ASPB EDUCATION FORUM

ASPB Grant Awards Program Update
David Stern Creates Infectiously Entertaining Education Outreach with MicrobeWorld

The original goal for Stern’s GAP grant was to produce nine episodes that would be credited on air to ASPB in 2007. Stern initially also estimated that ASPB would be identified at least 680 times during the year. Stern and his team actually have accomplished much more. The ASPB tag was attached to 17 features on the nationwide network of MicrobeWorld affiliates. The following tags were alternated on the 17 features between May 14 and December 21, 2007:

• Microbeworld is made possible by the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, a world leader in plant biology, and the American Society of Plant Biologists.
• Microbeworld is made possible by the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research and the American Society of Plant Biologists, the world’s foremost plant science society.

Stern’s team has determined that MicrobeWorld listeners are found primarily on the public and commercial classical radio dial. As written in the National Public Radio (NPR) “Profile 2006,” these listeners are

• Young: 66% are between ages 25 and 54.
• Educated: 58% have received a college degree or some higher level of education.
• Affluent: 46% have an annual household income of more than $75,000, 82% above the national average.
• Active in the community: 94% participate in community or political activities each year.
• Politically active: 59% vote in local, state, or federal elections.

The syndicated radio show has been well received. The following are comments from radio stations (Public Radio Exchange):

• “Everyone who is interested in biology should listen to it!”
  
• “Authoritative, engaging, informational.”
• “Who would have thought microbes could be so perky and interesting? This is great!”
• “Every station should try to find a slot for it. Very good production values, clear writing, and compelling delivery. Good luck to the producers—you deserve it.”
• “MicrobeWorld: Engaging, informational, clear, and informative. …These bite-size doses of science are just the thing for anyone on the go with a thirst for knowledge.”

Listeners have said the following in e-mails to the stations:

• “Love the short format and ‘cut to the chase’ approach.”
• “I’ve continued to be impressed with each of the podcasts that you produce, and I download them regularly to my iPod. Keep up the great work!”
• “I like the way each topic is summarized for nonscientists. You’ve presented the main idea clearly without overdramatizing it. I think this kind of outreach is very important, so I’m happy that you are doing this.”

Users of stumbleupon.com (a web browser with a recommendation system) provided this feedback about MicrobeWorld.org:

• “Oh, this is just wonderful! Is there anything more exciting than microbials? (No, I’m not kidding.)”
• “Gotta love micro! ’Specially all the environmental bits!”

MicrobeWorld also is distributed as a daily podcast and is available via iTunes and other podcasting aggregators. Each podcast contains the entire program, including beginning and ending tag lines. This outreach outlet has garnered MicrobeWorld 2.1 million downloads since August 2005, more than 1,800 subscribers, and 4,000–6,000 daily downloads. Clearly, David Stern’s team at MicrobeWorld has produced an audience eager to tune in to plant biology.

More information can be found at www.microbeworld.org. All MicrobeWorld episodes are archived at this site, including those sponsored nationally by BTI and ASPB. Videos related to MicrobeWorld are posted at http://www.microbeworld.org/look/MicrobeWorldVideo.aspx. A link to the episode archives also is available on the ASPB website at http://www.aspb.org/education/NEWK12.CFM.

This report was compiled with information gathered by Dr. Jane Ellis, committee chair.

ASPB Education Forum (continued): ASPB Represented at the National Association of Biology Teachers Professional Development Conference