Strengthening our Audience Connection with "Icelights: Questions of the Moment"

University Of Colorado At Boulder, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal expands the online resources developed by the National Snow and Ice Data Center, Arctic Sea Ice News & Analysis [http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews]. The public yearns for reliable science information to understand the decline in Arctic sea ice and its relationship to climate change. Readership of the current website includes media, decision makers, internet-savvy readers, educators, and scientists of the future. To date NSIDC has developed web content primarily for a science audience with near-real time data and analysis. The current website received 501,680 views during the second half of 2008 (Google Analytics). This award supports the development of a new ?Icelights: Questions of the Moment? section to augment the Frequently Asked Questions page. Through "Icelights," the website will offer easily understandable science pieces that are relevant and timely. The project will support personnel who can respond to questions of the moment posed by the readers and make the questions and answers available to others in a searchable web format. These new features to the NSIDC website offered by Icelights are a cost-effective way to reach a large, diverse audience with up-to-date science and answers to their questions.