December 2021 GLOBE News Brief

The December GLOBE Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE) - Surface Temperature Field Campaign

Has Begun

The Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE) - Surface Temperature Field Campaign for December has begun! As always, your participation is invaluable to this scientific endeavor. Your observations add to the extensive data set that students and scientists, including Dr. Kevin Czajkowski (“Dr. C” at the University of Toledo, Ohio, USA), can use to study the urban heat island effect.

 

The campaign is focused on looking at the impact urbanization has on the Earth’s surface temperature, and on how the surface temperature changes the dynamics of the Earth’s atmosphere.

 

To learn more about the campaign, including how to get started,

what data to collect and when, and how, click here.

To check out the new UHIE “Page for Students,” click here.

Did You Miss the NASA GLOBE Program Manager’s Presentation on The GLOBE Program at COP26? Watch it Now!

If you missed the U.S. Center COP26 – NASA Hyperwall Presentation: “The GLOBE Program – Engaging Youth and Citizen Scientists in Understanding Our Environment,” which was given on 05 November by GLOBE’s NASA Program Manager, Dr. Allison Leidner, watch it today!

 

The COP26 summit, held from 31 October through 12 November, brought parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change. The U.S. Center featured in-person and virtual events, and showcased the diversity of actors and actions that are working together to combat the climate crisis.

 

Dr. Leidner’s presentation provided an overview of The GLOBE Program, and where it fits into NASA’s objectives to understand the Earth and to inspire and engage the public. “An important aspect of NASA’s goal to learn how and why Earth works the way it does is ground-based observations from students and citizen scientists, and that’s where The GLOBE Program fits in,” Dr. Leidner said.

 

“In our 26th year, we now have 126 countries on six continents that participate. We’ve trained tens of thousands of teachers, and have hundreds of thousands of citizen scientists, and over 200 million measurements in the GLOBE database,” Dr. Leidner said. “GLOBE is a phenomenal program, and I hope that this short talk piques your interest to work with us.”

 

To watch the presentation on The GLOBE Program, click here.

To learn more about COP26, click here.

The GLOBE Program in Estonia Receives Prestigious Estonian Science Communication Award

Photo: From Left to Right: Kristi Vinter-Nemvalts, Secretary General, Ministry of Education and Research in Estonia; GLOBE Estonia Country Coordinator Laura Altin and Karl Martin (in baby carrier); and Ene Ergma (Estonia Academy of Sciences)

 

In November 2021, The GLOBE Program in Estonia received the Estonian Science Communication Award, in the category “Activities/Series of Activities Communicating Science and Technology.” The aim of the award is to acknowledge, and draw attention to, individuals who promote science in Estonia, as well as boost the activities that introduce science and technology to the general public.

 

Estonia joined the GLOBE community in June of 1996. During their 25 years of dedicated involvement with the program, approximately 60 schools have contributed data; and approximately 25 schools are actively involved each year. “The main supporters and partners of GLOBE activities in Estonia are the Ministry of Education and Research and the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn. The GLOBE network covers the entire country – from small rural schools to urban schools, with everyone participating,” GLOBE Estonia Country Coordinator Laura Altin said.

 

In addition to receiving the Estonian Science Communication Award, GLOBE Estonia received five additional awards in 2021:

 

“During the 25 years of participating in GLOBE, a large number of students and teachers with different interests have participated in the program. Many former students are now researchers, teachers, scientific journalists, doctors, and lecturers,” Laura Altin said.

 

“I am also a GLOBE alumnus,” Altin said. “I joined the program in 1996, when my mother, a geography teacher, took me to the very first teacher training, which took place in the physics building in Tartu. The whole school was involved in GLOBE activities in science and geography lessons. As a student, I participated in a global GLOBE expedition in Croatia in 2003, with a presentation introducing a nature trail connecting GLOBE observation sites around the school. After graduating from school, I started studying geography at the University of Tartu, and continued to participate in GLOBE activities. Most of the people who took an active part in the program have remained involved, and some have pointed out that GLOBE is a lifelong virus.” 

To learn more, click here.

2022 IVSS Focuses on “Engineering Solutions for a Changing Climate”

The 2022 International Virtual Science Symposium (IVSS) is focusing on “Engineering Solutions for a Changing Climate.” Students are encouraged to think creatively about solving environmental issues through engineering-minded solutions concerning climate change; and are encouraged to present their research in creative ways, such as through storytelling tools (including video, online media, storyboards, drawings, and more).

 

There are many different ways to think about engineering. Engineers are problem solvers; they help improve our world through invention and design. There are many classic engineering specialties: mechanical (designing and developing power-producing machines), civil (designing and developing infrastructure), chemical (developing and designing chemical manufacturing processes), and computer (designing and developing computer systems and technological devices). Engineers can also be biologists, ecologists, artists, and environmental scientists.

Important 2022 IVSS Dates to Keep in Mind:

 

 

For more information on the 2022 IVSS, including resources for students and teachers, click here.

Get Ready! The “NASA GLOBE Cloud Challenge 2022:

Clouds in a Changing Climate” Begins 15 January

The GLOBE Program invites you take part in the upcoming “NASA GLOBE Cloud Challenge 2022: Clouds in a Changing Climate.” The challenge will take place from 15 January through 15 February.

 

Did you know that clouds can both warm and cool our planet? Keeping an eye on clouds helps NASA study our climate. Scientists need your help in capturing data about clouds in your area. There are two ways to contribute to this citizen science effort:  

 

To learn more about the challenge, click here.

To learn more about GLOBE Observer, click here.

To learn more about NASA GLOBE CLOUD GAZE, click here.

Discover Magazine Article Highlights the Important Role of

GLOBE Observers

A recent article (18 November 2021), “Four Ways (in One App) to Help NASA Study the Changing Planet,” written by Anna Funk, and published in Discover Magazine, discusses how citizen scientists can help “research trees, clouds, and more just by snapping photos.”

 

“Researchers can accomplish amazing things these days with satellites – they can study clouds and climate, forests, and land use change and even bird migrations. But with so much satellite data, it can be hard to match up measurements from the sky above with information about what’s actually on the ground. That’s where citizen scientists like you come in,” Funk said in the article. “The app is simple to use, and currently has four different projects that are looking for your observations of clouds, trees, mosquito habitat, and land cover near you.” 

 

“NASA studies Earth from space, looking down,” Holli Kohl, the coordinator of The GLOBE Program’s app, GLOBE Observer, stated in the article. “Take clouds, for example: You, on the ground, have a different perspective; you’re looking up. We could send scientists to a few locations on the planet to take some of those ground-based concurrent measurements, but only a few. But citizen scientists are everywhere.” 

 

“But you don’t need to travel the world to submit helpful data,” Funk said in the article. “Observations from your own backyard can be just as important. You can find simple instructions for taking photos and submitting your observations for each project on the GLOBE Observer app. After a quick in-app training, you’re ready to get started.”  

To view the article, click here.

Join 07 December Webinar: “Looking at the Land Cover and Tree Canopy of the GLOBE Africa Region and the Critical Need for GLOBE Data Observations in the Africa Region”

The Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign will be hosting the webinar: “Looking at the Land Cover and Tree Canopy of the GLOBE Africa Region and the Critical Need for GLOBE Data Observations in the Africa Region. Region Focus: Africa” on Tuesday, 07 December, at 01:00 p.m. EST (06:00 p.m. UTC).

 

This campaign webinar will begin a two-month focus on the GLOBE Africa Region. Beginning with a recorded discussion with GLOBE Africa Regional Office Coordinator Mark Brettenny, participants will focus on the importance of taking land cover and tree height observations across Africa, with a focus on data literacy. Participants will then take a close look at the Global Land Cover Viewer and the Global Forest Canopy Height online tool in order to focus on how to look at current, and past, land cover and tree height data in the Africa Region. Following the use of these online tools, useful content from the NASA Eyes on Earth online tool will be highlighted, and there will be discussion focused on the importance of taking multiple observations of land cover and tree height.

 

If you are interested in joining the webinar, please send an email to Campaign Lead, Brian Campbell. To learn more about the Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign, click here.

Join 09 December GLOBE Mission Mosquito Webinar:

“The Story Maps Tell”

GLOBE Mission Mosquito (GMM) will be hosting the webinar, “Story Maps Tell,” on Thursday, 09 December, at 02:00 p.m. EST (06:00 p.m. UTC).

 

During the webinar, Dr. Michael Jabot will present information using data from the GLOBE Mosquito Habitat Mapper Challenge and StoryMaps. Participants will leave knowing how they can use these free online data and tools with students or projects.

 

To register for the webinar, click here.

To learn more about GMM, click here.

Recent Article Highlights How Volunteers Support Research Using the Mosquito Habitat Mapper Tool

Aedes aegypti, pictured here, is a species of mosquito capable of transmitting several diseases. Credit: James Gathany/CDC

 

A recent article (29 October 2021), “App Tracks Harmful Mosquitoes with Help from Crowdsourced Science,” written by Elizabeth Thompson, and published in Eos (Science News of American Geophysical Union/AGU), highlights the ability of volunteers to support research and fight mosquito populations using The GLOBE Program’s app, GLOBE Observer, Mosquito Habitat Mapper Tool.

 

“Mosquito-borne diseases, including malaria and dengue, kill more than one million people each year. Scientists track mosquito populations to predict and combat disease outbreaks, but local communities in infected areas also have a vital role to play in mosquito research,” Thompson said in the article.

 

“Low et al. describe results from the Mosquito Habitat Mapper tool’s first three years, organize the data, and demonstrate that data sets sourced from the public make a valuable contribution to scientific research. The authors also point out that because methods and various details are carefully documented, scientists have enough information to decide whether this data source will work for a given experiment. More than 24,000 observations were reported during the tool’s first three years.”

 

“The program not only is a useful tool for scientists, but also benefits app users’ communities,” Thompson said in the article. “The tool educates volunteers about the science surrounding mosquito life cycles, giving them a knowledgeable voice in local mosquito management decisions. In addition, the Mosquito Habitat Mapper encourages participants to fight mosquito populations directly.”

 

To view the article, click here.

To view the abstract, written by Russanne (Rusty) Low, Rebecca Boger, Peder Nelson, and

Matteo Kimura, click here.

How Do You Identify Stratus Clouds? Read This Blog and Find Out!

“Stratus clouds are one of the three main types of clouds. Remember, there are many types of clouds that fall into three main categories: cumulus, stratus, and cirrus,” Marilé Colón Robles (lead for the GLOBE Clouds Team at NASA's Langley Research Center) said in a recent blog, “Cloud Observation Tips: Identifying Stratus Clouds.”

 

“Using hand-motions, we would stretch out our hands as far out as we could to mimic a stratus cloud. There are stratus-type clouds at all three basic altitude levels. These are: stratus clouds (low level), altostratus clouds (mid-level), and cirrostratus clouds (high level). When stratus-type clouds are present, your skies will most likely be overcast or the cloud cover is 90 percent or more. Note, there is a difference between overcast and obscured skies.”

 

“Sometimes, you might see stratocumulus clouds, which are flat with a puffiness to them. Stratocumulus clouds form when the stratus layer is breaking up. It indicates that the weather patterns have changed! You see stratocumulus clouds near warm, cold, and occluded fronts,” Marilé Colón Robles said in the blog.

 

To read the entire blog, click here.

To check out other GLOBE Community Blogs, click here.

To view a tutorial on how to create a community blog, click here.

GLOBE Student Vloggers Share “All About My Culture” In New Videos

Four GLOBE Student Vloggers (GSVs) have released a video detailing their culture (with more to come from the vloggers who have yet to share their culture story). If you haven't viewed these videos already, check them out today:

  

Stay tuned! During the first week of January, in conjunction with “NASA GLOBE Cloud Challenge 2022: Clouds in a Changing Climate,” the vloggers will be releasing a special edition “compilation” video on clouds and climate for each of their locations. 

 

To view current, and past, vlogs from the GSVs on The GLOBE Program's YouTube channel, click here. (Be sure to subscribe and elect for notifications to never miss a weekly episode.)

U.S. High School Students in 2021 SEES Intern Program Share Experiences Using Mosquito Habitat Mapper

U.S. high school students participating in a collaboration effort between The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and the NASA Texas Space Grant Consortium (TSGC) to extend the TSGC Summer Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) Internship program are sharing their research experiences using The GLOBE Program’s app, GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper (MHM) via GLOBE’s “Community Blog.”  

In “A Summer Research Experience with the SEES Earth Explorers Mosquito Habitat Mappers Team,” SEES MHM Intern, Andrew K., a student from New Jersey, USA, shares: “After digging through my sea of emails, I remember the thrill I felt when I received my acceptance into the NASA SEES Internship Earth Explorers- Mosquito Mappers. Realizing this would be the first time I experienced a program remotely, my mind raced with questions. What will it be like, being part of a research team? What if I mess up the registration process? What would research look like? Although I wasn’t sure what to expect of the program, I was eager to discover what experiences and challenges await.”  

To read the full story, click here.

In “Combining Machine Learning and Remote Sensing,” SEES MHM Intern, Ria J., a student from California, USA, shares: Have you ever wondered how NASA develops accurate models of the earth's surface from space? How do we know the topography of the planet, the behavior of the water cycle, or the changes to sea level? My experience with the NASA SEES Earth System Explorers virtual internship this summer gave me a glimpse into the process of how such data is collected, analyzed, and ultimately presented: remote sensing. The internship allowed me to empirically learn about the world around me through a combination of coursework, literature review, hands-on science, and collaborative research.”

To read the full story, click here.

Keeping Up with GLOBE Star Stories? Read About Our Latest Stars!

Have you been keeping up with the latest GLOBE Star Stories? GLOBE Stars are stories of projects, people and extraordinary activities being conducted around the world in connection to GLOBE. These GLOBE Stars are the bright lights that spark our imagination and inspire us with news of GLOBE at work in the world.

 

Read our most recent Star Stories:

 

Are you a GLOBE Star? Share Your Story!

 

Are you a GLOBE Star? If so, GLOBE wants to hear all about it! Send your story of people, projects, or activities to share on the GLOBE website.

 

To learn more about GLOBE Stars, and to access the easy-to-use template for

submitting your GLOBE Star Story, click here.

December Tech Update

As always, GLOBE continues to work to ensure that your “use” of the website, and associated apps, is as user-friendly as possible.

 

New Features/Enhancements 

 

If you have any questions, or need assistance, contact the GLOBE Community Support Team (CST) at: globehelp@ucar.edu.

It’s That Time of Year Again – Check Your Mailbox This Month for the 2021 GLOBE Annual Survey

Teachers, Partners, Country Coordinators, and Members of the GLOBE International STEM Network (GISN): Please be on the lookout for the 2021 GLOBE Annual Survey, which will arrive in your inbox this month! Your survey responses are important; your input provides invaluable information about the growth and progress of the GLOBE community. 

 

To check out some education highlights from last year's survey, click here.

(GIO will continue to update this site with one-page infographics that highlight survey results from each of the GLOBE Strategic Plan goal areas – science, technology, communication and community -- throughout the month.) 

U.S. GLOBE Teachers and Partners: Join the Watercoolers in December

U.S. GLOBE Teachers and Partners: Join the Watercoolers in December. Watercoolers are held most Thursdays, at 04:10 p.m. EST. They provide an informal opportunity to connect with other GLOBE teachers and partners to share ideas. Each week begins with a presentation from a teacher or partner, with time for questions and conversation following.

 

For upcoming Watercooler dates, topics, and registration click here.

To catch up on past Watercoolers, click here.

 

Sign up to Present

 

GLOBE Teachers and Partners: You are invited to share your experience and expertise. Please consider signing up to share how you are using GLOBE in your region.

 

To sign up to present at a Watercooler, click here.

U.S. GLOBE Teachers: Connect Your Students with a

Scientist Mentor This Year

The U.S. GLOBE Office, with support from its funders, NASA and YLACES (Youth Learning as Citizen Environmental Scientists), has been working to provide opportunities for U.S. GLOBE teachers and their students to engage with scientist mentors from the GLOBE International STEM Network (GISN).

 

Having a mentor work with your students could include a scientist: supporting student research projects, facilitating experiential science learning activities, discussing their STEM career, and/or discussing STEM career pathways.

 

If you are interested in your students being matched with a GISN member, complete the survey (see link below) -- telling us about what kind of interaction and who would serve your classroom best. We look forward to connecting your students with scientist role models!

 

To fill out the survey, click here.

To learn more about the GISN, click here.

To learn more about YLACES, click here.

GLOBE Implementation Office Closed 24 December and 31 December for Seasonal Holidays

The GLOBE Implementation Office (GIO), including the Community Support Team, will be closed on Friday, 24 December, and on Friday, 31 December, for the seasonal holidays.

 

GIO wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Opportunities for Teachers

NOTE: 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: globecommunications@ucar.edu. 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, “Aeronaut-X: Senses of Sound,” is geared toward educators in grades K-12. On Monday, 06 December (06:00 p.m. EST), the NASA EPDC at Texas State University will present a one-hour webinar. Participants will take a look back at the history of X-Planes and NASA Aeronautical Research while also looking forward to the future of NASA Aeronautics Innovation. Explore NASA STEM engagement activities that guides students in a series of hands on demonstrations that illustrate several principles of sound, motion, forces, and interactions of energy and matter in its relation to aircraft design. Learn how the Engineering Design Process is like the process that NASA engineers use when designing new aircraft. Discover sonic booms and the Future of Commercial Supersonic Flight. This webinar will include hands-on inquiry activities, NASA STEM K-12 videos, educator guide, instructional PowerPoint presentation and aeronautics resources. 

GLOBE U.S. In-Service/Pre-Service Teachers: Natural Inquirer Opportunity Offers Stipends for Blog/Social Media Posts

U.S. GLOBE Pre-service and In-service Educators: Do you use GLOBE protocols, learning activities, or books? Do you use the Natural Inquirer journals or activities? If you answered YES to either question, there is an exciting opportunity for you!

 

The GLOBE Program, in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, is looking for K-12 pre- and in-service educators to write a blog or social media post (Pinterest, Twitter thread, etc.) connecting an issue of the Natural Inquirer with GLOBE protocols and/or learning activities. These crosswalk resources will be published on the GLOBE website and shared with educators in both communities. Stipends for published pieces are available!

 

Share this flyer with your networks, or use as a classroom assignment with your

pre-service teachers.

Questions? Contact the U.S. GLOBE Office: usglobeoffice@gmail.com.

 

YLACES Offers Awards, Scholarships, Grants – and Support – for 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.

 

For more information on YLACES, and the specific types of assistance

YLACES provides, click here.

GLOBE Teachers: Turn Your Students into Hurricane Trackers! Book New Virtual Field Trip Today!

Teachers: Book this brand new, free, virtual field trip for 3rd-5th graders developed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Center for Science Education’s, a GLOBE partner. Immerse your students in an exciting, interactive adventure as they explore hurricane hazards, interpret and communicate incoming weather data, and discuss how to reduce impacts on a coastal town.

 

Spark wonder, curiosity, and conversation in your classroom with a virtual field trip! Book one of the interactive programs with a live educator at a date and time most convenient for you. All you need to participate is a computer, webcam, and internet access. Minimum group size: eight students. Maximum group size: fifty students. 

For more information, click here.

Opportunities for Students

U.S. GLOBE Students (Grades 6 through 12): NASA Spotlight Challenge: Cloud Detectives – Fall Registration Open; Videos Due 20 December

GLOBE Students: NASA wants student content producers to produce a video for the NASA eClips™ website. 

 

One of NASA’s goals is to improve scientific literacy, or our understanding of science. The goal of the video challenge is to engage students in doing activities that can help change their misconceptions about a topic in science. Each tab on the challenge website provides the information and resources needed to produce a NASA Spotlite video.

 

Student teams will produce a video (ninety seconds to two minutes) confronting one of two misconceptions related to clouds, by investigating and collecting evidence, including GLOBE Clouds and NASA data. 

To learn more about the challenge, click here

Questions? Contact Joan Harper-Neely at: Joan.Harper-Neely@nianet.org.

U.S. NOAA Offers Scholarship Opportunities for U.S. Undergraduates – Deadline 31 January 2022 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is pleased to announce the availability of scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students majoring in disciplines related to oceanic and atmospheric science, research, or technology – and supportive of the purposes of NOAA’s programs and mission. Over 100 students are selected each year for participation in the Ernest F. Hollings and Educational Partnership Program (EPP)/Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) scholarship programs. (Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, internships and planned events, such as scholar orientation and the scholar symposium, may be held virtually.)

 

For information on program benefits and how to apply, visit:

 

For more information, including eligibility requirements,

contact the Office of Education Scholarship Programs at StudentScholarshipPrograms@noaa.gov.

U.S./Canada K-12 Teachers: Deadline for Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Science Competition is 31 January 2022

The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision science competition encourages K–12 students to imagine what technology might be like in the future while learning the scientific process in an engaging, hands-on way. The deadline for submissions 31 January 2022.

 

ExploraVision is a science competition that goes beyond the typical student science competition and into what it takes to bring ideas to reality. A teacher will sponsor and lead his/her students as they work in groups of 02-04 to simulate real research and development. A teacher will guide his or her students as they pick a current technology, research it, envision what it might look like in 10 or more years, and describe the development steps, pros and cons, and obstacles. Past winners have envisioned technologies ranging from a hand-held food allergen detector to a new device to help people who have lost limbs regain movement in real time. The competition is open to students enrolled in public, private, or home school in the United States and Canada. 

 

For more information on the competition, click here.

Anniversaries

Congratulations to the 12 GLOBE countries celebrating anniversaries of successful GLOBE implementation during the month of December:

Burkina Faso – 23 years

18 December 1998

 

El Salvador – 26 years

11 December 1995

 

Germany – 26 years

08 December 1995

 

Greece – 26 years

12 December 1995

 

Guatemala – 24 years

05 December 1997

 

Maldives – 18 years

08 December 2003

 

Oman – 12 years

08 December 2009

 

Russia – 27 years

16 December 1994

 

Slovak Republic – 02 year

31 December 2019

 

Slovenia – 01 year

03 December 2020

 

Sri Lanka – 22 years

20 December 1999

 

Suriname – 24 years

23 December 1997

 

The GLOBE Implementation Office would like to thank these countries for their ongoing educational and scientific contributions to The GLOBE Program!

GLOBE Program Items Available at Lands’ End Online Store

A variety of GLOBE program items (including clothing, jackets, and promotional pieces) are available at the GLOBE Store on Lands’ End Business.

 

It’s easy! To start shopping, click here.

Then click on the product, choose the size, and select The GLOBE Program logo.

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