Bringing authentic research and data into K-16 classrooms
For Scientists and Researchers
With broader impacts a factor in most grants, finding effective methods of communication and transmission is key. Data Nuggets provide you, as a scientist, an avenue to share your research and results with a broad audience of students, teachers, and fellow scientists. Sharing research findings with the non-science public is an important part of the scientific process, yet is often one of the most challenging to achieve.
Data Nuggets are an easy way to increase your broader impacts, practice science communication skills, and create a long-term educational resource. We are constantly working to share these resources with K-12 and undergraduate audiences to improve the understanding of science in society. To date, Data Nuggets have been shared at over 20 professional conferences and have reached thousands of teachers and students.
When creating a Data Nugget, you must dig deep to uncover the core messages of your research and think back to the big question that originally inspired your passion for research. As an added benefit, once you are able to communicate your research to a 6th grader, you can rest assured that at your next conference you’ll be better able to discuss your work with colleagues and collaborators outside your field!
By sharing your story and how you became passionate about science, you have the opportunity to inspire the next generation of scientists and researchers. While using Data Nuggets, students engage with a research topic while increasing their quantitative skills and competency with the scientific method. Providing students with a direct connection to scientists and cutting edge research has the added benefit of capturing the attention of students by engaging them with more than just the conclusions of a study, but the story and process of the researcher behind the ideas and data.
Data Nuggets are currently funded by an NSF DRK-12 grant, which gives us the opportunity to test the efficacy of this important resource, and ensures that Data Nuggets will be maintained and available for years to come.
We want to help encourage all scientists to make Data Nuggets, and ask that you contact us once you begin this process. If you plan to include Data Nuggets in a Broader Impacts section of a grant, please contact us and we will be happy to write a letter of support or provide some text describing the impacts that your Data Nugget will have on science education and society. We would be happy to host your Data Nugget on our website and can provide page analytics and teacher feedback to share with funding agencies. Thank you!
To get started on your own Data Nugget, visit our Making Your Own Data Nugget page, download our template, and check out our list of Resources. Feel free to contact Melissa and Liz with any questions!
To see the scientists behind the Data Nuggets we have hosted on our website, visit our Meet the Scientists page!
Enter your name and email if you would like to receive updates on Data Nuggets!
Data Nuggets aim to improve students' quantitative literacy and attitudes about science. We may contact you in the future for information on your experience with Data Nuggets. Thank you!
Your information will never be shared or sold to a 3rd party.
