Strategies to Increase Access and Enhanced Engagement at the ZEUS Laser Facility

The Zettawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser System or ZEUS is a 3 Petawatt (3 x 1015 W) laser user facility at the University of Michigan funded by a mid-scale grant from the National Science Foundation. An essential component of the facility’s mission is a dedicated commitment to broaden participation in STEM, with a particular focus on optics, plasma physics and laser engineering and technology. Education and public engagement efforts at ZEUS center around increasing access to the facility, its science and experts and providing meaningful opportunities for engagement for an inclusive range of groups and individuals. In this presentation, we will highlight several programs that ZEUS has developed or collaborated on that focus on raising awareness and promoting understanding among a variety of audiences. We will also discuss our methods for setting goals and assessment, providing both quantitative and qualitative examples. We will finish up with a review of our future plans including the development of an accessible teaching and learning space and online tools.