, and models that forecast changes in climate and weather patterns, among others. Although many of these changes are being felt most intensely in the arctic, they are occurring globally and are of broad interest to people across the united states and around the world. We will illustrate our changing earth by displaying dynamic animations and a 7-minute movie about climate change in the arctic on spherical display systems (e.g. . Magic planet) in our respective outreach institutions in . Using a portable magic planet, we will also present our exhibits and related programming to underserved communities in rural alaska, including some alaska native villages already experiencing the impacts of climate change. Our spherical displays will simulate the view of earth from space and dramatically highlight the interconnectedness of the arctic with other parts of the planet. We will highlight downstream effects of climate change, as well, including shifts in plant and animal ranges and animal migration patterns, which will be superimposed on the globe. Associated high-definition, flat screens will allow viewers to zoom in on regions of interest and will feature interviews with scientists, alaska natives and others who have personal experience with climate change in their lifetimes. We will also include footage of fieldwork recently conducted in the arctic. The project will extend its reach across the nation through dissemination of our programs throughout the informal science education community, many of whom already use the magic planet as an educational platform. Our proposal will clearly advance NASA's mission, strategic vision and the specific objectives of NASA's office of education by l)using exciting, experiential, bands-on exhibits to boost public awareness of NASA's mission and programs; 2)expanding stem informal education opportunities throughout alaska and among alaskan visitors, thereby promoting american scientific and technological literacy; and 3)reaching out to alaska native communities that have been underserved and underrepresented in education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This project will also be an important step in enhancing strategic partnerships between alaska's stem and NASA-related formal and informal education providers.