2019 AISL PI Meeting Poster: Dinosaurs of Antarctica

Antarctic Dinosaurs: A Giant Screen Film and Outreach Project aims to leverage the popularity and charisma of dinosaurs to draw museum audiences into a captivating educational journey, revealing the history and transformation of Antarctica and the planet’s polar ecosystems, and exploring the forces that continue to shape the continent. In addition to bringing to life a wealth of unfamiliar dinosaurs, amphibians and proto-mammals, this project will journey beyond the bones to reveal a more nuanced, multi-disciplinary interpretation of paleontology and Antarctica’s profound changes.

Centered on a giant screen film, the Antarctic Dinosaurs project aims to overcome barriers to engagement with polar science through appealing, entertaining media experiences and informal learning programs. Leveraging the film’s depictions of role models underrepresented in STEM and integrating artistic interpretations of Antarctic research, the project will implement innovative outreach strategies to increase public knowledge of polar science and inspire a new generation of STEM professionals. Primary project deliverables include a giant screen film in 2D and 3D formats; a 3-episode television series; an “educational toolkit” of flexible, multi-media resources and experiences for informal use; a “Field Camp” Antarctic science intervention for middle school students (including girls and minorities); fictional content and author presentations on Antarctic science produced for young people of color; and presentations by scientists featured in the film.

The film will be developed as a companion for the synonymous Antarctic Dinosaurs museum exhibition. Project partner The Franklin Institute will undertake a knowledge-building study to examine the learning outcomes resulting from exposure to the film with and without additional experiences provided by the exhibition and educational outreach in informal settings, as well as the strategies employed by practitioners to make connections between film and other exhibits, programs and resources.