Workshop Result: Teaching Science Diplomacy to Environmental Engineering Researchers

Abstract

A preconference workshop on the subject of science diplomacy was attended by 25 participants of the 2017 biennial conference of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. The three-fold purpose of the 2017 workshop, included: 1) explaining the value of science diplomacy; 2) demonstrating aspects of science diplomacy; and 3) encouraging further exploration of science diplomacy. The three approaches used to achieve this purpose, included: 1) required participation in a pre-conference workshop website; 2) required participation in hands-on, team-based exercises during the workshop; and 3) invitation to voluntary follow-up after the workshop was completed. To assess knowledge, skills, and attitudes, a voluntary readiness assessment test (RAT) was administered on-site before the 2017 workshop was undertaken, and a second voluntary comprehension assessment test (CAT) was administered on-site immediately following the 2017 workshop. As part of follow-up to the 2017 workshop, a semi-structured panel discussion including the subject of science diplomacy was included in the 2019 biennial conference of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. The 2019 discussion was live streamed to conference participants who interacted with the panelists directly via a simultaneous Twitter chat. The digital recording of the 2019 discussion was saved as an educational artifact, and it was used by the author as part of a module teaching science diplomacy to students of environmental engineering in an ongoing, semester-length course entitled, "STEAM Diplomacy" (science, technology, engineering, art, and math). The purpose of this paper is to share: 1) details of the workshop in 2017, which may be replicated by others; 2) results of the analysis of the RAT and CAT from 2017; and 3) the author's experience with using the educational artifact from 2019 as part of a dual level (undergraduate and graduate) elective course on science diplomacy.

Department(s)

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

Comments

American Society for Engineering Education, Grant None

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

2153-5965

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2024 American Society of Engineering Education, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

26 Jul 2021

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