The FLUXNET outreach working group: communicating flux science to society

FLUXNET is an international initiative that joins regional networks of scientists working with eddy-covariance (EC) systems around the world. The EC method is currently the most reliable technique to measure exchanges of mass and energy between ecosystems and the atmosphere (for example carbon dioxide, methane, latent heat, sensible heat, or momentum fluxes). Ecosystem-atmospheric flux measurements are key for many studies and applications in agriculture, hydrology, meteorology, and climate change by providing physical verification of carbon, water, and other trace gas budgets.The FLUXNET outreach committee formed in 2022 with the goal of sharing flux science and research findings beyond the typical research community. The overall objective of this committee is to develop new ways of communicating complex science and disseminating these ideas to broad audiences outside the typical domain of research.  The intent is to create new links between flux-science professions to other interdisciplinary scientists, resource conservation professionals, policymakers, and society in general.Over the last year, committee members have worked on several projects to achieve these objectives. In this work, we show some of these initiatives developed in 2023, and other initiatives being carried out in 2024. The Fluxnet Coop and the National Science Foundation are supporting an artist residency program at flux measurement sites to create new interpretations of located-based science conducted at flux measurement sites.  Committee members are developing plain-language materials to explain technical documentation of flux measurement and contributing to the translation of existing materials in English into several other languages. The committee is also working to produce a podcast and open-access publications that serve as a bridge between peer-reviewed science and accessible plain-language reporting. With this presentation, we will open discussion with the audience to help us improve our methods and suggest new projects, and explore other initiatives that share similar objectives. Our activities are initial steps toward creating a more convergent global flux science community and well-informed society.