Researchers worldwide recognize the importance of inspiring the next generation of scientists through outreach activities. U.S. researchers have additional motivation in that many funding agencies are now requiring kindergarten through twelfth grade (K–12) outreach as part of fundable research plans. Unfortunately, many of these same researchers know little about the precollege educational community or about the educational system that supports that community. This special issue acts as a reference and provides pointers to the many opportunities available for materials education outreach, along with suggestions and advice on how both the novice and experienced researcher may contribute.

Outreach efforts within the materials science community include learning goals or outcomes designed with the purpose of increasing awareness or interest in the field, improving the learning or achievement of subject matter, or even supporting a type of literacy or understanding. These outcomes need to be defined and measured. To demonstrate the success of an outreach activity, an appropriate assessment scheme must be implemented to determine how effectively the goals have been met. Assessment of K–12 outreach is presented in this article using the framework of a K–12 engineering design cycle of Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, and Improve. Links will be drawn from among the “Ask,” “Imagine,” and “Plan” phases to the development of objectives and the establishment of the assessment plan. The “Create” and “Improve” phases will be connected to data collection and analysis techniques. Three forms of evaluation are discussed—formative, summative, and interim—as well as four areas of knowledge—cognitive, affective, behavioral, and metacognitive. Finally, this article lists some common pitfalls to avoid when considering these issues in the planning and reviewing of programs that will make assessment of K–12 outreach efforts a more positive and rewarding endeavor.

Educational outreach efforts for K–12 students, ages 5–18, are becoming increasingly visible, active, and pervasive in the materials science community as a result of funding agency requirements in the United States and gradual institutional attitudinal shifts toward placing a higher emphasis on engaging non-technical audiences. Many scientists recognize it as both an obligation and a pleasure to share their research with young audiences. However, in addition to enthusiasm and funding agency mandates, equally essential to successful educational outreach projects are effective, engaging educational materials and programs. Hands-on demonstrations, classroom lesson plans, summer research internships, and education-oriented laboratory experiments are just a few examples of the wide variety of possibilities from which materials scientist educators can currently choose. This article addresses the process of developing educational outreach activities and programs, including setting goals, establishing partnerships, and planning for and implementing outreach activities for students. Examples from the materials science outreach community are integrated to illustrate implementations of these ideas and to offer ideas for collaborations and future projects.

As the complexity of global materials science challenges increases, so does the need for materials science and engineering literacy and career recruitment. Many funding agencies are addressing this by including requirements for achieving broader impacts (e.g., National Science Foundation grants, European Commission Framework), and resources have been created from a variety of sources to help. This article addresses the issue of how to translate materials science concepts into K–12 outreach activities, with an emphasis on how to use the human, physical, and information resources available. Researchers may best reach their outreach objectives by distilling content rather than diluting it, connecting on a human level, highlighting the true nature of science, not reinventing the wheel, being a role model, and having fun. Initiatives that support outreach efforts are referenced and include examples from the Materials Research Society.

Education research strongly indicates that students make decisions in their mid- to late adolescence that impact the general direction of their careers, including choices about pursuing studies in science and mathematics. Educators can play an important role in these student career choices. By creating and implementing teacher professional development programs that increase teachers’ awareness/understanding of materials science and providing materials science-based classroom materials, researchers can take concrete actions toward improving the number and quality of students entering materials science and engineering departments as undergraduate students. No matter where you live or work throughout the world, there is a school nearby and abundant opportunities for researchers to make a difference in K–12 science education.

Most K–12 outreach programs worldwide within materials science and beyond rely on scientists visiting K–12 classrooms and assisting teachers with instruction and development of classroom materials, as well as developing on-site professional development workshops. Due to the limited time materials scientists and teachers have available for participating in K–12 outreach programs, more creative approaches are necessary to accommodate the needs of a broader spectrum of teachers and students. Incorporating technology into K–12 outreach programs is one approach that can be used to overcome some of the obstacles currently faced. This article discusses different manners in which technology can be included in K–12 materials science outreach programs, such as K–12 educational software and tools as well as online professional development programs. This article also draws on broader educational technology research to identify known challenges of incorporating technology into outreach programs and possible ways to overcome such challenges.