Educating from the Sun to the Ocean Floor - All about
the NOAA Education Council (277)
Faith Borden, National
Weather Service Forecast Office, Nashville,
TN
Mary Fairbanks, National
Weather Service Headquarters
Kerry Jones, National
Weather Service Forecast Office
Abstract:
The National Weather Service
is an active participant in the NOAA Education Council and NOAA education
community. This community was formed in 2003 out of a growing need for a
formal, internal forum for discussing ideas and proposals for NOAA-wide
education and outreach priorities and to make recommendations to NOAA management
on all aspects of NOAA's educational activities. Each year, the NOAA education
community helps to connect and inspire millions of people with NOAA's mission.
The NOAA Education Council is comprised of representatives from NOAA's eight
line offices and major education programs across the agency. The NWS has been
an active participant in this group since its inception. Employees from NWS
Headquarters and field-level Weather Forecast Offices (e.g. Warning
Coordination Meteorologists) provide a wide representation across the NWS. Our
members connect customers with resources such as NOAA-related sciences, places,
products, and services unique to NOAA's mission. The goal of this group is to
increase capacity for NOAA educators, and to monitor progress under the
framework of the NOAA Education Strategic Plan. Some of the current NWS
projects the council supports are expanding our future workforce by working
with students, promoting the education-related outreach efforts occurring in
the field, and exploring creative ways to engage educators. For example, the
council has recently embarked on a new project to create one-stop resources for
educators during high impact events such as tornadoes. The goal is for
educational communities that may be impacted by upcoming hazardous weather, or
educators wanting a unique and effective ways to enhance classroom instruction
to teach in near real-time and to serve as a resource for in-depth information.
This resource will include a Q&A session with experts in the field, data
sources, lessons and information useful for educators. This presentation will
introduce you to the NOAA Education Council, its vision, mission, and goals,
and demonstrate an interactive session that is utilized during a high impact
event.