Neutrino Education, Outreach, and Communications Activities: Captivating Examples from IceCube

TL;DR

This paper showcases successful IceCube outreach activities, including educational programs, virtual South Pole visits, and multilingual videos, demonstrating effective science communication and engagement with diverse audiences.

Contribution

It presents innovative outreach strategies and specific examples that enhance public understanding and interest in neutrino science and Antarctic research.

Findings

Engaged diverse audiences through virtual and in-person activities.

Maintained educational relationships during pandemic restrictions.

Produced accessible multimedia content in multiple languages.

Abstract

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole has tremendous emotional appeal -- the extreme Antarctic environment coupled with the aura of a pioneering experiment that explores the universe in a new way. However, as with most cutting-edge experiments, it is still challenging to translate the exotic, demanding science into accessible language. We present three examples of recent successful education, outreach, and communication activities that demonstrate how we leverage efforts and sustain connections to produce engaging results. First we describe our participation in the PolarTREC program, which pairs researchers with educators to provide deployments in the Antarctic, and how we have sustained relationships with these educators to produce high-quality experiences to reach target audiences even during a pandemic. We then focus on three activities from the past year: a summer enrichment program for high school students that was also modified for a 10-week IceCube after school program, a virtual visit to the South Pole for the ScienceWriters 2020 conference, and a series of short videos in English and Spanish suitable for all ages that explain traveling, living, and working at the South Pole.