Scripps Community Outreach for Public Education (SCOPE): An example of a thriving, student-led, volunteer-driven, outreach program at a primarily research-focused institution

Scripps Community Outreach for Public Education (SCOPE) was founded in 2001 at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) as a grassroots movement dedicated to engendering change through public education. To achieve this aim at a primarily research-focused institution, the program was intentionally designed, with flexibility in mind, as a volunteer-based program led by graduate students. This design has permitted the growth of a self-sustaining, long-lived outreach program that can serve as a tractable model for other research-focused institution.

SCOPE's unique educational approach of connecting volunteer graduate students and researchers directly with the public is one of its strengths because it facilitates graduate student involvement in outreach, while they simultaneously manage research responsibilities. This model provides an avenue for scientists to share their work, engage broader audiences, and improve their science communication skills. It also gives primarily school-aged children the opportunity to see how science operates first-hand and meet enthusiastic young scientists from diverse backgrounds.

These experiences grow from one of the foundational principles behind the SCOPE program structure, place-based learning. Place-based learning is important in Earth science education because it connects participants directly to their learning environment, providing contextual experiences. Such an approach expands beyond what can be achieved in the classroom and compliments - or is easily integrated with - more traditional and prevalent media-based approaches. The SCOPE program applies the concept of place-based learning by bringing visiting groups to the SIO campus for an immersive experience in active research settings; this includes coastal environments, laboratories that perform Earth system monitoring/modeling, instrumentation development, and experimental manipulations. These non-traditional learning environments offer participants unique opportunities for SCOPE visitors to interact with each other and take advantage of their environment as a novel learning tool. The end goal is to renew enthusiasm and respect for the environment and the scientific process.