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<h2>Front Range Teen Science Caf&eacute;s</h2>
<i>CMMAP Science Education & Diversity Team</i><p></p>

<img src="/images/research/cafe-1.jpg" border=0 align="right">

In the spring of 2014, the CMMAP Science Education & Diversity team introduced
a new and innovative event for teens in Northern Colorado called the
<a href="http://www.cmmap.org/scienceEd/scienceCafe/" target="_blank">Front
Range Teen Science Caf&eacute;s</a>. These events, held once a month during the
school year, allows Northern Colorado teens with a passion for science the
opportunity to gather in an informal setting, where they mingle with their
fellow teens and members of the

<img src="/images/research/cafe-2.jpg" border=0 align="left">

scientific<p></p> community and listen to presentations
on various topics.  Caf&eacute; topics span a wide range of STEM
fields&#8210;from ecology and astrophysics to atmospheric and climate science!
Topics and presenters are identified by a Youth Leadership Team, who help
guide the program and run the caf&eacute; events.<p></p>

The Front Range Teen Science Caf&eacutes are part of a nation-wide organization
which began in 2007 when Science Education Solutions, with a grant from the
National Science Foundation (NFS), began an experiment to see if the model could
be adapted to appeal to high school teenagers.  The first program began in New
Mexico and became a success prompting the formation of the Teen Science
Caf&eacute Network with a new NSF grant allowing other individuals and
organizations to start up their own versions of the Teen Science Café model,
adapted to their local institutions and demographics. Seven Founding Member
organizations around the United States formed the initial Network and began
creating their own versions of the Teen Science Café model. <p></p>

The Front Range Teen Science Caf&eacute; generally takes place on the second
Wednesday of the month at a local teen-friendly coffee house called Everyday
Joe's in Old Town Fort Collins.  Each Caf&eacute; lasts about an hour and
includes a mix of hands-on activities, lecture, and discussion. The inaugural
event featured CMMAP Education & Diversity Director Scott Denning with a
presentation titled "Invisible Light Keeps Us Warm! The Science Behind Climate
Change." Subsequent presentations have covered a wide range of scientific topics
including<ul>
<li> Time's Arrow, The Nature of Now and Traveling Through Time</li><p></p>
<li> Our Soil: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth</li><p></p>
<li> Small Fish, Big Questions: Guppies Help Us Understand Evolution</li><p></p>
<li> Engaging Teens in Science and Health Through Hands on Anatomy and Neuroscience</li><p></p>
<li> The Science of Sound and Music</li></ul>

In 2014, there were an average of 30 youth and 10 parents participating in the
six Caf&eacute;s.  Of these, 55% were female and 60% attended more than once.
55& of the participants are from grades 6-8 with the remainder at high school
level.  CMMAP Education & Diversity Manager Melissa Burt has new Caf&eacute;s
lined up for spring 2015 and she and the Science Education & Diversity team hope
to continue these after CMMAP sunsets.
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