January 26, 2011 | Editor’s note: Becca became EO’s exhibits coordinator in December 2010, succeeding Linda Carbone.

The exhibits at the Mesa Lab have a long history of drawing in visitors to learn more about atmospheric science and related topics. In recent years, several beautiful and informative exhibits have been installed, including “Climate Discovery” in 2003 and “Mesa Lab: Building a Masterpiece” in 2009. Every day, people enjoy the hands-on interactive components located throughout the public spaces in the building, including the tornado model and the Quiet Lightning and Chaotic Pendulum exhibits. The Public Visitors Program offers free noontime tours every weekday and also takes student groups and other visitors on tours, often scheduled many months in advance.

This year EO, working with others in the organization, is undertaking some exciting new exhibit development projects. We’re collaborating with HAO to develop an exhibit called “Sun-Earth Connections,” which will be installed in the mezzanine of the Mesa Lab opposite the Main Seminar Room. This exhibit will explore how activities on the Sun influence life on Earth; it will include a beautiful wall-sized mural that provides an overview of research related to Sun-Earth connections, images of the Sun and space weather, and touch screens allowing visitors to explore this fascinating topic.

We’re also developing a new Weather Gallery that will be installed on the first floor of the Mesa Lab. This exhibit will include some of the hands-on features, video screens, and other components currently on display. We will add some new interactives, touch screens, and other multimedia components, as well as graphic panels with information and images about weather. We’re working with a wonderful science advisory committee that includes UCAR/NCAR educators and scientists who are all excited about the outcome of this process.

I’m thrilled to be leading these projects. I’ve worked in EO for seven years but am new in my role as exhibits coordinator. Linda Carbone, who retired in December, has left a great legacy for me. In the last seven years at UCAR, I’ve developed curriculum and classroom activities for K-12 students; presented teacher workshops about weather, climate, and related topics at local and national conferences; facilitated online courses for teachers about climate science; written content for Windows to the Universe; and worked on education projects for GLOBE. Prior to working at UCAR, I managed classroom programs and teacher professional development programs at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, taught natural history at the Keystone Science School, and taught kindergarten.

I love working on creative projects and I think that the exhibits at NCAR provide a great venue for communicating science to the public. Our exhibits appeal to different learning styles and interests, and in the future we’ll have the opportunity to enhance them.

In the coming year, we’ll be prototyping some of the new exhibit components at the Mesa Lab before permanent installation. I invite you to participate in providing feedback during those times.

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