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We will continue to work towards achieving the central goal of our COEP efforts: to translate our Center scientists' knowledge and expertise into greater community knowledge and awareness; capitalizing on and projecting the NYU-NIEHS Center's scientific expertise into the community to help resolve environmental health issues; raising awareness of the Center and its availability as a resource; and enhancing the community relevance of the Center's research activities.
In order to continue on this path, we will maintain and expand our already substantial "Science Advice to the Community and to Policy Makers" program, as previously discussed. In addition, we propose to add four other integral areas that will greatly expand our existing program a) a more extensive K-12 environmental health education program in collaboration with the Sterling Forest Visitor's Center; b) increased high school education efforts in the under-served minority communities of Newburgh, NY and the South Bronx; c) enhance our web-based information and graphics educational efforts; and, d) develop more advanced COEP effectiveness evaluation tools. These programs are planned to include:
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Future Science Advice to the Community and to Policy Makers
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Science Advice in Under-served Minority Communities
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WTC/Terrorism COEP Outreach
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Future Sterling Forest-Based Education Programs
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Future Programs with Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth
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Future Inner-City High School Education Programs
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Future Web-based and Graphics Educational Efforts:
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Future COEP Effectiveness
Evaluations:
Future directions and areas of new COEP outreach emphasis will be defined by the Community Outreach committee of the Center, but will likely continue and enhance the following programs (see COEP Activities): Internet Resource Pages on Environmental Problems; Science Advice to the Community and to Policy Makers; K-12 Science Education in Local Communities; Student Mentoring; Community Scientific Presentations; Media Awareness; Assistance to Community-Based Environmental Efforts; Occupational and Environmental Health Clinic Outreach; and Epidemiology Outreach Programs. Of special interest will be: 1) the further development of interactions with the Newburgh Free Academy public high school faculty, students, and community in an effort to reach out to this underserved population and to make a difference in their environmental science awareness and knowledge, and; 2) further support to community efforts to gain knowledge of their environment and how to improve it by providing technical resources to the community, including Center equipment, and expertise. Furthermore, based upon recent meetings with NYU School of Medicine administrators in the Fall of 1998, we will more vigorously investigate options for outside funding of future outreach efforts, similar to the way we have obtained support for our Science Writers Briefing and for our Environmental web pages from Con Edison in New York City. Funding will be sought for an on-line Internet Student Mentoring Program, so that we can expand the reach of our successful mentoring program beyond our local area. In these ways, we plan to further build on and expand our outreach to the New York City metropolitan area communities surrounding our Center and beyond.
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