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Centers and Large Facilities - Education and Outreach

Project Name: COMPRES  (Consortium for Materials Properties Research in Earth Sciences)

Location: Room 167, ESS Building, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100

Contact information: Glenn Richard, glenn.richard@stonybrook.edu; (631) 632-8336

Website:  http://www.compres.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=68&Itenid=116

Main Project description/purpose

COMPRES is a community-based consortium that supports research in the materials properties of Earth and planetary interiors with particular emphasis on high-pressure science and technology and related fields. It is charged with the oversight and guidance of important high-pressure laboratories at several national facilities, such as synchrotrons and neutron sources. These have become vital tools in Earth science research. It facilitates the operation of beam lines, the development of new technologies for high-pressure research, and advocates for science and educational programs to the various funding agencies.

Education and Outreach Mission and Goals

The mission of the COMPRES Education and Outreach Program is to promote a broader understanding of Earth science through the special experimental and computational facilities, technological projects and scientific data which result from the unique research performed in the field of high-pressure mineral physics by members of the COMPRES community.  We work to foster collaboration between scientific and educational organizations and to increase the number and diversity of students pursuing careers in Earth sciences.

Goals of COMPRES Education and Outreach
The primary objective of our programs is to facilitate the integration of the process of "doing science" into our culture. To realize this mission, the following goals have been established:

  • Provide students with opportunities to experience science as a process of discovery, rather than just as a mere collection of facts.
  • Enhance students' analytical thinking skills.
  • Encourage students of all backgrounds to consider careers in scientific research or science education.
  • Help educators develop the ability to utilize hands-on investigation as a method of teaching science.
  • Promote utilization of the local natural environment as a teaching laboratory.
  • Incorporate state of the art technology into the educational process.
  • Promote scientific literacy among students and the general public.

Primary Audience(s) served (i.e., high school teachers, college students, etc.)

Earth Science teachers, undergraduate students, graduate students, geoscientists from other disciplines, underrepresented groups, general lay public.