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What is Communicating Climate Change (C3)?
 The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is proud to be a partner in the Association of Science and Technology Center’s Communicating Climate Change (C3) project. The C3 project fosters innovative partnerships between research centers, the media, and science centers, while showcasing the science centers’ central role in educating the general public about global climate change.
The Fleet is one of 12 science centers across the country that is partnering with scientific research sites to develop local indicators of climate change. Many participating science centers recruit the general public to volunteer as “citizen scientists.” These project participants learn about global warming by observing and monitoring local indicators of climate change such as disrupted bird migration patterns in Philadelphia or the failing health of pine forests in Arizona. In addition, participating science centers are developing numerous workshops, science days, and other activities.
For more information about the national C3 project and the other participating partners visit http://astc.org/iglo/c3/.
What is the Fleet doing?
 Citizen Science Project on Plant Phenology
The Fleet is partnering with the Botany Department at the San Diego Natural History Museum to launch the San Diego County Phenology Project. Modeled after the national Project BudBurst program, this citizen science project utilizes volunteers (Phenology Reporters) to make observations about the timing of plant flowering across San Diego County. These observational data are entered into an online database and then compared with historical data from the Natural History Museum’s extensive plant collections that stretch back to the 1870’s. By comparing current trends to the historical data, scientists hope to find out if regional climate changes are influencing the diversity, distribution, or flowering regimes of San Diego flora.
Be a Part of our Climate Change Study
 We are currently looking for volunteers who are interested in making regular observations of the plant species in their neighborhoods. We'll help you identify local plant species and determine which plants might be most common in your area. We'll also show you how to complete a simple datasheet and then enter your observations online. Join one of the Phenology Reporter orientation workshops:
When:
Saturday February 13
Tuesday February 23
Saturday March 6
Where:
The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
All workshops will take place from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. To register call, (619) 238-1233 ext. 847 or send an email (including your name, phone number, e-mail, the date you wish to attend, and the number in your party) to, mfrench@rhfleet.org. Download a program flyer here.
“Climate Conversations”Public Forum Series
 Join us for a series of interactive presentations by top local climate change scientists. This unique format allows participants to engage in thought-provoking discussions about current climate change topics. This quarterly series will be held in the Community Forum of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center at 5:30 p.m. For a list of current dates and topics, please click here.
Family Programs
The Fleet’s annual Green Day event is held each spring. In May of 2009 the event included several hands-on activities related to climate change. Additional C3 family programs will be scheduled throughout the year.
School Programs
The Fleet has teamed up with the San Diego State University Field Stations Program to offer data collection workshops to students from Health Sciences High School and Middle College. On a recent trip to the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve, the students investigated carbon flux, took water quality samples, and learned to identify local plant species. Additional workshops for high school and elementary students are planned in coming years.
In early 2010, the Fleet will launch a Family Science Night program about climate change for K-8 students. Based on the format of our current FSN offerings, this program will allow students and their parents to move through 10-12 hands-on activity stations while exploring climate change-related topics such as geochemical cycles, oceanic currents, albedo, food webs, and the greenhouse effect.
Latest C3 News
For more information about the C3 project, visit our blog at http://c3sandiego.wordpress.com/.
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