Beyond Outreach to Community InvolvementSophia Perdikaris & Tom McGovern

CUNY Human Ecodynamics Research CenterNABO & GHEA

CUNY Human Ecodynamics Research Center (HERC)

Ideal: From Outreach to Active Participation in Global Change Science• Engage local host communities worldwide as active

participants in global change science & heritage development

• Foster mutual two-way learning & TEK mobilization• Create lasting benefits in sustainability education to

communities and school systems• Connect host communities with each other & with

the global effort for sustainability education• Make “outreach” a core field science goal for the

next generation of researchers- not an add on.

Alaska Native Science Commission (ANSC) was established in 1994 to bring together research and science in partnership with the Native community. It serves as a clearinghouse, an information base for ongoing and past research for proposed research, and an archive for significant research involving the Native community. ANSC provides information, referral and networking services for researchers seeking active partners in the Native community and communities seeking research partners. Support from US NSF & EPA http://nativescience.org/

Islands of Change Project(NSF REU Arctic Social Sciences)

• Builds on long term research (since 1996) in N Iceland and more recent work in Barbuda W Indies (since 2004).

• Builds on 4 NSF research experience for undergrads grants to Perdikaris combining lab, classroom, field, and outreach components

• Connects Iceland, Barbuda, NYC, and (now) Orkney

Engaging Our Public (Who are they?)

• Host communities in Iceland, Orkney, Antigua/Barbuda

• Students from inner city NYC through STAR• CUNY undergrads and doctoral students

participating in NSF REU program “Islands of Change”

• You: fellow scholars, educators, students, and resilience allies.

KAPI The Kids Archaeology

Project Iceland: Fornleifaskoli Islands 2007-present

Founders were Unnsteinn Ingason at Narfastaðir Guesthouse and Baldur Daníelsson at Litlulaugaskóli (local elementary school)

• CUNY Hunter College & Brooklyn College

• Hið Þingeyska Fornleifafélag (Local Archaeology Association)

• Institute of Archaeology Iceland• Þingeyskur sagnagarður (Local Historical

Project)• Þingeyjarsveit Municipality• Icelandic Ministry of Education, Science

and Culture

KAPI Curriculum

• Archaeology, Landscape Heritage, Environmental Science, Intergenerational connections

• Modules for two different age groups• Lectures and hands on activities in the fall (visiting

scholars)• Projects under the leadership of local teachers during

the school year• Joining the field teams during summer research• Building infrastructure and upgrading teaching

resources

Field days on site with classroom prep by teachers.

Interacting with cool grad students as well as old guys

Survey : changes in cultural landscape

Workshop- Reg, Sophia and Þóra

Summer school – Viking feast

Abandoned Farm Ruins & Walls- with lore attached.....but fading...

GPS + Camera Project

• NSF funding (IPY) for Garmin hand GPS + robust digital cameras

• 6 kits each for KAPI, Barbuda Schools, & Orkney College

• Coordination & interface help from Anthony Newton (Edinburgh) NABO webmaster

• The place name division of Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic studies

• Garmin Iceland – maps for GPS

• Samsýn engineering firm, database and place names on GPS maps

• Husavík Museum

Archives: Place name records aging typewritten MS

..to excel sheets in google docs to..

Place names on Map Source

Sites

Project areas

KAPI Long Term Objectives• Collect & GPS place names and associated

stories from elders• Preserve place based lore digitally and at local

museums- expanding multi-generational community project

• Involve rural students in field science; “I want to be a paleoentomologist too”

• Produce teaching modules with rich visuals and well planned hands- on kits

• Make real and visible contribution to global change science.

Connecting Communities & Sharing Ideas

• Bringing community activists and teachers together

• 2008-11: Icelanders to Barbuda; Barbudans to Iceland; Icelanders to Orkney; Orkney, Barbudans & NYC educators to Iceland

• Community and school connections to pool best practice

Classroom & Museum Development – Learning in 2 Directions

• Renovated science classrooms, early reading science rooms, kid friendly hands on areas in local museums

• Also invaluable training for NYC students in museum studies and creating resources for sustainability education

• Good work Marissa Gamiliel!

Resilient & Sustainable?

• Rural and urban schools get resources connected to sustainability and resilience curricula

• US NYC inner city students & rural host students get life changing experiences

• US graduate students get personal hands on experience of sustained community outreach and involvement as part of their basic training

• Connecting and pooling sustainability education ideas and resources internationally

Global Human Ecodynamics Alliance

Beyond Outreach Working Group

• Founders : Sophia Perdikaris, Ingrid Mainland, & Shari Gearheard

• Getting by with help from friends (please join)• Work in progress- Allies needed!• www.gheahome.org