Embedding Public Engagement with Science at Long-term Ecological Research Sites Year 3 Final Evaluation Report

This is the final evaluation report from RMC Research Corp. for the PES@LTERs project. Appendix includes instruments.

RMC Research designed evaluation activities to provide formative and summative feedback to Harvard Forest and the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation (Hubbard Brook) on their plan to embed public engagement with science (PES) into the cultures and practices of Long-Term Ecological Research Sites (LTERs) in the northeastern US. The purpose of this project was to build PES mechanisms into long-term ecosystem studies that create on-going, open exchanges between scientists and members of various groups, particularly stakeholder groups that rely on the ecosystems being studied. Staff at the LTERs, as well as the scientists, would apply gains in PES learning theory and practice, ultimately expanding PES beyond the activities of individual scientists by scaling up to long-term, multi-institution scientific initiatives. In addition, a social science research component was included in the project as a means to expand the collaboration and provide insights to Harvard Forest and Hubbard Brook, as well as for them to help build on the existing body of literature with regard to PES.