Public Outreach at the Soudan Underground Laboratory-9/20/2002 1

Public Outreach at the Soudan Underground Laboratory

Public Tours Group Tours Short Courses Mass Media Art

Marvin L. Marshak University of Minnesota

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Public Tours

Led by Minnesota State Parks staff Use special viewing gallery (ADA) Admission fee ($7/$5; -$2 combo with

historic tour) Late May through early September Typical group is 20; total in 2002:

~4,000 Guides have no special science

background; trained by scientists and given scripts

Includes 10 minute “Meet A Scientist” Evaluation planned for 2003; informal

comments ask for “more science”

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Group Tours

Led by Minnesota State Parks staff or Soudan Lab staff

Visit MINOS and CDMS II Mostly K-12 school groups; also

college and other groups Year-round Some groups also visit nearby

environmental center Total number of visitors in 2002:

~1,500 Future plans include more curriculum

support materials

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Short Courses

Almost 200 unique learning opportunities without grades, exams or credit. Compleat Scholar is designed for adults, serious about the enjoyment of learning and the skills attained. To browse a listing of all current classes, select course listing. You can also browse current class descriptions by selecting the menu for subject categories.

Typically 20-25 people for Friday evening through Sunday noon

Taught by scientists, along with bat biologists and historians

Students mostly have college degrees, often with some science background

Include visit to underground laboratory

Possible extension to week-long “elderhostel” format

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Mass Media

Mass media efficiently reach large numbers of people and help build interest for tours and other programs

Television is most restrictive format—3 to 5 minute segments on local news and National Geographic Today

Print media enable more detailed message; widest distribution was AP wire story—850 words appeared on numerous websites

Minnesota Public Radio produced 2 hour live program plus website

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Art About 28’ by 60’ on wall opposite visitor gallery Provides an alternate modality for relating to

science that is more effective for some people Improves laboratory aesthetics, which is

especially useful in a deep underground location Minnesota has 1% public set-aside for capital

projects

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Realistic and Limited Goals

Communicate excitement of science to a broad range of people through a limited number but wide range of modalities: public tours, group tours, short courses, mass media and art

Cooperation with State Parks, University Relations, University Continuing Education and others is essential to success

Future plans: evaluation, refinement, more curriculum for group tours