Abstract

This large-scale eclipse engagement program focused on reaching underserved communities off the path of totality in areas not previously touched by NASA programs. In order to reach hundreds of thousands of people, a cadre of volunteer partners were trained to offer effective public engagement. The team enlisted trusted advisors to reach diverse volunteers, trained Eclipse Ambassadors in equitable engagement techniques, and created meaning-making materials for reaching into new venues such as libraries, community colleges, faith centers, and prisons. Here we detail the program design and implementation, events held by Ambassadors, and the evaluation methods for understanding the effects on the communities served.

1. Overview

Eclipse Ambassadors Off the Path was funded by NASA’s Science Activation to engage communities in the US experiencing partial eclipses in 2023 and 2024. This program partnered hundreds of eclipse enthusiasts with undergraduate students and trained them together to offer culturally relevant eclipse science, safety, and inspiration to underserved communities across the country. Led by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) with partners from the Space Science Institute (StarNet Libraries) and the SETI Institute (NASA Community College Network), the program was evaluated by Rockman et al.

The evaluation shows that the Eclipse Ambassador program has profoundly impacted Ambassadors and the program planning team as well as members of communities "off the path" and traditionally underrepresented in astronomy nationwide. Ambassadors have gained advanced community engagement and event planning skills that they could transfer to other professional and personal aspects of their lives, all while fueling their interest in doing similar work in the future. The program’s commitment to equity and inclusion, Ambassador development, community engagement, and community building serves as a blueprint for future initiatives aimed at partnering and training amateur astronomers/enthusiasts with undergraduate students as nationwide teams of Eclipse Ambassadors. As a result, Ambassadors delivered meaningful learning opportunities about eclipse science and safety to hundreds of thousands of people in their communities, with an emphasis on reaching traditionally underserved audiences in the field of astronomy.

2. Program Design and Implementation

The program recruited diverse undergraduates in communities off the path of the eclipse to engage in multigenerational/multicultural partnerships and together reach underserved audiences in their communities with culturally responsive eclipse engagement. Capitalizing on the eagerness of eclipse enthusiasts seen in 2017, Eclipse Ambassadors aimed to bring undergraduate students into the excitement. Many of the undergraduate students had been in high school during the pandemic, curtailing traditional public engagement volunteer opportunities. This program aimed to give them the confidence to share their passion for astronomy; connecting them with their community and offering opportunities for experiences with life-long learners. The goals of the program were three-fold:

• Prepare underserved communities ‘off the eclipse paths’ to enjoy the science, safety, and significance of the eclipses and engage in scientific inquiry between the two eclipses using NASA resources.

• Eclipse Ambassadors increase their understanding of effective and equitable techniques to facilitate engagement with eclipse science and safety using interpretive methods to make meaningful connections between the experience and viewers’ lives.

• Build lasting relationships between astronomy clubs, local colleges, libraries, and other local organizations that work with underserved audiences, such as faith groups, parks, and community centers, facilitating future engagement opportunities with NASA assets.

2.1 Recruiting

To better understand the needs and motivations of undergraduate students, a survey was offered to undergraduate physics and astronomy students as the program was being designed. Undergraduate students’ motivations for joining the program included (a) personal and professional interest in astronomy, (b) the desire to conduct community outreach, and (c) professional and personal growth. In addition, the ASP received supplemental augmentation to offer modest stipends to undergraduates who finished the program. Partnerships with communities that reach a diverse undergraduate population were established through connections with trusted advisors in land-grant institutions, through the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Black fraternities and sororities, as well as NASA Community College Network, and at conferences such as the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science and the National Society of Black Physicists.

It was clear from the August 21, 2017 solar eclipse experience that most eclipse enthusiasts would leave their home communities to travel to the path of totality if possible. This leaves communities off the path without passionate public engagement experts able to give context for astronomical events, like they do for lunar eclipses or meteor showers. Long connections to the amateur astronomy community brought in the initial one hundred eclipse enthusiasts immediately, with more than sixty people applying for the pilot program. However, the idea that eclipses are only interesting when on the path of totality made it difficult for some to see the value of preparing their home communities to see a partial. The remaining eclipse enthusiasts were brought on by expanding beyond the traditional amateur astronomy community through social media, the professional astronomy community, and university professors.

2.2 Partnerships

While more than seven hundred Ambassadors were accepted into the program, a total of 531 were partnered (Figure 1). Partnership matching happened primarily by location and secondarily by interest. Although most partnerships considered themselves successful, the largest issues identified were differences in schedules and distance. The intent was to partner all participants, but in practice many were forced to work on their own due to the distances involved and the mismatch of partner locations. While this worked fine for the more experienced and connected partners, others had a hard time connecting with underserved communities.

The EA program team set internal benchmarks for the number of Ambassadors recruited per state based on population size and identified which regions were underrepresented by Ambassadors (paired and unpaired). While forty-seven states, along with Puerto Rico, DC, and Guam hosted Eclipse Ambassadors. However, these were not evenly distributed and outreach goals for number of Ambassadors was met across only 13 states (i.e., Alaska, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia).

Most Ambassadors identified as female (57%), and the undergraduates were a more diverse group than the enthusiasts (Figure 2), informing the training and partnership methods described below. 

2.3 Training

The goals of the training program were to prepare 1,000 total Eclipse Ambassadors (500 undergraduates and 500 eclipse enthusiasts) to effectively engage and prepare their communities to safely experience the annular solar eclipse of October 2023 and the total solar eclipse of April 2024. All Eclipse Ambassadors needed to be trained in effective and inclusive communication strategies, event planning, basic eclipse science, and safe observing practices.

A pilot training program was developed to include 30 Eclipse Ambassadors, most of whom represented partnerships. A multi-week experience was designed, incorporating both asynchronous and synchronous elements. The sessions were highly facilitated, with a focus on every aspect of the design and delivery of local events.

To bring more participants through the training program while keeping the integrity and momentum of the training, the program shifted to mostly asynchronous learning materials with two live sessions bookending the training. The first live session focused on effective partnerships, while the second explored inclusive engagement for attendees at eclipse-related events. This also reduced the workload for ASP staff and allowed for more Ambassadors to access workshops. The two required workshops were offered twice each month at varying times and partners attended when the workshops fit their schedules. The self-paced work was also shortened from 12 to 6 hours and made more interactive to keep partners engaged.

The training started with a get-to-know-your-partner exercise with the intention of facilitating communication between the partners who in most cases did not know each other before being paired together. There were two live 90-minute online training sessions; one on working with your partner and a second on inclusive public engagement. Between the two live sessions, partners completed four self-paced modules on Moon Observations and Lunar Phases, Eclipse Science and Safety, Inclusive Public Engagement, and Event Planning. Eclipse Ambassadors submitted an event plan and could then request their official Eclipse Ambassadors badge. The facilitators chose to cover techniques for engagement and inclusion in the live sessions because these skills required more facilitation, interaction, and practice.

Participants submitted feedback after each workshop that was reviewed by staff. This resulted in an iterative process of refining the training over time. One significant change that was made based on participant feedback was the addition of a set of ground rules at the start of each workshop. These emphasized respect for each other, open-mindedness about new ideas, and self-awareness of the space each participant took up in a workshop. ASP staff also changed the order of topics presented over time and made more time for participant discussion. Participants who finished the training successfully were sent a badge and additional eclipse glasses to share with their community, as well as being featured on the Eclipse Ambassadors off the Path website.

ASP staff have some key takeaways and lessons learned from facilitating a large-scale training program using this model. Based on the ASP’s decades of experience providing online professional development applied to this large-scale asynchronous model, this is a viable alternative to in-person training which requires travel and other logistical challenges. The program intentionally prioritized an emphasis on inclusive and effective communication practices over eclipse science. ASP staff felt that communication training elements were more effective if facilitated live. Eclipse science was included as a self-paced element since most Eclipse Ambassadors already have a foundation in the science but may not have had formal training in effective and inclusive communication strategies. Additionally, access and comfort with technology varied over Ambassador participants so the workshop was streamlined to reduce the number of transitions between apps.

ASP staff recommends the use of this training model for programs that will have hundreds of participants across a wide geographic range. Clear communication of how to complete the asynchronous elements is essential as well as careful consideration of what can be completed at participants’ own pace and what should be included in any live training sessions.

After completing the training, participants felt more ready to engage with underserved communities (Figure 3).

Community connections helped the project reach into new venues, with a variety of new demographics. Partnerships with StarNet Libraries encouraged Ambassadors to sign up with libraries, with additional connections provided with faith groups, parks, community centers, astronomy clubs, and college campuses.

In addition to official training, optional Social Hours for Eclipse Ambassadors were held monthly with experts in eclipse engagement, science, and safety. Participating projects included: Eclipse Soundscapes, PUNCH mission, NASA@My Library, the American Astronomical Society's Eclipse team, Aurorasaurus, GLOBE Eclipse citizen science project, and others. While a short presentation was always offered, the main purpose was to create a community with small group interactions and questions that spurred connection. Often, Ambassadors joined to get clarification from the program team or ideas from each other.

2.4 Materials

Eclipse Ambassadors received toolkits of materials aimed at facilitating active hands-on public engagement in solar science, as well as materials featuring NASA projects as noted below. Toolkit materials included solar viewing glasses, pinhole projector cards, yardstick eclipse models, and items to help model and understand the cycle of lunar phases and the scale of the Sun-Earth-Moon system. Information for helping Ambassadors understand how to use the materials was included in the asynchronous training modules each of the partners completed.

Partnerships with NASA projects meant that additional resources could be included in the toolkits. The PUNCH Mission developed materials for feeling solar eclipses that were well received. Each toolkit included one set of tactile materials for Seeing the Sun’s Corona with your Hands that could be used by both sighted and blind/low vision learners. GLOBE supplied many resources for observing clouds in both English and Spanish, including workbooks for students and handouts.

In response to the needs of the community, Eclipse Ambassadors produced three important resources to support and broaden the reach of the astronomy community. The first two were specifically aimed at the time between the two eclipses, and the third is evergreen. In addition, partnerships with other communities allowed for the inclusion of partner materials like tactile materials and cloud observations, see Toolkit above.

Moon Celebrations Calendar: Realizing that the general population knows little about the lunar cycle and how it relates to eclipses, the Moon Celebrations poster aimed to highlight the lunar cycle and how humanity observes and celebrates the Moon (Figure 4). This was very well received and has been funded again for 2025, and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific hopes to offer different versions annually.

Ways of Knowing Solar Eclipses Around the World cards and online PDF featured solar eclipse understandings from around the world, highlighting traditions and stories from every continent and including Western science to show the many ways that humans interpret eclipses (Figure 5). These were distributed to astronomy clubs and NASA partners, as well as through many conferences.

Planning a Partial Eclipse Party is a 1-page handout that encourages communities off the central paths of the eclipses to plan events to celebrate the celestial alignment, offering links and connections to resources.

In addition, a unique connection emerged organically. Thanks to a connection with the Marshall Project’s News Inside publication, almost two hundred incarcerated people wrote to the ASP interested in contributing to the science of eclipses. ASP staff modified the Eclipse Soundscapes Citizen Science Field Notes to allow incarcerated individuals to participate. More than seventy-five incarcerated learners took observations of the flora, fauna, and human behavior during the eclipse and sent observations back to the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. These were included in the Soundscapes project and participants were mailed a certificate of participation. In addition, a letter with a copy of their certificates was mailed to their parole officers to be included in their files. See the full scope of NASA eclipse engagement in prisons in the BAAS paper Eclipse Engagement in Prisons.

3. Ambassador Events and Public Engagement

Eclipse Ambassadors reached more than 207,000 members of the public, greater than double the number proposed by the grant.

A total of 1,245 event forms were submitted by Ambassadors. According to REA’s secondary analysis, most of the eclipse events took place in schools, followed by libraries. In addition, over 50% of community members served were either people of color, people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, or from rural parts of the country.

Following the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, 371 community members who attended eclipse events hosted by Eclipse Ambassadors completed a post-eclipse public survey about their thoughts and experience at the events.

Over 90% of respondents said they were either satisfied or delighted with the event. When asked for words or phrases that could best describe their experience at the eclipse event, the most common three responses were “fun,” “cool,” and “informative” (Figure 8). Ninety-six percent of respondents felt “Welcomed and Included,” 86% felt “engaged with the science of the Sun,” 82% felt “eager to learn more about the Sun or eclipses,” 79% felt that “the facilitator made a personal and/or cultural connection with you,” and 74% felt “inspired to share something about eclipses with others or your community” (Figure 9).

Community members attending the event shared that it featured a diverse audience ranging from young children to older adults, all of whom were engaged by the presenter, who expertly discussed eclipses in an accessible and interesting way. Attendees appreciated the interactive and hands-on activities, especially the use of models that helped younger participants understand the eclipse better. One participant shared that: “[The presenter] was fantastic! The models she used were helpful for the kids to understand the eclipse. She involved the students, and she presented on a level that the kids understood.” Many found the experience to be special, with some noting it was their first time seeing a solar eclipse, making it particularly memorable. As one participant described: “This was my very first time to see a solar eclipse directly ahead. I would make this moment last forever, there’s more to it than meets the eye.” Overall, the combination of informative content, engaging presentations, and supportive resources like NASA's involvement made the event a successful and enjoyable learning experience for both students and adults.

4. Evaluation

 The ASP partnered with Rockman et al Cooperative (REA) to assess the program’s impact and assess the success of training Ambassadors to implement quality and inclusive public engagement techniques, establishing sustainable partnerships, and reaching underrepresented communities in science. Between the fall of 2021 and the summer of 2024, the data sources included in the evaluation included five separate surveys and interviews. The following five surveys were developed: (1) Project Team Reflection Survey, (2) Ambassador Pre-training Survey, (3) Ambassador Post-training Survey, (4) Ambassador Post-Eclipse Event Survey, and (5) Public Community Member Survey. Interviews were conducted with a subset of Ambassadors who filled out the post-event survey and were interested in being interviewed about their experience. The evaluation also performed a secondary analysis of information collection through the Eclipse Ambassador program that included: event forms from community members where eclipse events were held, applications to the Eclipse Ambassador program, and eclipse event zip codes.

In total, over 1,500 program affiliates (14 program team members, over 600 Ambassadors, and over 400 community members across the U.S.) participated in the evaluation study, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the program’s impact, participant experiences, program reach, and areas for improvement.

The Eclipse Ambassador program effectively engaged communities and Ambassadors, providing resources and training to communicate science in inclusive and culturally centered ways. The program helped foster a sense of community around scientific events and enhanced participants' skills and understanding of astronomy and science communication.

4.1. Ambassador Online Training (Pre-Post Survey Findings)

■      Data-driven training redesign based on Ambassador feedback. After the pilot training in the fall of 2021, feedback suggested that Eclipse Ambassadors would have more success completing the training if it were self-paced and the workshops were offered on a regular cadence. The EA program team responded to this feedback by creating 6-hour online, self-paced modules, which increased accessibility for Ambassadors and resulted in a higher training completion rate.

■      Training expectations met. Before (n = 559) and after (n = 308) the redesigned online training modules, Ambassador survey respondents’ expectations were met around gaining targeted skills in community engagement and outreach, including knowledge of the solar system and teaching skills, event planning and management skills, and public speaking skills.

■      Understanding of solar science concepts. When asked to report their level of understanding of topics covered during the training before and at the close of the training (1=No understanding, 5=Completed understanding), all average mean scores in levels of understanding (in aggregate) were significantly higher from pre to post (or, increased means were not due to chance).

■      Level of readiness to engage in underserved communities. When asked to rate their level of readiness to engage with underserved communities (1=Not at all ready; 5=Ready), the average means in aggregate from pre (M = 4.3) to post (M = 4.65) were statistically significant (or improvements in readiness were not due to chance).

 4.2. Ambassador Post-Eclipse Survey Findings

The top three ways that the experience as an Eclipse Ambassador benefited the individuals, based on the provided open-ended comments, were:

• Professional and personal growth: Many individuals mentioned that the experience helped them grow both professionally and personally. This includes gaining confidence in public speaking, event hosting, and facilitating public events. The training and the opportunity to engage with the community have contributed to their development in various aspects of science communication and outreach.

• Networking and community connections: The program facilitated networking opportunities with other Ambassadors, community leaders, and organizations. This led to the formation of new professional relationships and partnerships, which can be beneficial for future outreach efforts and personal development.

• Learning and knowledge enhancement: The experience was a significant learning opportunity for many Ambassadors. They gained a deeper understanding of the science behind eclipses, astronomy, and the importance of science communication. The systematic review of scientific concepts and the hands-on experience in teaching and outreach reinforced their knowledge and passion for the subject.

As a result of the program, Ambassadors expressed a desire to continue doing outreach and community engagement, including:

• Astronomy work and outreach,

• STEM education and science communication,

• Community events and program development,

• Outreach in other fields

• Professional development, and

• International collaboration.

Ambassadors provided an array of experiences and perspectives on how generational and identity differences, or similarities, impacted partnerships within a program.

Ambassadors shared stories as a testament to the impact of the program in engaging communities, inspiring curiosity, and fostering a love for science and astronomy (e.g., inspiring future generations, uniting through science, creating lasting memories).

4.3. Ambassador Interview Findings

A total of 24 Ambassadors were interviewed in the Spring of 2024 and provided insight into the ways such a program might improve one's ability to engage with, and educate, the public based on the typical goals and structures of Ambassador programs in science education and outreach including:

• Organizing successful eclipse events,

• Confidence building,

• Inspiration for lifelong learning,

• Community building,

• Engaging diverse communities, and

• Developing new partnerships and collaborations.

Challenges identified included setting realistic timelines, technical issues, partner engagement, diversity & inclusion, resource limitations, community engagement, and sustainability.

Lessons learned included the importance of flexibility, communication, training & support, networking, evaluation and reflection, cultural competency, and resource allocation.

4.4. Project Team Reflections

In the spring of 2023, 10 Eclipse Ambassador project team members (2 Core Members; 4 Advisors; 4 ASP Staff) completed an implementation check-in survey to reflect on the project's goals and benchmarks to inform Year 2 planning. Across roles, team members were split on whether they were on track to achieve the program goals by 2025. Team members praised the staff's skills and flexibility when reflecting on what made (and is making) the program work well, but they also noted improvements could be made in setting realistic timelines that incorporate everyone's input. It also seemed important to set expectations about workloads, prioritize openness and collaboration, to utilize staff's skills without overloading them.

What do you think is making this program work well?

• Skills of staff and leadership

• Success with collaboration and networking

• Value of the training

• Staff's willingness to be flexible in their responses and praised leadership’s energy. “Each group can provide insight for their particular area, which helps to provide holistic support for successful implementation.” This respondent also pointed out the benefit of “ensuring that equity is centered in the training for Ambassadors” to continued program success.

• One respondent also pointed out the evaluators' ability to “steer [them] in the right direction.”

What can the program do to improve?

• Of five responses to the open-ended question of what the program could improve, two described managing staff demands.

• One ASP staff member suggested giving “careful thought to creating realistic timelines” and adjusting as needed with input from the team members.

• Another cautioned that “ASP staff is pulled in too many directions” when advising people to get on board quickly to help with tasks.

• Respondents also noted the need for more Ambassador partnerships as well as publicizing achievements to improve the program.

4.5. Limitations of the Evaluation Study

Evaluation Methodology: While the evaluation used a mixed-methods approach, the reliance on self-reported data from surveys and interviews may have introduced biases or inaccuracies in the findings.

Long-Term Impact on Community Members & Partners: Community members, or the public, were only surveyed once, immediately after the eclipse event. Administering two surveys, immediately after and a few months after, may have shed some light on the longer-term effects of the program. The evaluation is planning to reach back out to Ambassadors in 2025 to follow up.

Optional Participation in Study: Future iterations or similar programs might consider making participation in the research study a requirement (rather than optional) so that the evaluation study findings are representative of all Ambassadors and Program Team Members. Considerations should also be made regarding ways to integrate data collection at public eclipse events to increase survey response rates of community members served by the program.

5. Conclusion

 Overall, the Eclipse Ambassadors Off the Path program effectively engaged underserved communities in eclipse science, safety, and public outreach by training over seven hundred Ambassadors and forming more than two hundred partnerships. This initiative fostered intergenerational learning, promoted sustainable astronomy partnerships, and strengthened community preparedness for eclipse events. Through expert-led training, Ambassadors gained skills in science communication, networking, and inclusive engagement, leading to professional and personal growth and positive feedback from community members. The program’s commitment to equity and inclusion, Ambassador development, and community engagement and community building, serves as a blueprint for future initiatives aimed at partnering and training amateur astronomers/enthusiasts with undergraduate students as nationwide teams of Eclipse Ambassadors to deliver meaningful learning opportunities about eclipse science and safety in their communities, with an emphasis on reaching traditionally underserved audiences in the field of astronomy. The program highlighted the importance of cultural exchange and generational diversity in science outreach. By bringing together partners from diverse backgrounds, the program enriched outreach efforts and made science more relatable and accessible to a wider audience. The program's success suggests opportunities for future initiatives focusing on other astronomical events, which could further expand its scope and impact. Securing funding and building on the current program's achievements could inspire continued interest and participation in astronomy/science.

Acknowledgements

Program funded by NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Activation Program under Cooperative Agreement # 80NSS22M0007 and administered by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.