NEO-Sphere.org Workshops

??? Do you ever wish you had an example of a really good E&O strategic plan? ??? Do you want to connect with other E&O professionals? ??? Would you like more people to know about your project or event?

Register online at https://www.engin.umich.edu/form/neosphere

NSF is sponsoring three workshops for education and outreach professionals and NSF Research Centers Educators??? Network (NRCEN) members. The purpose of the workshops is to build the community of participants using and contributing to the NEO-Sphere.org web site by offering an introduction to the resources on the site and guided instruction in adding and accessing these resources. (More information about NEO-Sphere.org is below.) There is no fee to attend the workshop, and a small stipend will be provided to defray costs. Space is offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and preference will be given to NSF Research Center Educators. These 4-hour workshops will be offered in convenient locations across the country. Two workshops will coincide with the upcoming national ASTC (Association of Science-Technology Centers) and NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) conferences. We hope that the timing of this workshop will coincide with plans you may have to attend one of these events. ??? October 21, 2008 (Tuesday, 1:30???5:30 pm), Philadelphia, PA, following the National ASTC Conference ??? January 9, 2009 (Friday, 1:00???5:00 pm), Los Angeles, CA, at the Southern California Earthquake Center ??? March 18, 2009 (Wednesday afternoon, 1:00-5:00 pm), New Orleans, LA, prior to the National NSTA Conference The ideal participant in this workshop would be an education and outreach professional who serves as the link between basic research projects and the public, whether at a research center, a museum, or a university. Please feel free to share this invitation with your colleagues. To make this short workshop as productive and engaging as possible, we will require attendees to bring copies of at least 2 or 3 electronic documents or web resources. This will help participants gain hands-on experience using the website and allow them to share information with colleagues at the workshop. The workshop will be conducted by Katherine Lawrence of the University of Michigan. If you have questions about this workshop, please contact Katherine (kathla@umich.edu; 734-994-7904). Jill Andrews and Katherine Lawrence, Workshop Co-Organizers University of Michigan -----------ABOUT NEO-SPHERE.ORG------------ The NEO-Sphere.org website serves the NSF (National Science Foundation) Research Centers Educators??? Network (NRCEN) and a broader, diverse group of education and outreach professionals with similar job responsibilities. This growing, emerging profession provides the necessary assistive link between basic research projects and the public. NEO-Sphere is an interactive online resource with tools providing communication, collaboration, and access to resources. Funded by NSF, NEO-Sphere is designed to provide both mechanism and means to help education and outreach professionals address common concerns, issues, and goals and more effectively reach larger, broader, and more diverse audiences. NEO-Sphere encourages member-motivated contributions. Contributions may include excerpts from members??? education, outreach, and diversity-related strategic plans; success stories; reports and statistical data; publications; best practices; and shared evaluation tools and instruments. The site also provides member-driven mentoring, news, events, and links to resources. Immediate benefits to users: ??? accessing methods and models of best practices ??? minimizing duplication of effort ??? learning how to create and sustain internal and external partnerships ??? extending Centers??? reach to broader and more diverse audiences ??? increasing Centers??? ability to attract supplemental funding for their programs and projects