A Model of Engaged Science: Experience from the NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team

Abstract:

Over the past decade, satellite data have increasingly been applied to public health and air quality analyses. These new applications have been supported by investments into Earth-observing satellites, as well as into initiatives to promote effective utilization of satellite data by the health and air quality communities. In particular, the NASA Applied Sciences Program has supported the Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (AQAST, 2011-2016) and the Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (HAQAST, 2016-2020). A major success of these teams has been the engagement of new user communities: broadening the relevance of NASA data and tools to decision-making in air quality and public health. This talk presents an overview of the communication strategies used by these applied sciences teams to grow and cultivate new audiences and community partners.

HAQAST has developed and tested a range of strategies to enhance collaboration, responsiveness, and engagement with new communities. Novel communication strategies were integrated into the design of meetings (both in-person and online), collaborative research projects, and digital media. All initiatives were designed to promote two-way dialogue among HAQAST investigators and stakeholder attendees, as well as engagement with the HAQAST team itself. Feedback from surveys indicate positive reception of the HAQAST in-person and online meeting formats as they evolved based on user feedback. Still, the meeting design was challenged by the need to serve a diverse audience, without creating a superficial experience for attendees with higher levels of technical expertise. The diversity of attendees engaged in HAQAST grew over the four year duration of the team, due to active outreach and cultivating of new partnerships. Emphasizing communications improved the outcomes and culture of HAQAST.

The applied research focus of HAQAST is an unusual hybrid, spanning research methods and goals with operational and decision-relevant outcomes. Reflecting on past successes, we present resources to support future applied science initiatives, and discuss the transferability of stakeholder engagement methods from HAQAST to other audiences in air quality, climate, energy, and public health.