Community Outreach Education Programs

OEI helps support a variety of community outreach education programs for school children (K-12) focusing on Conservation & Global Health. The outreach programs are conducted in collaboration with partner institutions both in the U.S. and in a number of foreign countries.

School Outreach Programs                   (K-12)		cp-Field Course in Conservation  Biology & Global Health: At the     Human-Environment Interface		Science Festivals/Expos
Overview: The school outreach program is intended to help educate and involve local school children (K-12) on issues related to the importance of conserving biodiversity and the implications for global health – to promote environmental awareness, an understanding of the relationship with global health, and a sense of commitment to the conservation of biodiversity in their region. The program involves a powerpoint presentation about environmental conservation & global health in the home country and around the world, a class discussion about the importance of good conservation practices and healthy lifestyles, hands-on activities with some of the equipment used by researchers in the field, and an art contest focusing on conservation and global health.		Overview: The “CollegePrep-Field Course in Conservation Biology & Global Health: At the Human-Environment Interface” is a new outreach program (first conducted in 2012), that involves of an intensive 3-day “mini” field course targeting middle/high school students (grades 7-12). The course is modeled after the successful university-level field courses and consists of daily lectures and related field and lab exercises. The material is presented at an advanced (college-prep) level to give the students a feel for what college-level lectures are like. By exposing the students to college-level material, we hope dispel any myths about what a college course is like and in turn give them the confidence to pursue post-secondary education in the sciences. The cp-field courses are currently being conducted in partnership with Native American schools.		Overview: OEI staff participate in a number of science festivals/expos during the year. OEI-supported exhibits (such as: “Animals and Your Health” and “What Animals Can Tell Us About the Future of the Earth”) provide information for children and adults on the methods used to study animals in the wild and include hands-on activities with some of the equipment and techniques used by researchers in the field including radio telemetry, GPS, trap cameras, biological sample collection, and aquatic insects as bioindicators. The exhibit demonstrates the close relationship between humans and the environment and how animals can provide the first indication of future environmental impact and global health issues.