We at the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology have developed and assessed a multi-author science blog as a tool to improve the written communication and public engagement skills of graduate students. The content of the blog focuses on how emerging technologies can improve global sustainability. Important design aspects of this effort, as highlighted by assessment data, include participation of an editor as well as having flexible content and target-audience guidelines. Focus group studies revealed that after participation in the blog, student authors felt more confident and capable of communicating technical topics to general audiences. An additional goal of this effort is educating and inciting interest in science and sustainability among the general public. In our first year we reached over 14,000 individuals, who spent over 350 hours in total on the site. We believe this education & outreach model involving direct, guided engagement of scientists with the public could be replicated at other institutions.

Blogging as professional development and informal science education: Sustainable-nano.com

248th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.