Why should I partner with a professional educator?

A concern commonly expressed by scientists is: My science is extremely complex.  How can I hope to base an EPO project on my work when it is difficult for some of my colleagues to understand? Partnerships with science educators can be the key to addressing this understandable concern. Rather than teaching the details of your work, the goal of most EPO projects is to convey fundamental concepts that underpin your research, your excitement about your investigations, and the broader relevance of your discoveries. Professional science educators are adept at translating complex scientific concepts into materials appropriate for a variety of audiences.  They are able to readily extract the most exciting and relevant aspects of your research for inclusion in quality EPO. Together, scientists and educators can ensure that the messages conveyed are both scientifically accurate and understandable.

How might I go about finding partners?

Where can you find an EPO partner?  Good places to look include nearby science centers, aquariums, museums, and organizations that offer teacher training or professional-development programs.  The latter may include traditional or online university and/or community college education and extension departments.  It is also worth exploring connections through national and regional educators’ professional societies and federal and state agencies. Other programs and consortia as well as scientific professional societies are also excellent places to find connections to knowledgeable educators.

How might you approach an organization or individual to explore potential collaboration?  We strongly urge you to seek out the individual(s) responsible for the EPO activities of the organization.  Explain your interests and timeline; ask how your research may relate to and support existing or planned EPO efforts by their organization. See our suggestions for those preparing proposals.