Bringing the Geosciences into the Local Communities: Pilot Projects, Lessons Learned, Opportunities, and Challenges

Session ID#: 280711

Session Description:
Geoscience education and outreach have the potential to inspire career paths and enhance public safety, particularly in areas susceptible to natural hazards. In developed countries, these strategies frequently encourage younger individuals to consider geoscience studies and then careers. Elsewhere, and importantly in mountain regions like the Himalaya, effective engagement in geoscience can be crucial for survival. Initiatives that involve community participation, such as educational seismology, education on natural hazards, citizen science, and partnerships between schools and local communities, are essential in converting scientific knowledge into societal advantages.

This session welcomes submissions regarding pilot projects, innovative engagement strategies, and thorough evaluations of geoscience education and outreach initiatives around the world. We invite presentations that emphasize quantifiable results (impact), insights gained, and ongoing challenges, especially in underrepresented or high-risk areas. Submissions may additionally investigate interdisciplinary collaboration, co-production with communities, and approaches for scalability and sustainable impact. 

Index Terms:

0830 Teacher training [EDUCATION]
0850 Geoscience education research [EDUCATION]
4332 Disaster resilience [NATURAL HAZARDS]
Primary Convener:  Shiba Subedi, Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Lalitpur, Nepal
Conveners:  György Hetényi, University of Lausanne, Institute of Earth Sciences, Lausanne, Switzerland and Maren Böse, ETH Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Swiss Seismological Service (SED), Zurich, Switzerland
Student/Early Career Convener:  Hari Ram Thapa, North Carolina Central University, Department of Environmental, Earth and Geospatial Sciences, Durham, NC, United States
See more of: Education