Senior Outreach Coordinator Earth to Sky Partnership Greenbelt, Maryland, United States
Abstract: For the October 14 and April 8 eclipses, a team comprised of NASA, NOAA and the National Park Service (NPS) organized many public and school events at Mesa Verde National Park and Hot Springs, Arkansas prioritizing inclusion. Join us to hear about successes and lessons learned through the lens of ensuring that all visitors felt cared for and comfortable so they could focus on the celestial marvel.
For the October 14th annular eclipse, the NASA and NPS team focused on creating a culturally inclusive environment keeping evening presentations and tabling events culturally sensitive to ensure local indigenous communities felt comfortable attending pre and post eclipse events.
For April 8th total eclipse, the three agencies worked together on a comprehensive accessibility plan to create an inviting experience for visitors at Hot Springs National Park. For instance, solar film canopies made it possible for visitors that used wheelchairs, or had difficulty holding solar viewers, to gather under the tent and look up with ease while protecting their vision.
Meanwhile, the needs of Blind and Low Vision learners were addressed with tactile illustrations and the use of LightSound devices, a solar eclipse sonification tool created by Harvard University. We will show how the LightSound devices were used with external speakers throughout the phases of the eclipse.
We will review steps taken to ensure the physical comfort and safety of visitors during the eclipses, such as a low sensory area being made available, and lessons learned during each eclipse event.
Outreach professionals organizing major science events in the future will be able to apply these lessons learned in a variety of settings.
