Subject: Next Draft

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 14:07:32 EST

David: I feel like this is coming together -- I have included choices for  us 
to consider under the areas of, "intellectual merit" and "broader impact" I  
think that both choices are good. In each case one comes from your efforts and 
 one from mine. I think that which ever one is not used in the Project 
Summary  should be used in the Project Description. In either case this first page  
may still need to be shortened a bit. Would you please see how they fit on  
one page?

Title: EVOLUTION FOR EVERYONE (?) 
 
2. PROJECT SUMMARY (to be only one page long)
 
The essence of the 'Darwin Day' project is to  promote and deliver informal 
science education on the subject of  evolution, in an economically efficient 
manner,  to a broad spectrum of the general public. The model,  which we have 
already tested and found to be very successful consists  of two (2) significant 
and innovative  elements, First, we have constructed a website  darwinday.org, 
that serves as an informal source of  accurate scientific information on 
evolution for students and teachers at  all levels. This website,  contains 
detailed information  on the topics of Charles Darwin's life, his contributions as 
an  important scientist, and evolutionary biology -- including the molecular  
mechanisms that underlie the process of evolution. An  independent measure of 
the success and respect given our Website, is the  fact that over 1,100 other 
Websites link to it for information on these  subjects. Second, by using Darwin 
as a  symbol, we promote annual Celebrations of Science and  Humanity, 
sponsored  by many other organization at no cost to us. These events take  place on, 
or near Darwin's birthday on February 12. To promote these  activities, we 
use a database, dynamic Web page  generation, and e-mail to encourage and 
publicize a variety of lectures at  universities, exhibits in libraries and museums, 
discussions, dramatizations,  and other events, open to the public and 
focused on the scientific basis of  evolution. We catalyze these events through  
enthusiastic informal collaboration with many other groups. For  instance, in 
February 2005 there were 143 informal  educational events open to the public, 
that took place  across America and in 12 additional countries. Samples  of these 
activities are  listed on our website under  events. We are seeking funds to 
improve and expand the  scientific content of our website and to greatly 
expand our outreach to  groups that can develop educational events across the 
country. 
 
(Choice one on intellectual merit) 

The intellectual merit, in addition to its inherent scientific value,  is 
that we addresses a timely and current topic in the public  arena, that of the 
authenticity of evolution as a scientific theory and the  need for the general 
public to learn more about it. Our approach makes  it possible to include 
exciting new data on the relationship between molecular  genetics and evolution. 
For instance, many members of the general  public have shown a strong interest 
in the structure of DNA and  the function of the human genome, both from the  
point of view of their personal health and in its relationship to  the 
evolution of all other living organisms on this planet. Our  approach is to reach out, 
and engage those interested in life-long  learning. 
 
(Choice two on intellectual merit)    

The intellectual merit is, that we are pioneering methods for rapidly  
creating a broadly available learning center focused on a topic that stirs  strong 
emotion.  Emotions lead to  higher alertness while learning.  If  it matters, 
we remember.  We could  use a similar system to teach oceanography and geology, 
based on the recent  tsunami disaster in Asia, or physics and engineering, 
based on the Shuttle  disasters.  We invite subject  experts to visit our 
website and offer them non-monetary assistance on how to  initiate an Event 
appropriate for their institution. 
(Choice one on broader impact) 
The broader impact is that inexpensive transmission  of information through 
the Web can be coupled with informal social gatherings  for high effect.  There 
is a  worldwide movement toward open access to scientific publications, and 
we are  demonstrating how easily new discoveries can be transmitted to opinion  
leaders in our communities. (?) 
Technical  expertise is widely believed to be a major requirement for 
national economic  success.  We are showing an  effective way to translate 
discoveries into the content of  lifelong intellectual  retraining. 
(Choice two on broader impact) 
The broader impact of these activities can be seen in the  long-term effects 
of these ongoing informal educational opportunities. For  instance we have 
been able to build commitment around the fact that  Darwin's 200th will occur in 
2009. Among other activities we are promoting  a countdown to 2009 to achieve 
what we refer to as a Global Celebration. In this  context large numbers of 
the general public both in the USA and around the  world will be informally 
educated as we encourage professional  individuals and institutions to develop 
informal programs to Celebrate  Science and Humanity and to invite the public to 
attend.  

We need funds to:
(1) Increase our current Web programmer from .5 time to 1 FTE to  (a) 
increase Web site content, (b) automate handling of increasing email  related to the 
Web site, and (c) coordinate translations of our Web site into  other 
languages.  We have volunteer  translators for 4 languages already. 
(2) Hire two professional  communicators.  One would handle English  speakers 
and the other deal with varied languages, testing the  automated translation 
capabilities on the Web in a limited domain of discourse,  about Darwin. 
(3) Incorporate positional (latitude/longitude, as from GPS devices)  
information to allow spatially targeted organization and promotion of  Events.  The 
Web moves information  freely, but people don't travel far for informal 
education.  
(4) Pay an independent evaluator to measure our (effect?) using  Web logs, 
personal reports, and event analysis.
 
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