A recent study, Connecting Youth Using Arctic Mystery-Themed Kits, was published online in the Journal of STEM Outreach. The lead author, Education and Outreach Program Coordinator Karina Peggau, worked with her colleagues at the Byrd Center outreach team, OSU Extension, community members, and members of the Department of English at The Ohio State University.

In the study, the team developed the Arctic Mystery Kit, which is inspired by escape rooms and mystery-themed materials and follows the story of a missing Arctic researcher, Perm A. Frost. Preliminary virtual user-testing indicated high engagement throughout the six-session program as youth worked in small groups to analyze evidence and make claims about the suspect using the clues, including Arctic ecology, geography, and local connections as well as scientific data, research materials, and field research content. 

These kits can also be used in asynchronous and in-person settings. Further research can be conducted to determine whether the kits are associated with gains in self-reported scientific identity, fascination in science, and valuing science.

You can read more about the study online at the Journal of STEM Outreach.