Program
The PNET workshop will be held April 12-14 in UCLA (2.5 days). The general topic is plasma communication and engagement with diverse audiences. The first day will focus on government, media, and industry stakeholders, while the second day will be geared towards K-12. The final half-day will include poster presentations, tours of LAPD, and tutorials on plasma demos. All sessions, except for the posters and lab tours, will be in a hybrid format. DEIA and assessment tools will be cross-cutting themes throughout the workshop. Below are brief descriptions of content for each day.
Friday, April 12 - Communication & Engagement with Government, Media, & Industry
The first day of the workshop will be focused on communication and engagement with three types of audiences: government, media, and industry. The morning sessions will include an introduction to DEIA basics, a panel on engaging stakeholders for fusion, and a workshop-style talk on communication with government. The afternoon session will include presentations on survey results and funding opportunities and a workshop-style presentation on building science trust.
Friday, April 12 - Morning Session
The activities in the morning sessions aim to address (but are not limited to) the following topics:
DEIA
Building a "living" code of conduct along with your audience
Motivation and historical need for DEIA
Basic principles of DEIA in science communication and engagement
Stakeholders
Establishing two-way communication with all stakeholders
Assessment of popular openion through media
Cultural competence in engaging local communities
Government
Delivering coherent message to state representatives
Navigating DEIA policies across states
Friday, April 12 - Afternoon Session
The activities in the afternoon sessions aim to address (but are not limited to) the following topics:
Survey
Current landscape in plasma engagement
Assessmnet tools and DEIA
Funding & other resource needs
Funding
Federal agencies opportunities
Private funding opportunities
Non-profit fuding opportunities
Science trust
Battling misinformation in public opinion
Saturday, April 13 - K-12 Focused Communication & Engagement
The second day will focus on communication and engagement with K-12 students and educators. The morning session will include a panel on student engagement, a workshop-style lecture on developing partnerships with K-12 teachers, and an introduction to the APS PhysicsQuest initiative. The afternoon session will include a a panel on K-12 teachers perspectives and workshop-style lectures on impact assessment and building logic models.
Saturday, April 13 - Morning Session
The morning sessions will address (but are not limited to) the following topics:
Student Engagement
Effective mentorship and training
Summer programs assessment
Crafting culturally-relevant messages
K-12 Teachers
Initiating engagement with local K-12 schools
Incorporating plasma language in curriculum
Crafting culturally-relevant messages
Impact assessment for K-12
PhysicsQuest
Introduction to 4 plasma kits
Lesson plans supporting the kits
Funding and distribution of kits
Saturday, April 13 - Afternoon Session
The afternoon sessions will address (but are not limited to) the following topics:
Logic Models & Impact Assessment
Identifying program mission and goals
Two-way communication with stakeholders
Sustained funding and other support
Inputs, acctivities, and outputs
Assessment of short-term vs. long-term impact
Sunday, April 14 - Poster Session, Lab Tours, and Plasma Demos
The third day of the workshop will consist of an interactive morning session including in-person poster session, tours of the LAPD lab, and tutorials on plasma demos. The poster topics will cover all questions discussed in the first two days as well as topics addressing broader questions of physics education, training, and engagement. The demo tutorials aim to explain the physics pedagogy behind the most popular plasma demos available in our community.
Sunday, April 14 - Poster Session
Posters will be exhibited in the hallway walls by the LAPD control room.
Sunday, April 14 - Lab Tours
The lab tours will cover the UCLA Basic Plasma Science Facility. More information and sign-up sheet will be coming soon.
Sunday, April 14 - Plasma Demos
This hybrid session will highlight plasma demonstrations typically presented at the APS DPP Student Expo.