Promoting critical zone science literacy through education and outreach

Abstract Effectively translating environmental research into educational practice and community outreach is essential for supporting environmental literacy and informed decision making in the face of accelerating environmental changes. The Earth’s critical zone (CZ)—the thin, dynamic region extending from vegetation through soils and groundwater to bedrock where rock, soil, water, air, and life interact—regulates processes that sustain ecosystems, agriculture, and water resources. However, the CZ remains largely unfamiliar outside of the research community. In this perspective paper, we highlight selected education and outreach activities developed by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s CZ collaborative network (CZ Net), drawing on thirteen illustrative examples from across CZ Net’s thematic research clusters. The activities span three primary areas of engagement: K -12 student learning, educator professional development, and community engagement. Across these examples, we identify key strategies for making CZ science accessible and relevant in diverse contexts, including place-based and inquiry-driven learning, culturally responsive instruction, creative communication, and partnerships among scientists, educators, and communities. We situate these approaches within the broader literature on geoscience education and science communication and discuss common opportunities and challenges in their implementation and sustainability, including issues related to assessment, scalability, and long-term support.