April 2020 GLOBE News Brief

22 April: Earth Day 2020 The GLOBE Program’s 25th Anniversary

On 22 April, the world will celebrate Earth Day 2020 – which is also the 25th Anniversary of The GLOBE Program – in a unique and inspirational way. We may not be able to fully engage in the traditional events and activities; however, we can stand together – from the heart of our homes – and honor our precious planet, as one.   Happy Earth Day 2020! Happy 25th Anniversary to The GLOBE Program!

News

GLOBE in the Time of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

A page has been added to the GLOBE website in response to extreme challenges to the GLOBE community stemming from the global novel coronavirus pandemic. Its purpose is two-fold: to update the community on scheduled events, campaigns, and intensive observation periods (IOPs); and to provide resources for teachers, parents, students, and citizen scientists for online learning that can be done indoors during times of widespread in-home containment.   To access the “GLOBE in the Time of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic” page, click here .   Please not that this page is a “work in progress,” and that materials will be added regularly. Important messages to the community will be amplified by direct email and social media.   Events and Activities: All efforts that require outdoor activity are postponed. (You will be informed when this situation changes.). This includes: The GLOBE Zika Education and Prevention Project The Water Bodies Intensive Observation Period (IOP) The Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign GLOBE Mission Mosquito Urban Heat Island Effect-Surface Temperature Field Campaign U.S. Spring Regional Student Research Symposia (NOTE, the Trees Around the GLOBE 14 April webinar “GLOBE Student Research Extravaganza: Students from around the GLOBE Share their Amazing Tree Research” and the GLOBE Mission Mosquito 02 April webinar “Meet Up and Do Science,” will take place. Scroll down for more information on these webinars.)   25th Anniversary GLOBE Annual Meeting: Registration for the meeting in Washington D.C., USA, from 12-16 July, has been suspended. Earth Day at GLOBE: Earth Day observations will be digital this year. Visit the GLOBE website on Earth Day, 22 April, to view a video slide show of historic images sent in by the GLOBE regions.  U.S. Regional Student Research Symposia: Currently, the SRS leadership team is discussing other ways that students can share their GLOBE research. Earth Day at NASA: Delve into the NASA Earth Day toolkit to find activities you can do indoors on Earth Day.

Resources for Students at Home

GLOBE Resources: Check out the grade-specific lists of GLOBE protocols and activities that can be done indoors: Lower Primary Grades K-2 Upper Primary Grades 3-5 Middle School Grades 6-8 Secondary School Grades 9-12

National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) Resources: To access NOAA’s most popular educational resources designed to help students safely hunker down while learning about the ocean and atmosphere, click here .   “NASA at Home” Resources: NASA wants to be sure that every student, educator, and lifelong learner has access to the resources and inspiration of NASA to continue their studies or enrich their ongoing journey. Below you will find access to everything from formal lesson plans to amazing imagery and stories about how science and exploration are lifting our world. There will also be ongoing opportunities to chat and interact with scientists directly.    WASHINGTON, D.C. (KETK) by Sue Necessary– Posted :  Mar 28, 2020 / 03:16 PM CDT If you’re looking for ways to keep young ones engaged during this enforced break from school, NASA has got you covered. It has put together a range of  resources and activities for students of every age, focusing (naturally) on STEM, with videos, activities, crafts, and so much more.   And if you’ve ever wanted to be part of a NASA project but aren’t sure you’re cut out for space, never fear. NASA still wants you! The agency has countless projects underway and is offering “citizen scientists” the chance to contribute to ongoing research. You, too, can  be a scientist at home .   But if you’re the cautious type and want to “see” what you’re getting into, NASA’s got you there, too. The website offers  virtual tours  (yes, even of the Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station) and an Aeronautics AR app for Android and iOS that puts you at the controls of a NASA aircraft.   NASA at Home also has  podcasts ,  ebooks , and  videos  that bring the universe and its wonders to you. Even if all you want to do is look upon the universe and marvel, NASA has  galleries   that will leave you starstruck.   And now that our world seems to be shrinking around us, it’s nice to remember that there is something so much bigger, so much more beautiful than our current reality, and that it all is as close as our nearest screen. - - - - -  Please share your stories with NASA on social media, about what you’re learning and how you’re using digital resources to continue your education during this time. Use  #NASAatHome . NASA looks forward to hearing from you, and keep checking back often as new content will regularly be added to the page.   To access NASA at Home, click here .

Record Number of Projects Received for 2020 IVSS! Stipend Drawing 22 April

The deadline for submitting projects to the 2020 International Virtual Science Symposium (IVSS) was 10 March – and GLOBE received a record number of projects! There were 263 projects, from 29 countries, submitted. In addition, over 150 judges stepped up to provide feedback on these innovative projects.   Judging: 30 March   Judging/scoring began on 30 March. There was an informational judging webinar on Monday, 30 March. To view a recording of the webinar, click here . To view the slides from the webinar, click here .   Stipend Drawing: 22 April   All students who submitted a project to the IVSS will receive feedback from judges and virtual badges on their school page. In addition, each project that receives a four-star student research badge, plus a minimum of two optional badges, will be eligible for a drawing to receive a stipend.   The stipends are as follows: North America: Two projects will receive $1,000 USD Africa: One project will receive $2,000 USD Asia and Pacific: One project will receive $2,000 USD Europe and Eurasia: One project will receive $2,000 USD Latin America and Caribbean: One project will receive $2,000 USD Near East and North Africa: One project will receive $2,000 USD    The stipend drawing will take place on 22 April at 11:00 a.m. EDT/3:00 p.m. UTC.   To join at the time of the stipend drawing, click here . For more information on the 2020 IVSS, click here .

Top Trees Around the GLOBE Campaign Data Champions for February

The GLOBE Program would like to congratulate the top most active Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign participants taking at least 10 measurements for tree height, land cover, and greenings measurements in February.    Tree Height (757 Total Measurements/Observations from 354 locations): E. Al-Rashedi, Saudi Arabia, with 58 submitted measurements O. Gupta, United States, with 54 submitted measurements Kozlicic-Juraga, Croatia, with 38 submitted measurements C. Chareesaen, Thailand, with 20 submitted measurements B. Clemente, Philippines, with 15 submitted measurements K. Pokpun, Thailand, with 12 submitted measurements S. Ćulić, Croatia, with 10 submitted measurements   Land Cover (396 Total Measurements/Observations from 253 locations): S. Sahoo, India, with 10 submitted measurements B. Buah, Ghana, with 10 submitted measurements   Greenings (55 Total Measurements/Observations from 38 locations): J. Carstensen, United States, with 11 submitted measurements J. Razlog-Grlica, Croatia, with 11 submitted measurements S. Marković-Zoraja, Croatia, with 10 submitted measurements J. Farrugia, Malta, with 10 submitted measurements   To see the maps representing the top student/campaign-based measurement countries for each of the three measurements, click here .

Join the 14 April Trees Around the GLOBE Campaign Webinar “GLOBE Student Tree Research Extravaganza”

The Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign webinar “GLOBE Student Tree Research Extravaganza: Students from around the Globe Share their Amazing Tree Research,” will be held on Tuesday, 14 April, at 1:00 p.m. EDT (7:00 p.m. UTC).    Come join students, educators, and researchers from around the world as Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign students share their tree research. From tree heights, land cover, greenings, and phenology, participants will hear research projects from students all across the world that showcase measurements methods, results, and applications. Learn how these students are taking data to the next level.    To join at the time of the webinar,  click here .

Join the 02 April GLOBE Mission Mosquito Webinar: “Meet Up and Do Science”

On Thursday, 02 April, at 2:00 p.m. EDT (7:00 p.m. UTC), GLOBE Mission Mosquito (GMM) will be hosting a webinar, “Meet Up and Do Science.”   Meet up and do science with GLOBE Observer and do your own spatial analysis of a mosquito breeding site. In this hands-on workshop, participants will take part in learning how to do their own spatial analysis of a satellite image of a GO MHM breeding site. How accurate are citizen scientists when they take on an analysis task usually conducted by experts? How can GLOBE Observer data be used to improve the accuracy of land cover classification?  Participants will get firsthand experience in image classification, and will leave the session with access to a paper version of this activity that can be used with students.  To register for the webinar, click here .  To learn more about GLOBE Mission Mosquito, click here .

Join 21 April Urban Heat Island Effect-Surface Temperature Field Campaign Webinar: “What Can YOU Do to NOT Make Your Neighborhood SO HOT?”

Join the Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE)-Surface Temperature Field Campaign Webinar #4 on 21 April (8:00 p.m. EDT): “What Can YOU Do to NOT Make Your Neighborhood SO HOT?”   During the webinar, Dr. Kevin Czajkowski (“Dr. C,” Director of the Geographic Information Science and Applied Geographics Lab at the University of Toledo, Ohio, USA) will review the GLOBE March campaign data and showcase the research being done by students. Undergraduate students from Bowling Green State University (Toledo, Ohio) will present their research on UHIE on their campus. Matt Pearce (NASA Goddard Education Program Specialist) will introduce educators to the Climate Change Research Initiative, which provides an opportunity for STEM educators to work directly with NASA scientists and lead research teams on a NASA research project. Elizabeth Sebastian (Fusion Academy, Brooklyn, New York), who participated in the above program under the mentorship of Dr. Stuart Gaffin, Dr. Reginald Blake, and Dr. Hamid Norouzi, will showcase her unit plan, “The Heat is On: Urban Heat Islands, Detection Strategies, and Mitigation Solutions.”   To register for the webinar, click here . To learn more about the campaign, click here .

The GLOBE Zika Education and Prevention Project Update

The Zika Action and Impact Meeting was held, via Zoom, on 18 March. There were approximately 20 attendees representing nine countries (Benin, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Togo, and Uganda), as well as two Public Health Officials (PHOs). The major topic discussed was how COVID-19 is affecting plans in-country. This includes which Country Mosquito Trainings (CMTs) and Local Mosquito Workshops (LMWs) are now postponed or cancelled due to governmental restrictions, as well as the issue of schools being closed for the foreseeable future. After discussing these disruptions, the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) presented their preliminary survey results on outcomes of surveys conducted over the past year, as well as focus groups for the two focus countries in Africa: Benin and Togo. The Anglophone Regional Public Health Officer also attended the focus group discussions and provided valuable insights.  To learn more about the GLOBE Zika Education and Prevention Project, click here .

GIO Seeks Recommendations /Nominations for GLOBE Partners/Earth System Science Collaborators to Join New Working Groups in U.S. Regions

The GLOBE community has a long history of fostering relationships amongst partners with a common interest in Earth System Science (ESS). GIO seeks help in recruiting GLOBE partners and ESS collaborators in your region who are interested in strengthening relationships in order to leverage resources and expertise to improve the impact of these efforts and to contribute to meeting objectives in the GLOBE Strategic Plan.   GIO recently received the go-ahead from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support the strengthening and greater exposure of ESS through the development of collaborative working groups across and within the six GLOBE regions in the United States. Comprised of 3-5 members, each of these groups will work to create a network of formal and informal science educators willing to share and support ESS through their common ground and combined efforts and to outline a plan and timeline to accomplish this in their location.   Travel Funding Available for Working Session in Boulder, Colorado   Participants will receive funding for travel and accommodations to participate in a 2.5-day working session at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, USA, to generate a collaborative plan for their ESS collaboration reflecting their own understandings of needs and opportunities within their locale.   In order to identify existing ESS educators within your region for recruitment in this effort GIO NEEDS YOUR HELP ! GIO would greatly appreciate your recommendation/nomination for potential participants in this effort. Your knowledge of people and organizations in your region that might be good candidates is very valuable! These candidates should have a current effort in ESS / GLOBE underway or a strong willingness to embrace an ESS initiative within their sphere of delivery. Ideas for collaboration could include ideas such as understanding the importance of water on our planet, biosphere projects or investigations such as gardens, a focus on weather or atmospheric science, remote sensing of ESS parameters (NASA’s Eyes on the Earth). As an example, the following is a diagram of the existing membership in the Colorado ESS Collaborative, which was the basis for the proposal.

Informational Webinars in April   Any nomination or recommendation you make will receive an application packet, information about the upcoming webinar on 06 April (3:00 p.m. EDT) or 08 April (11:00 a.m. EDT), with details about the workshop in August to consider. The webinar is also a good way for partners/teams to find out more if they are unsure about getting involved: 06 April, 3:00 p.m. EDT: To join at the time of the Zoom meeting, click here. Meeting ID: 629 774 413 Password: 969923 08 April, 11:00 a.m. EDT: To join at the time of the Zoom meeting, click here. Meeting ID: 814 065 179 Password: 715854 (To find your local number, click here.)   The application deadline for receiving applications is 05 June.   For more information, please contact John Ristvey, GIO Associate Director, at jristvey@ucar.edu .

New and Improved “GLOBE Publications” Page! Now You Can Search for Publications via Select Filters and Suggest Publications To Be Added

Thanks to the GLOBE Community Support Team (CST), the “new and improved” GLOBE publications page is up and running on the GLOBE website.   GLOBE has a long history of sharing impact and science findings through peer-reviewed publications. The peer-review process ensures that published articles represent the best scholarship currently available. Each article that is submitted to a peer-reviewed journal is sent to other scholars in the same field in order to get their opinion on the quality of research, the relevance to the field, and its appropriateness for inclusion in the journal.   The new page allows users to search for publications via filters (such as searching by author, date, and content related to GLOBE spheres or protocols). It is now possible for users to suggest publications to be added to the page by simply filling out an online form that, if approved after CST review, will get added to the library.  To access the GLOBE publications page, click here .   If you're having any problems or you have a question please contact GLOBE CST by email at  help@globe.gov  or call 1-800-858-9947.

Using the GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper? Read Recent Community Blog: “Big Data and Mosquitoes”

When you are able once again to fully use the GLOBE Observer (GO) Mosquito Habitat Mapper to help reduce the threat of mosquito-transmitted disease across the world, you will want to reach a recent blog by NASA Science Educator Dorian Wood Janney, “Big Data and Mosquitoes.” “I bet you would be surprised to learn that since we began to collect ‘ Mosquito Habitat Mappe r’ data (5/29/2017), we have had over 20,915 observations submitted! Think about how significant that number is for a tool that has only been available for less than three years!” Janney said in the blog.  “As many of us who live in the northern hemisphere begin to see signs of spring arriving- robins, crocuses, leaf buds on the trees, and warmer weather- we know that we will also see adult mosquitoes before too long. While there are over 3,500 species of mosquitoes, only about 100 of those species are actually dangerous to humans. When we are bit by a mosquito, it is the adult female with eggs who bites us. Both male and female mosquitoes get their food from pollen, but the female needs a blood meal to supply her eggs with protein so they will be viable.” “When we get bit by mosquitoes, that is when we can contract a disease. With the "Mosquito Habitat Mapper" you are helping to reduce the threat of mosquito-transmitted disease across the globe! There are four easy steps in this tool, and you do not have to do them all for you to be helping.” To read the entire blog, and learn about the four steps,  click here .

U.S. GLOBE Teachers: 20-24 April is National Environmental Education Week

From 20-24 April, the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is hosting the nation’s largest celebration of environmental education in the United States for the 16th Annual National Environmental Education Week (EE Week). Each year, NEEF partners with educators, students, government agencies, businesses, communities, nonprofit organizations, and others to inspire environmental learning and encourage stewardship of essential resources: land, air, and water.   A note from NEEF this year: “ At NEEF, our mission is to promote the health and well-being of all Americans through environmental education. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NEEF is committed to following "social distancing" guidelines to slow the spread of this dangerous virus. With this in mind, we are working to release our updated EE Week resources early, as well as sharing other free, online material from our partners, so that parents and educators will have immediate access to these environmental education tools. We hope you will consider them an informative, entertaining, and inspiring resource during this difficult time.”   To celebrate EE Week 2020, NEEF invites you to visit the Greening STEM Hub, which provides educators with the information and resources they need to deliver high-quality STEM education by tackling real-world challenges and engaging students with the natural environment.   For more information, click here .

Need Financial Assistance? YLACES Offers Awards, Scholarships, Grants – and Support – for U.S. Science Education

Youth Learning as Citizen Environmental Scientists (YLACES), based in the United States, offers awards, scholarships, grants, and support – all to assist and reward the implementation of inquiry-based, experiential science education where students do science and contribute to understanding of our environment through recognition and financial reward programs.   Those working with youth to do research projects through environmental citizen science are invited to submit proposals for support to help their efforts. Grants range from support for taking simple measurements to teacher professional development and working for pervasive inclusion of student research projects in science teaching.   In addition, support is provided for prizes recognizing student achievement and effective teaching; for infrastructure necessary for contributing, storing, and sharing data and methods; and for science fairs/symposia that assess student work. (Are you a member of 4-H or Girl Scouts? YLACES offers grants for equipment to individual chapters, councils, and State organizations.)   For more information on YLACES, and the specific types of assistance YLACES provides, click here .

Opportunities for Teachers

(U.S. opportunities are often highlighted in the News Brief simply because we are more aware of them through our local media; however, if there are opportunities for GLOBE students and/or teachers in your region that you would like us to highlight in the coming months, please send the information to: communications@globe.gov . Thank you!)

NASA STEM Educator Webinars

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative (EPDC) is presenting a series of webinars open to all educators. All pre-service, K-12, and informal educators, as well as university faculty, are invited to join NASA education specialists to learn about NASA missions, activities, lesson plans, educator guides, and online resources that integrate NASA and STEM into the classroom. An upcoming webinar, “ Explore Earth: May the NASA GEDI Force be with you this Earth Day ,” is geared toward educators in grades K-12. On Thursday, 09 April (5:30 p.m. EDT), the NASA EPDC at Texas State University will present a one-hour webinar. This year, Earth Day (22 April) celebrates its 50th anniversary while NASA marks 20 years of continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Partly a U.S.-designated National Laboratory, the ISS facilitates unique research that helps to improve life on our blue planet. In this webinar, participants will learn about NASA GEDI, a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) instrument aboard the ISS that makes 3-D measurements of our forest canopy. By doing so, NASA scientists characterize important carbon and water cycling processes and biodiversity more accurately. Relevant instructional resources will also be included.

U.S. Teachers: American Meteorological Society Offers New Certified AMS Program

U.S. Teachers: The Certified American Meteorological Society (AMS) Teacher (CAT) Program was established by the AMS to recognize and support educators actively engaged in raising Earth science literacy. CAT specifically connects K-12 educators to AMS, which strengthens their connection to the atmospheric science community and its resources. The CAT Program provides an incentive for continued professional growth for Earth science educators, ensuring that CATs remain up-to-date on new developments in Earth science and teaching standards. It offers K-12 educators opportunities to enroll in AMS Education Program courses to enhance their knowledge of weather, ocean, and climate science.   All active, in-service K-12 teachers and informal educators (i.e. museum docents, education center employees, aquarium tour guides, etc.) are eligible to become Certified AMS Teachers (CATs) through the AMS if they have a degree in atmospheric or related science and/or have completed two of the AMS Education Program’s Professional Development Courses. Educators who have a degree in atmospheric or related sciences and those that have completed two of the AMS Education Program’s courses more than five years ago must also upload a lesson plan with their application. For more information, click here .

U.S. Teachers: American Meteorological Society Offers New Certified AMS Program

The K-12 Distinguished Educator Award of the AMS Board on Pre-College Education is to be given annually to an individual in recognition of outstanding teaching at the K-12 level, either formally or informally in weather, water, or climate and the impact this individual has had on students. Impact can be demonstrated by sharing innovative lesson plans or activities, by reaching diverse students, or by going above and beyond in teaching AMS-related sciences.   The AMS Board on Pre-College Education (BPCE) is responsible for overseeing the award process and forming the selection committee. The selection committee, not fewer than five members and chaired by the chair of BPCE, shall be composed primarily of members of BPCE and at least one K-12 educator.   Nomination Process   AMS membership is not required to submit an award nomination. The nominator is responsible for uploading the entire nomination package. Teachers or educators are welcome to self-nominate.   For more information, click here .

Opportunities for Students

U.S. Summer STEM Research Opportunities

U.S. Community: Now is the time that summer research programs are announcing their 2020 deadlines. Click here and browse by institution, disciplinary categories, or by geography.

Upcoming 2020 GLOBE Teacher Training Workshops

Some of the upcoming GLOBE teacher training workshops include:  Cartagena, Colombia (GLOBE Zika and Education Prevention Project LMW): 02 April (open to all) Cartagena, Colombia (Bolivar): 03 April (open to all) Hilo, Hawaii, USA (University of Hawaii): 18 July (open to all) No training workshops in your area? Check out GLOBE’s protocol eTraining . (In order to enter GLOBE data, GLOBE users must complete the necessary training either by attending a GLOBE workshop or by completing the required online eTraining modules. Once your training is complete, you will be ready to start entering your measurements – and will be joining a community of thousands of teachers around the world!)

Anniversaries

Congratulations to the eighteen GLOBE countries celebrating anniversaries of successful GLOBE implementation during the month of April: Australia – 25 years 21 April 1995 Austria – 25 years 20 April 1995 Benin – 25 years 28 April 1995 Bolivia – 25 years 22 April 1995 Canada – 23 years 07 April 1997 Chile – 22 years 16 April 1998 Costa Rica – 25 years 22 April 1996 Croatia – 25 years 12 April 1995 Czech Republic – 25 years 20 April 1995 Ecuador – 25 years 22 April 1996 South Korea – 25 years 21 April 1995 Kuwait – 20 years 12 April 1999 Norway – 25 years 05 April 1995 Poland – 23 years 22 April 1997 Romania – 25 years 11 April 1995 Switzerland – 22 years 22 April 1998 Tanzania – 23 years 01 April 1997 Uruguay – 25 years 21 April 1995

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Past issues of the GLOBE News Brief are available in the online . (On the drop-down menu under “Category,” simply scroll down to “News Topics” and select “News Briefs.”)