EPA Converses with Students Webcasts
Background
Children attending the 2013 Converses with Students Web Cast event at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, Texas.EPA's Converses with Students webcasts are interactive webinars that use science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to promote the value of science to students, explain how our actions affect our environment, and reinforce the importance of staying in school.
During these webinars, experts from different federal agencies, including the EPA, interact with students from all over the country. Converses with Students webcasts are one hour long live sessions that anyone can attend. Converses with Students also holds special events for students in elementary school, 6th to 12th grade, and college.
Past Converses with Students webcasts focused on:
- Sustainability (2011 webcast and 2012 webcast)
- Climate Change (2013 webcast and 2014 webcast)
- Children's Health (2015 webcast)
2015 Converses with Students Webcast
Dr. Steven Pawson (NASA), Dr. Ruth Etzel (EPA), Dr. Sala Senkayi (EPA), and Erin Mckinley (NASA), at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and filmed in the Digital Learning Network (DLN) studio in Greenbelt, MD.Presenters: EPA and NASA
Topic: Effects of climate change on children’s health
Target Audience: Grades 4 - 8
When: April 22, 2015
- Dr. Sala Senkayi, EPA scientist,
- Dr. Ruth Etzel, the Director of EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection, and
- Dr. Steven Pawson, chief of the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office at NASA’s GSFC.
Dr. Ruth Etzel discussed the potential effects of climate change on children’s health. During the event, hundreds of teachers and student from around the United States were able to interact with Dr. Etzel, Dr. Senkayi, and Dr. Pawson, as well as other participants from NASA and EPA. Additionally, several hundred education items pertaining to climate change were provided to several classrooms.
View the recording of the 2015 Converses with Students webcast Exit.
2014 Converses with Students Webcast
Presenters: EPA, NASA, and NOAA
Topic: Climate change
Target Audience: Grades 5 - 8
When: April 8 and 22, 2014
On April 8th and 22nd, 2014, scientists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and Digital Learning Network (DLN), Johnson Space Center, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) joined experts from the EPA for two, one hour long Converses with Students Earth Day webcasts. Students from around the nation were able to interact with climate change experts. These webcasts featured interactive, high-definition data from satellites, along with presentations from NASA, NOAA, and EPA.
2013 Converses with Students Webcast
Astronaut Mario Runco and EPA Scientist Dr. Sala Senkayi at the Johnson Space Center’s (JSC) Digital Learning Network (DLN) studio located in Houston, Texas.Presenters: EPA and NASA
Topic: Climate change
Target Audience: Grades 5 - 8
When: April 3 and 17, 2013
On April 3rd and 17th 2013, NASA's Digital Learning Network (DLN) joined volunteers from EPA's R6 RSC for two (one hour long) Earth Day events. Students nationwide were able to converse with astronaut Mario Runco at the Johnson Space Center (JSC), Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) scientist Lori Perkins, EPA's R6 RSC Chair Dr. Sala Senkayi (at JSC) and EPA national climate change expert Dr. Marcus Sarofim (at GSFC).
One event featured interactive data from satellites on a high-definition climate simulation hyperwall; in addition, an estimated 3690 students and adults watched both events webcasted on the DLiNfo Channel. Due to this unique interagency collaboration of NASA's DLN and EPA R6's RSC, the Converses with Students webcasts reached more students than previous educational webinar sessions.
One lucky school was selected to participate live and in person at the Perot Museum in Dallas, Texas. Two other schools were selected to interact and participate live from their classrooms.
2012 Converses with Students Webcast
Presenters: EPA
Topic: Sustainability
Target Audience: All age groups
When: April 3 and 17, 2012
The annual "EPA Region 6 Converses with Students for Earth Day" webinars were broadcast live on both April 3, 2012 and April 17, 2012.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)/Regional Science Council (RSC) in Region 6 celebrated Earth Day by hosting a free webinar. The EPA held sessions specifically for middle school, elementary school, and university students. The elementary and middle school webinars focused on Science Fair Projects and provided examples of incorporating the following items within a science project:
- STEM topics including science, math, and engineering,
- Real life applications of the 3 R's (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), and
- Sustainability.
- development and re-development,
- water and sustainability, and
- pest management.
2011 Converses with Students Webcast
EPA Scientists Julia Alderete and Dr. Sala SenkayiPresenters: EPA
Topic: Sustainability and Environmental Management Systems
Target Audience: Grades 5 - 6
When: April 6, 2011
- EPA Scientist Dr. Sala Senkayi
- EPA Scientist Julia Alderete, Environmental Stewardship Coordinator
- STEM topics,
- basic environmental laws,
- sustainability,
- carbon footprint, and
- the importance of reduce, reuse, recycle.