Polar STEAM: Where Curiosity Thrives

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

The polar regions inspire wonder, awe, and fascination. Scientific activity at the poles addresses these urgent global challenges, explores the mysteries of our earth’s history, our solar system and the universe, and investigates the wonder of life in extreme environments. Oregon State University (OSU) will facilitate a Polar STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) program that aims to increase the impact and visibility of polar science by integrating arts- and education-based elements into the polar science research setting. The program’s overarching goal is to increase the impact of the research and the engagement of the public with polar environments and peoples. Two programs define Polar STEAM: i. The Polar Educators program facilitates deployments to both the Arctic and the Antarctic and virtual experiences connected to the polar expeditions for both formal and informal educators. The program aims to inspire transdisciplinary teaching and transdisciplinary science about the polar regions, integrating art-based and science-based methods to promote critical thinking, engagement, and conceptual access for all learners. ii. The Antarctic Artists and Writers program facilitates deployments to the Antarctic for creative practitioners within the arts and humanities to interact with polar researchers. The program aims to increase the public’s understanding and appreciation of the Antarctic and human endeavors on the southernmost continent through the resulting works. The program also seeks to inspire the critical exchanges that artists and creative thinkers bring to science research settings, even those as remote as Antarctica. OSU’s facilitation of the two programs centers on integrating the sciences, arts, and education by creating pre- and post-deployment communities of program participants – both within the two individual programs and across the AAW and Polar Educators groups. The program creates the conditions for curiosity to thrive – not just because the environments are themselves wondrous, but through the rich community of artists, scientists, and educators that program infrastructure will create. Through mentoring components, in-person and virtual meetings of participants across the programs, arts exhibition opportunities, a robust and content-rich web portal, and long-term relationship building, OSU will manage the Polar STEAM programs with an eye to enabling participants to learn from one another’s unique strengths, and practices. In this approach, the results and resources will be made available to the widest possible audience. Evaluation of the Polar STEAM program will be led by the Science Education Resource Center. This award is a Cooperative Agreement, funded by the Office of Polar Programs within the Directorate for Geosciences and by the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.