Clouds, Climate, and Weather -- Increasing awareness and broadening participation in climate science

One of the most important limitations on the reliability of climate change simulations is the need to represent cloud processes and interactions on their native scale. The National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Multiscale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes (CMMAP) is addressing this problem by using a revolutionary approach, multiscale modeling, to understand and simulate the role of clouds in global processes. CMMAP's mission goes far beyond research and devotes enormous amounts of time and energy to its Education and Diversity (ED) components. We have developed an integrated suite of ED programs, based on our Center's research, to enhance science literacy and awareness of climate issues for students, teachers, policymakers, and the general public. CMMAP has established effective partnerships between scientists, students, and teachers to meet its goals to: 1) provide first-rate graduate education in atmospheric science; 2) recruit diverse undergraduates into our graduate programs; 3) develop, evaluate, and disseminate educational resources designed to inform K-12 students, teachers, and the general public about the nature of the climate system, global climate change, and career opportunities in climate science; 4) implement programs that encourage retention of underrepresented students and engage diverse communities in conversations about climate. We provide high-quality educational experiences at all levels, and seek to infuse the next generation of climate scientists with a sense of the role of science in the larger culture. This presentation will describe our activities, our barriers and successes, and measures of achievement involved in our suite of collaborative educational programs.