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Become a Morehead Science Ambassador! UNC's Morehead Planetarium and Science Center is pleased to announce its public science outreach initiative (IMPACTS) designed to train scientists in public communication. IMPACTS utilizes a nationally acclaimed curriculum created to connect scientists to the people of North Carolina. Morehead will select STEM experts to participate to become official Morehead Science Ambassadors.

The Inspiring Meaningful Programs and Communication Through Science (IMPACTS) Program provides scientists with the opportunity to receive public science communication training for free. Morehead will select scientists that represent North Carolina's diverse population in a variety of STEM-related fields to participate in this prestigious opportunity. Applicants can be researchers, graduate students, doctoral students, post-doctoral students, or industry scientists in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics.

Scientists become official Morehead Science Ambassadors by completing the following:

  • Attending our science communication training based on the Portal to the Public program, a nationally recognized National Science Foundation funded initiative valued at $1,500 per participant.
  • Participating in the following local outreach opportunities to gain real-world science communication experience:
    • STEMville Symposium, a conference-style event for elementary and middle school students
    • Science Expo, a carnival-style community event
    • Novozymes SciMatch program, where scientists visit middle school classrooms to share their enthusiasm for their work

If accepted, participants also receive:

  • Certificate of completion
  • Official letter of recognition for CV or portfolio
  • Personal consultations on activity design and public outreach efforts
  • Assistance in conceptualizing other outreach efforts and broader impact proposals
  • Invitations to attend additional professional development opportunities
  • Official Morehead Science Ambassadors nametag for use at all outreach events
  • Program t-shirt
  • Travel stipend

The IMPACTS program is funded by the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation. To find out more information about IMPACTS please contact: Tamara Poles at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit goo.gl/QSV4oB.