What Help Do Faculty Perceive Is Needed to Improve their Community Engagement through Outreach?

Authors

Kiyomi D. Deards, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Saundra Wever Frerichs, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Patricia Wonch Hill, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Julia McQuillan, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

12-2020

Citation

UNL STEM Outreach White Paper, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, December 2020.

Comments

Copyright 2020, the authors. Used by permission.

Abstract

• A survey-based needs assessment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a research-intensive land grant university, explored ways to meet the goal of increasing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outreach
• 40% of surveyed faculty reported barriers to doing STEM outreach
• Over 50% of faculty reported an inability to individually resolve barriers to STEM outreach in ways that ensure broader community engagement in their research through outreach
• Using a sociological lens, the current study examined institutional-level barriers and enablers to faculty engaging in outreach
• Results suggest several institutional approaches to STEM outreach, including creating infrastructure with experts in science communication; providing science communication expert consultants; teaching courses in science communication; measuring and rewarding outreach (for example, giving “popular” talks, writing letters to the editor, running after school programs).