Highlights from Thursday, March 27 at the National Science Teachers’ Association national conference in Boston, MA included a presentation on IPY science projects and the Polar Discovery expedition series.

IPY Science

Louise Huffman, Coordinator of Education and Outreach for the ANDRILL project, presented an informative session, IPY Cool Science: Hot Topics. An overview of the three previous International Polar Years (1882-1883, 1932-1933, and 1957-1958) reviewed the many scientific achievements and gave me an opportunity to reflect on the impact of technological advances such as email, podcast and video technology, remote sensing, and web 2.0 tools. It is clear that this IPY offers unprecedented opportunities in terms of international scientific collaboration as well as communication, education, and outreach.

While the polar year officially ends in March 2009, results from polar research will be presented at major conferences in 2010 and 2012, effectively continuing the “year” and public focus on the polar regions. In this vein, the education committee of the IPY plans to remain active until 2012 – good news for educators committed to the topic.

Climate change is a major focus of IPY, but is often difficult to teach. Teachers may be challenged by a lack of current materials or guidelines, or even opposition due to the controversy surrounding the topic. NOAA has developed climate literacy frameworks and objectives, providing support for educators as they incorporate this topic into their curricula. Additionally, Huffman shared a three-star “rating” system that teachers can aid teacher and students make sense of the onslaught of climate change reports in the media. One star indicates that the data has been shared, compared, and published (peer reviewed). Two stars indicate that the data has been collected in more than one location or using more than one technique. Three stars indicate to data supported by multiple locations and collection techniques.

The remainder of the presentation was devoted to data and projects from the polar regions. Huffman concluded with an overview of the ANDRILL program, which seeks to understand the paleoenvironmental conditions and changes during Antarctica’s history. ANDRILL offers a suite of K-12 educational materials that includes podcasts, videos, photos, and “flexhibits” in which students learn about an aspect of Antarctica’s history, create an exhibit, and become the teachers themselves.

Discovering the Poles

In the past, seasoned travelers and expedition leaders would hold lectures, engaging the public with tales of adventure, danger, and foreign lands. Today at the national NSTA conference, I was treated to a modern day version of this experience.

Chris Linder is a Research Associate with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the photographer for their Polar Discovery project. This informal education, NSF-funded project aims to make polar science accessible to all people through a website, live talks with eight partner museums, and a traveling exhibit. Polar Discovery has run three expeditions (two to the Arctic, one to Antarctica) and plans two more for the future.

In an expedition, Linder and a science writer travel with a research team, documenting the science, landscape, and people through photo essays and live talks via satellite phone. Unlike other projects, which might quickly visit a research project for an interview and then leave, the Polar Discovery team is embedded in the expedition for the entire duration of the project – sometimes as long as 40 days! A professional storytelling team and a focus on the human dimension of scientific research make the information truly compelling.

Reflecting on his second expedition, a 40 day voyage on an icebreaker to study the life found on the seafloor of the Arctic Ocean, Linder explained that you “leave the world you know of waves and water and sea birds and enter the world of white and ice.” Accompanied by dramatic images of the juxtaposition of a “floating construction site (the research vessel)” and a “pristine environment,” Linder’s description of the research methods and challenges was engaging. The practical considerations involved in deploying (and later recovering) autonomous vehicles to sample the sea floor amidst floating and ever-shifting ice was an aspect of polar research I had never considered. Nor had I considered the relative proportions of sea ice to water: about 6-10 feet of ice as compared with 2 miles of water. Yet this seemingly thin layer of ice is capable of supporting the weight of a helicopter!

Tales from the third expedition to Antarctica to study Adelie penguins and lava flows were equally engaging. Images of penguins’ often anthropomorphic behavior, such as stealing rocks from other nests and waddling down to the water in a well-organized “penguin superhighway” were entertaining. (As Linder notes, penguins seem to follow American tradition and waddle on the right-hand side of the “road”.) A serious note followed, as Linder explained that researchers had noticed fishing vessels off the coast, and while Antarctica is protected by treaty, the waters are not. Climate change and a decrease in food supply may negatively impact these birds in the future.

Polar Discovery’s next expedition, Greenland’s Lakes, is scheduled for July 7-27, 2008. In the meantime, material from Expeditions One, Two, and Three is available on line. A traveling exhibit showcases Expedition Two, Discovering the Arctic Seafloor.