Lessons learned in engaging underserved audiences in NOAA education programs

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducts a wide range of education and outreach programs. Inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) are important aspects of these efforts, and many NOAA programs specifically target audiences that have been traditionally underserved in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). Despite NOAA's commitment to IDEA, the NOAA Education community struggled to present cohesive approaches to this subject in the 2015 NOAA Education Strategic Plan. Internal and external reviewers alike called for more explicit strategies that document approaches to achieving IDEA. To address this need, the NOAA Education Council established a working group to better understand the portfolio and identify shared concepts and approaches to IDEA. The Underserved Audiences Working Group surveyed the NOAA Education community about education and outreach programs that specifically target underserved audiences. Questions addressed program implementation, motivations, and perceptions of support. These responses formed the basis for a program inventory and will help inform updates to the NOAA Education Strategic Plan in 2020. The working group also conducted nine in-depth case studies, which allowed practitioners to discuss successes, challenges, and lessons learned in more detail. From these responses, the working group developed a toolkit for IDEA in NOAA education and outreach programs. We present these best practices and describe our efforts to support a culture of IDEA at NOAA through collaboration and effective strategic planning.