*NEW* Astronomy Ambassadors Workshop for Early-Career AAS Members: Resources and Techniques for Effective Outreach to Students and the Public

5-6 January 2013, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST

The newly established AAS Astronomy Ambassadors program is designed to support early-career AAS members with training in resources and techniques for effective outreach to students and/or the public. The first Astronomy Ambassadors workshop will be held on 5-6 January 2013 in conjunction with the 221st AAS meeting in Long Beach, California.

Workshop participants will learn to communicate effectively with public and school audiences; find outreach opportunities and establish ongoing partnerships with local schools, museums, parks, and/or community centers; reach audiences with personal stories, hands-on activities, and jargon-free language; identify strategies and techniques to improve their presentation skills; gain access to a menu   of outreach resources that work in a variety of settings; and become part of an active community of astronomers who do outreach.

Participation in the program includes a few hours of pre-workshop online activities to help us get to know your needs; the two-day workshop, for which lunches and up to two nights' lodging will be provided; and certification as an AAS Astronomy Ambassador, once you have logged six successful outreach events.

The workshop includes presenters from the American Astronomical Society, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and the Pacific Science Center.

The number of participants is limited, and the application requires consent from your department chair. We invite applications from advanced undergraduates (those doing research and committed to continuing in astronomy), graduate students, and postdocs and new faculty in their first two years after receipt of their PhD. We especially encourage applications from members of groups that are presently underrepresented in science. If interested, please complete the online application form by 24 October
2012.