Highly motivated individuals will be given the opportunity
to represent JPL as volunteer Solar System Ambassadors
to
the public for a one-year, renewable term beginning January
1, 2013. Applications will be accepted from September
1
through 30, 2012.
The Solar System Ambassadors Program is an informal education
effort accomplished by motivated volunteers across the nation
who communicate NASA's exciting discoveries and plans for
future exploration of the solar system and beyond to general
public audiences. These volunteer Ambassadors become an
extended part of each space exploration mission's team and
an important interface between the NASA community and the
populace at large.
Background
Currently,
volunteers from all 50 states,
Puerto Rico, Guam and the District of Columbia are serving
under this
program
as
local representatives
for participating NASA space exploration programs and
missions, including Cassini, Voyager,
Mars missions (including the Curiosity rover), Discovery missions (MESSENGER and
Dawn), STEREO,
Earth Missions, New Horizons, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
and the Deep Space Network. Ambassadors also support
Astrobiology
research investigations
and Year of the Solar System initiative.
The Solar System Ambassadors Program aims to engage highly-motivated
volunteers who have the means and initiative to share the
excitement of space exploration in standard and diverse
ways with their local community members. Ambassadors reach
broad sectors of the general public that are often unaware
of NASA's ongoing exploration efforts. Their enthusiasm
for, and knowledge of, space exploration personalizes the
experience of learning about our neighborhood in space,
our home planet and the Universe beyond.
Training
and Equipping Ambassadors
Ambassadors
participate in online (telephone and web-based) training
sessions to acquaint them with the space exploration
missions and provide interaction with NASA scientists,
engineers and project team members. These training sessions
educate
Ambassadors about SSA program guidelines, provide them
with solid, general background on NASA's efforts exploring
space,
and supply materials needed to support specific mission
milestones, such as launches, planetary flybys, first
image
returns, arrivals, and ongoing key discoveries. In addition
to online materials, training archives and resource links,
Ambassadors are sent hard copy materials to aid them
in their outreach efforts when available.
Ambassadors'
Role
Collectively, the direct interaction with JPL personnel,
ongoing training, support and materials provided by the
SSA program, lay the foundation for Ambassadors' successful
planning and execution of community-based events. Armed
with inspiration and knowledge, Ambassadors spread this
excitement throughout their local areas, personalizing the
NASA experience for hundreds of thousands of people. By
imparting their knowledge, energy and enthusiasm for space
exploration, Ambassadors serve as key members of JPL's
public outreach team.
Ambassadors'
Responsibility
Solar System Ambassadors are asked to arrange, conduct and report at least four
community-based events per year, or roughly one event every
three months.
The
Ideal Ambassador Candidate
