McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center to Co-Coordinate Community Science Climate Change Project

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center will co-coordinate a community science investigation of extreme heat in New Hampshire. Partnering in New Hampshire with the League of Conservation Voters and Harris Center for Conservation Education, among others, the nation-wide project is led by the Boston Museum of Science, Northeastern University, SciStarter, and Arizona State University and funded by NOAA. The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center will be recruiting community scientists to record data on local temperatures and how those temperatures have impacted daily activities over the summer. Community members will also have the option to participate in an online national forum focused on extreme heat hosted by the Boston Museum of Science as well as a New Hampshire forum following data collection.

This project will kick-off with a virtual climate change conversation “Stories of Climate Change”,involving perspectives on climate change from panelists ranging from researchers to outdoor enthusiasts on Tuesday, May 25 at 7 pm. Following the panel’s commentary, audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions and contribute their own climate change stories. Attendees will also learn about the community science data collection planned for this June and July and how they can take part. This event is free and open to the public, but online registration is required to access thepresentation; see the museum’s website, starhop.com, to register.

This climate change community science project with virtual components is part of the Discovery Center’sfocus on earth science and offers an opportunity for the general public to directly interact with science while limiting risks to public health. As New Hampshire residents and businesses continue to practice social distancing, adding online and science-from-home activities has allowed the museum to continue reaching audiences and serving as an educational resource for families in and beyond New Hampshire. The Discovery Center is currently open Friday through Sunday and some holidays and vacations by reservation.

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center features 21st century interactive exhibits on aviation, astronomy, Earth and space sciences, an all-digital, full-dome planetarium and a wide variety of science, technology, and engineering and mathematics programs. The engaging, robust educational programs are geared towards families, teens, seniors, students, community groups and lifelong learners. For more information, visit www.starhop.com.