Reach – Reach for the Sky!

Mission

The mission of Reach is to enhance public understanding of science as it relates to our changing world.

Reach is a not-for-profit organization that supports science education and community outreach activities that seek to enhance scientific literacy and provide our citizens the capacity to participate in evidence based discussions and decision making surrounding current issues related to global change.

Goals

Enhance the understanding of the physical and environmental sciences in the youth of our communities.
Foster science literate citizens with the capacity to engage in informed, evidence based discussions and decision making related to global change.
Foster diversity in the next generation of scientists and policy makers involved with global change.

Objectives

Enhance K-12 science education
Enhance awareness and understanding of environmental science, climate science, and climate issues among the general public.
Collaborate with community groups on planning, funding, and conducting science education programs.
Disseminate information about Reach’s programs to the public.

Board of Trustees

Scott Denning

Brian Jones

Rodger Ames (Director)

Organizing Documents

Programs

Teacher professional development
The Weather and Climate Enrichment Series provides science teachers with college-level content on the basic physics of the atmosphere, weather, climate, climate modeling, and climate change. The series is offered during the summer and takes place Colorado State University. The courses include hands on demonstrations and provide educators with dozens of inquiry-based activities suitable for use in their classroom. Apps
Reach developed an iPad app that serves as a tool for educators to enhance understanding of the Earth’s climate system. Earth [carbon] is a simple model of the Earth’s carbon system that allow users to adjust global CO2 emissions and see the dramatic effect of their choices. Fundraising activities
Reach sponsors events, such as the “After Dark” series, that engage the local community in science education and raise money for our nonprofit. The events take place at venues in the Fort Collins, CO area. Scientists and educators give upbeat science talks and demonstrations that both entertain and educate attendees on the science related to the Earth’s climate. Community events
Reach offers community events to help members of the local community, groups, corporations, and state and local governments, understand current issues in climate science. Read more

Background

Reach is a spin-off nonprofit organization of the Colorado State University (CSU) based Center for Multiscale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes (CMMAP). Reach was created to sustain CMMAP’s legacy of successful science education programs. Reach has partnered with the Little Shop of Physics (LSOP), an enormously successful K-12 science education program based in CSU’s Physics Department.

Reach benefits from the network of climate scientists and educators developed under CMMAP. Two senior CMMAP scientists, A. Scott Denning and David Randall, both professors of Atmospheric Science at CSU, work with Reach to promote educational programs. Dr. Denning is a renowned climate scientist who specializes in modeling the Earth’s carbon cycle. Dr. Randall is a world leader in the field of climate model development, and was a Coordinating Lead author for the United Nations Environmental Programme’s Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) that was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for its work.

Through its ties to CMMAP, Reach has connections to a multi-disciplinary team of climate scientists and educators. These connections help ensure that the materials and curriculum in Reach’s education programs is accurate, relevant, and communicated effectively.

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