Effectively Engaging the Audience in a Virtual World: Virtual Exploration Experiences with Planetary Scientists

Abstract:

The Lunar and Planetary Institute presents Virtual Exploration Experiences with Planetary Scientists (VEEPS), programs that connect scientists with children and their families at home. VEEPS programs have been conducted for the general public, Girl Scouts, homeschool groups, 4H, and more.

VEEPS are 30-minute online sessions that include a live presentation by a planetary scientist, along with a related demonstration, questions, and discussion with the audience. Informal discussions connect audiences with a friendly face to lower the intimidation factor that surrounds planetary science for some students.

Goals of our virtual programs are to: (1) increase our reach to diverse audiences, (2) spark or increase the audience’s interest in planetary science, and (3) enable planetary scientists to share their research and careers. VEEPS enables planetary scientists to share their research with diverse audiences at a comprehensible level, and spark interest by making the content more relevant.

We will present lessons learned from our VEEPS programs on engage our audiences virtually, such as including an initial engagement, keeping the programs short, tailoring the programs for the specific audience, and the uniqueness of the demonstrations and activities within the virtual programs.