The Polar Resource Book - Polar Science and Global Climate: An International Resource for Education and Outreach - was created to ensure efforts catalyzed by the International Polar Year (IPY) will continue to inspire educators, students, and emerging polar researchers into the next generation of young, international, polar researchers with a shared commitment to outreach and education.
The idea for this book came from Mieke Sterken, an APECS member from Belgium. It was a response to continual requests from educators and scientists wishing to raise awareness about the importance of polar science during a time of rapid planet-wide climate change.
The book comprises background information on recent polar research and the history of IPY. It addresses climate change related issues from the perspective of the indigenous population in the Arctic. It provides a selection of teaching resources on six polar themes (atmosphere, ice, ocean, land, people and space) and showcases large- and small-scale education and outreach projects successfully carried out during the IPY.
For APECS members, two chapters might be of particular interest:
“Tips and Tricks for Science Presentations” helps you to understand how science presentations in the classroom should be planned and structured.
“Teaching Polar Science in the Classroom” gives you hands-on activities that you might want to use in addition to your science presentation when addressing students.
The book presents education and outreach practices in a neat package and wants to make it easier for polar researchers and scientists to efficiently engage with the public and present their work.
The project received support from a wide range of actors who are part of the IPY community, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the International Science Council (ICSU), as well as the Canadian IPY Secretariat and IPY Program, the National Academies of the United States, the United National Environment Program (UNEP) and the organizing committee for the flagship IPY Oslo Science Conference (OSC).
The book can be purchased online from Pearson Publishing for 25 Pounds, with all proceeds going to the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS):
http://www.pearsoned.co.uk/Bookshop/detail.asp?item=100000000391207
For further information: http://www.wikisummaries.org/Polar_Science_and_Global_Climate
http://www.ipy.org/hidden/item/2297-promotional-material-for-the-polar-resource-book
