Indianapolis Residents’ Understanding of & Engagement with STEM & Urban River Ecology

A mixed-methods series of surveys were used to explore public literacy related to environmental science and sustainability in Indianapolis. Surveys also explored predictive variables including environmental identity, nature affinity, use of nature places as learning opportunities, and motivations for visiting nature spaces. An online, citywide consumer survey was distributed alongside a parallel identical survey of employees at a major science-based corporation to assess variation in knowledge, attitudes, and learning behaviors. This science-based corporation provides substantial support to the restoration and improvement of the city’s waterways and cultural institutions. Through the company’s commitment to an annual day of service, staff remediate public and environmental spaces in the city. A third survey was undertaken at five public nature space locations adjacent to the five major waterways that traverse Indianapolis.

Results demonstrated that employees of the company that invests in environmental restoration as a day of service activity learn about important earth science topics that can help them be more informed decision-makers. These employees, however, are also less likely than general residents to use the city’s nature spaces and cultural centers for informal science learning. This result suggests that science literacy can be advanced when cultural institutions, nature spaces, and volunteer activities are situated as complementary vectors for learning and public discourse about science topics.