Click here to apply by January 23, 2015 - you will be notified by January 26

The Invitation The Heliophysics Science Mission Directorate Forum team is excited to invite you to be part of the Heliophysics Educator Ambassadors for Informal Educators program through the generous partner support of NASA’s Science Mission Directorates’ Heliophysics missions. 

Purpose The Heliophysics Educator Ambassador (HEA) for Informal Educators program will focus on in-depth, learning experiences around Earth, Space, and Physical Science topics for informal educators in museum or science center settings that work with K-12 teacher professional development. The HEA program will provide the opportunity and materials for participants to develop the capacities needed to use NASA science, data, and educational resources to be an educational ambassador for NASA Heliophysics science concepts. After attending a week-long intensive training, HEA participants will conduct two (2) professional development workshop for K-12 educators, engage a direct audience through their institute or organization using the provided NASA educational resources and activities, and mentor and train another fellow informal educator to use the same materials and resources with their audiences. 

Benefits Throughout the program, Informal Heliophysics Educator Ambassadors will receive support in the following ways:

• An in-person training intensive in Chicago, IL Sunday, February 8 – Friday, February 13, 2015, with lunch provided.
• All curriculum and resources presented in the intensive;
• All curriculum and materials needed to implement the activities in workshops and with audiences;
• All curriculum and materials to train and share with a mentored colleague partner;
• Three to five online webinar sessions for both participants and mentored partners;
• Ongoing online support through peer-sharing, discussion, access to resources and email for both participants and mentored partners;
• A $1600 stipend upon completion of all program requirements - $1000 after attending the workshop, and $600 upon completion of program requirements and evaluation.
• Opportunity to build ongoing and supportive relationships with other informal educators from around the country with similar professional backgrounds

February 2015 Workshop The Chicago HEA intensive workshop will be a rich and engaging experience that will ready participants to be able to meet the professional and mentoring program requirements. In this intensive workshop, participants will:

1)  Participate in hands-on, inquiry-based Earth, Space, and Physical science activities that utilize educational resources that have been developed by NASA and other educational partners, such as the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley, and incorporate current and relevant NASA science and data.

2)  Engage with NASA scientists and educational professionals to learn about the science of the Sun and its interactions with Earth’s magnetosphere and upper atmosphere, the Moon, and the interstellar medium.

3)  Design a professional development workshop for K-12 science educators to put into practice in their own home institute or center.

4)  Develop a plan to utilize the received resources and activities with a direct audience.

5)  Acquire the skills, experience, and materials to recruit, mentor and support another regional informal educator to do the same. 

Responsibilities Heliophysics Educator Ambassadors commit to participate in the program in the following ways:

• Attend at all professional development sessions, including an in-person intensive workshop in Chicago, IL and online webinars and events

• Recruit a colleague partner to train and mentor in using the same materials and resources with audiences or professional development programs 

• Design and implement a professional development workshop for K-12 educators utilizing the provided NASA-developed curriculum, activities and resources

• Design and implement a program with a direct audience using the provided NASA-developed curriculum, activities and resources

• Submit of professional development and audience engagement design plans

• Participate in all program evaluation including administering, collecting and submitting any program evaluation materials and results, and completing an end of program report

• Written support from the director/supervisor 

• Because this program requires ongoing program engagement, we are asking that each applicant acquire consent to participate from their home institute or center.  An institutional consent form that outlines the program goals, benefits and requirements for agreement will be emailed to you with a welcome packet once accepted. This consent is required before attending the workshop in order to be considered fully accepted. 

• Please read the full description of all requirements here

Click here to apply by January 23, 2015 - you will be notified by January 26