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The New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) and DB Climate Change Advisors (DBCCA) today announced a two-year partnership for an educational initiative, called My Carbon Footprint, to help build awareness about climate change science among New York City’s school teachers and students.  DBCCA is the climate change investment and research business of Deutsche Bank’s Asset Management business.

 

My Carbon Footprint is a multi-layered program that will develop new educator resources and curricula for underserved middle and high schools throughout New York City. The program includes professional development workshops for teachers and science camps where students will design interactive models and exhibits about climate change in a virtual museum.  My Carbon Footprint is a student-centered approach to climate change education, incorporating hands-on learning opportunities, digital tools and new technology to engage students and teachers.  Over the next two years, My Carbon Footprint will target 24,000 New York City students and 200 teachers.

 

“Unfortunately, public opinion about climate change far outpaces fundamental understanding about the meaningful factors and underlying science that informs climate change models,” said Dr. Margaret Honey, President and CEO of NYSCI.  “My Carbon Footprint will provide teachers and students much-needed educational tools to gain a baseline understanding of how the effects of climate change are calculated.  This is one step toward better equipping future generations to address this challenge.” 

 

“I have long admired NYSCI's imaginative approach to science teaching, so I am delighted to be working with them on this project,” said Kevin Parker, Global Head of Deutsche Bank’s Asset Management division and a member of Deutsche Bank’s Group Executive Committee. “I have complete confidence that they will develop a curriculum that will effectively engage and educate New York children about climate change. Action to fight global warming begins with public awareness, and awareness starts with education. Teaching the next generation about this issue is ultimately, therefore, the surest way of conquering such a vast and complex problem. We cannot start too soon.”

 

My Carbon Footprint launches in April with a weeklong camp for middle school students who will help prototype the program activities and resources for the classroom curriculum that will be developed by NYSCI. The students will also be the “stars” of an educational video that will support the curriculum. In addition, My Carbon Footprint teacher workshops, set to begin in autumn 2011, will provide 100 New York middle-school teachers with a set of strategies and best practices for integrating the curriculum into their lesson plans. NYSCI Instructors and the educators will also establish a social networking site to share best practices and continue the dialogue after completing the workshops.

 

The My Carbon Footprint virtual climate change wing will be developed in the Virtual Hall of Science, scheduled to launch this winter.

 

DBCCA has undertaken other collaborations with educational institutions, such as the Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to disseminate calculations of current greenhouse gas levels. The most visible product of these collaborations is the Carbon Counter, which towers nearly 70 feet above Seventh Avenue and 33rd Street in midtown Manhattan. The Carbon Counter is part of “Know the Number,” a campaign designed to increase the public’s understanding on the dangers of greenhouse gases.

For further information, please call:          

New York Hall of Science
Mary Record
718-699-0005 ext. 323
mrecord@nysci.org

Deutsche Bank AG                
Press and Media Relations
New York
Mayura Hooper
Phone: +1 212 250 5536
E-Mail: mayura.hooper@dbusintl.com

About DB Climate Change Advisors
DBCCA is the climate change investment and research business of Deutsche Asset Management (DeAM).  DeAM is one of the leading climate change investors in the world. With a world-class in-house research team focusing on this theme, DBCCA is an investment industry thought-leader on a broad range of clean tech dynamics.

About Deutsche Asset Management
With approximately $730 billion in assets under management globally as of 30 December 2010, Deutsche Bank’s Asset Management division is one of the world's leading investment management organizations, not just in size, but in quality and breadth of investment products, performance and client service.  The Asset Management division provides a broad range of investment management products across the risk/return spectrum.

About the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI)
The mission of the NYSCI is to bring the excitement and understanding of science and technology to children, families, teachers and others by galvanizing their curiosity and offering them creative, participatory ways to learn. As the City’s only hands-on science and technology center, NYSCI serves close to a half-million annual visitors; offering an unparalleled range of 450 interactive exhibits, Discovery Labs, a Science and Technology Library, and the largest outdoor Science Playground in the nation. NYSCI’s educational programs are designed to engage diverse audiences in the exploration of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) by offering immersive experiences that promote hands-on investigation and discovery. Some of NYSCI’s longest- running and most successful programs provide STEM professional development, classroom support and resources to K-12 teachers.
For more information, visit www.nysci.org