Summary of the Outreach Workshop

Definition

Outreach encompasses activities inherent to the mission of the University that reach beyond the Division and the University and in which the Division both contributes to and derives benefit from the larger community.

Our participation in outreach is derived both from what we can contribute, from our stake in the health of the community and from what we gain, in terms of visibility and support from outside the university. Our involvement must be based on our institutional mission.

Mission

The outreach mission of the Wiess School of Natural Sciences is

• To work with K-12 school systems, teachers, and students in order to improve science education,

• To form partnerships with industry and with other institutions to provide avenues for the transfer of scientific and technological information and placement of our graduates,

• To work for the increased public awareness of science and technology, and specifically to increase the visibility of the graduate programs in the Wiess School, and

• To engage in collaboration with other parts of Rice University. [Examples: RUSP, interdivisional courses, curricular coordination with Engineering]

The reciprocal nature of these activities implies both contributions and benefits:

More generally, outreach broadens horizons for all sides participating, expands our perceptions within the University, and reminds us of our responsibilities to the community.

Assessment of Current Efforts

• K-12

• Industry Programs

• Other Outreach

Goals

1. Foster a culture conducive to outreach activities
   • A mechanism for formal communication of outreach activities to the administration should be developed, including the addition of an appropriate section to the Annual Report to the President.

   • Communication regarding outreach activities should be enhanced, including establishment of a system for central collection and dissemination of information. In particular electronic mechanisms should be used (e.g., Web, e-mail) as well as more traditional publications (Thresher, Sallyport, Rice News) and other news outlets (non-Rice publications).

   • Attention to expanding cooperation across disciplinary and division boundaries in the curriculum, in efforts with K-12 programs, with industry contacts, and in other areas as appropriate.

2. Provide coordination for and support to our excellent current K-12 outreach programs and be open to engaging in new programs with the awareness that we must focus on projects that have the greatest impact.
   • Enhance communication and coordination among the programs within Rice University in terms of information (e.g.,, contacts in the school district, software, curricular information), expertise (e.g., specific curricular design, how to best reach teachers), staff (e.g., Web person), and ideas.

   • Enhance faculty participation by effective communication regarding these programs and by providing rewards for involvement (e.g., release time for faculty involvement).

   • Utilize Web effectively for communication and for educational use.

   • Generate resources for teachers to use in the classroom and provide training for their application.

   • Encourage Rice students to be involved in K-12 education (as a way of learning to communicate to public, as potential future employment).

   • Offer courses to graduate students in how to convey information about science to teachers and how to interact with the public regarding science.

   • Offer courses with scientific content to K-12 teachers (university credit to teachers for courses with scientific content).

     These courses would probably need new positions (non-tenure?) to provide for science education, be non-traditional, and interdepartmental, yet providing some continuity to the effort.

   • Offer Master's degree in science education (science students learning about education)

   • Require a paragraph in each thesis that describes the research completed in a way comprehensible to the lay person with a high school education.

3. Optimize relationships within the hedges, in particular Engineering and Jones School
   • Establish joint appointments, joint programs, cross-listed courses, integrated curricula, and work cooperatively as we move outside the hedges

4. Establish mechanisms for increasing public awareness of science and use resources strategically
   • Utilize Web effectively by creating home pages for all faculty

   • Take advantage of Web and other electronic means to provide lectures, interviews, and courses designed specifically for Web (REQUIRES university staff support/resources, cable connections within division). [Make Rice the base for a "Nova" type of program.]

   • Reinstitute Presidential Executive Lunches and other public lectures, targeting community leaders, industry leaders, etc. (NOT a fund-raiser per se).

   • Expand courses in science offered through Continuing Studies and take advantage of other outside opportunities.

   • Maximize efforts to utilize media with efficient university processes that allow us to be contacted by and to contact the media to publicize our scientific efforts and ensure appropriate acknowledgment of these efforts so that Rice is viewed as a resource.

   • Take advantage of electronic means to provide lectures and courses electronically.

5. Establish connections with industry to educate students to work in today's environment and to engage in cooperative research efforts to push back the frontiers of knowledge.
   • Establish multidisciplinary efforts, in particular cooperative efforts with other divisions, including joint degree programs, and seek research programs "outsourced" by industry

   • Establish professional Master's degree and emphasize "teamwork"

   • Establish joint industry advisory groups that rotate over time (e.g., with engineering)

   • Utilize adjunct professorships with defined roles that encourage industry participation within departments

   • Engage in continuing education courses in science, including inviting outside experts from industry to provide courses

Outreach Subcommittee Home Page

Strategic Planning Home Page

Strategic Plan

Updated by Rachel Miller (rmiller@rice.edu)
10-Jun-97