GLOBE News

June 2017 GLOBE News Brief

Congratulations to the Four GLOBE Schools Randomly Selected to Receive Stipend to Attend 2017 Annual Meeting!  

Congratulations to the students of the four schools selected by random drawing to receive a stipend to help defray the cost of attending, and presenting their research at, the 2017 GLOBE Annual Meeting in New Haven, Connecticut, USA (30 July-03 August). The student teams were chosen from among the 2017 International Virtual Science Symposium participants whose projects qualified for the drawing (which can be viewed here). The GIO would also like to thank the team of judges who helped score reports and provide feedback for the students! 
 
The deadline to register for the 21st GLOBE Annual Meeting and Student Research Experience is fast approaching - 05 July. After that date, there will be a $100 late fee. (The deadline to book your hotel room is also 05 July.) For additional details and updates, check out GLOBE's one-stop-shop for information. Ready to connect in Connecticut - then click here to register!

News 

GLOBE Observer App Development Team to Receive NASA Honor Award  

Congratulations to the GLOBE Observer Team! Their hard work to develop and successfully launch the GLOBE Observer App has been noticed by NASA! The team is being recognized for a group NASA Honor Award - for "sustained excellence in delivering critical SMD (Science Mission Directorate) educational content to students and expanding it to citizen scientists." The award will be presented to the team this fall at the NASA Honor Ceremony at the Langley Research Center in Virginia, USA. 
 
The GLOBE Observer App, which is available in iOS and Android formats, allows anyone in a GLOBE country to enter data about clouds directly into the GLOBE database. "NASA's view is through satellites from space, but this app adds another layer to our understanding," said Sarah McCrea, science outreach coordinator at NASA Langley. "The ground perspective is an important piece to the puzzle."
 
You can become a GLOBE Observer. Just download the GLOBE Observer App and use it to observe the environment wherever you are.

Keeping Up on the GLOBE ENSO Student Research Campaign? Read the Latest Blog and Register for the 19 June Webinar!

Mr. Jeff Bouwman and his Shumate Middle School students in Gibralter, Michigan, USA, are NASA GLOBE ENSO Student Research Campaign superstars. Read the latest GLOBE ENSO Student Research Campaign blog written by Brian Campbell (NASA Senior Earth Science Education Specialist) - and check out these two inspiring videos showing what these amazing students have been doing with their data!
 
Have you registered for the upcoming webinar (19 June at 8:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 a.m. UTC): "Summertime Fun and Phase II" yet? During this webinar, participants will learn about the new Mosquito Habitat Mapper Protocol (coming soon through the GLOBE Observer App). A NASA scientist will also discuss recent research looking into the impact of the ENSO patterns on mosquito-borne diseases. There will also be a preview on what's coming next for Phase III! You can join this webinar by registering here.
 
Have you joined the ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) Data Entry Challenge yet? The goal of the challenge, which began on 22 April and runs through 22 July, is to involve students in the GLOBE ENSO Student Research Campaign. The data collected and entered during the campaign will help us understand how these natural cycles impact us - and how we may impact them. How can you take part in the ENSO Data Entry Challenge? Click here and find out!
 
Are you staying up-to-date on the exciting campaign? Throughout the GLOBE ENSO Student Research Campaign regular guest blogs from scientists and teachers are being posted. In addition, there is information on the science of ENSO, how to participate in the campaign, analysis tools, numerous resources, and engaging discussion opportunities on the webpage. Keep checking back to discover what's new! 

Participating in the U.S. Regional Student Research Symposia? This Year's Rubric Now Available Online - And Many More Resources Available!

The rubric that will be used for project review at the 2017 U.S. Regional Student Research Symposia (SRS) is now available online. The rubric is based on the GLOBE International Virtual Science Symposium scoring rubric, with modifications for the poster/presentation style of the SRS.
 
If you are a reviewer for one of the remaining regional science symposia, you can watch the reviewer webinar to learn more about the rubrics and the reviewing format for this year. Students will also be reviewing the projects of other students, and this peer-review rubric is also available online.
 
Do you have students working on science posters for the SRS? If so, watch the "Putting it all Together: The Science Fair Poster" webinar. Additional teacher resources are also available - just click here for more information. 

Tech Update 

Here's what's new and improved on the GLOBE website:

• Community members can now login to the GLOBE website using either a Google or Facebook login.
• Community members can now use the Vis and ADAT systems to view specific monthly climate values. 

Looking ahead for June 2017: 

• The GLOBE Data Entry mobile app will receive an update. The new version (1.3) will have the ability to create sites in the field without an internet connection and will offer support for other languages. Site types supported initially will be: Atmosphere, Surface Temperature, Hydrology, Land Cover, and Frost Tube.
• New Country Coordinator (CC) management tools will become available to CCs. These enhancements will further improve and simplify the process of managing users and important CC tasks. These will include email notifications and monthly reports that will provide member summaries to the CCs.
• Partner Dashboard: A dashboard interface will also be added to the administrator section that will allow CCs to quickly review recent member activity in their organization.  This will also provide an easier way to approve new teacher accounts and will allow CCs to send out bulk emails to selected members.

GLOBE Observer:

• The GLOBE Observer App, the smart phone app that allows citizen scientists to do science on the go received an update in May as well: the app is now available in Spanish and French.

Coming Soon:

• Look for the Mosquito Habitat Mapper (MHM) as a new feature on the NASA GLOBE Observer App. The MHM will allow users to find, document, and eliminate mosquito larvae habitats. The advanced mode will help users photograph and determine if the larvae are one of the disease carrying larvae: Anopheles, Culex or Aedes.

Download NASA GLOBE Observer for your smartphone. (It is available for both iOS and Android devices.) For more, and the latest, on NASA GLOBE Observer (#NASAGO), please visit @nasa.globeobserver on Facebook and @NASAGO on Twitter. 

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 you would like us to highlight in the coming months, please send the info to: communications@globe.gov. 

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, "Viewing Your Content Through a NASA Context" is geared toward educators in grade levels K through 16. On Thursday, 15 June (4:00 p.m. ET) the NASA Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is providing a one-hour webinar. Participants will work through two simple NASA activities that touch on ultraviolet (UV) light from the Sun and satellites. As a group, participants will explore different content (via highlighted activities) and real-world circumstances that can be easily implemented in the classroom. (Examples of application include production of scatter plots, upcoming Solar Eclipse, weather and clouds, atmospheres and solar system exploration, material composition, and radiation safety.)  

Upcoming 2017 GLOBE Teacher Training Workshops 

Upcoming GLOBE teacher training workshops include: 

• Denver, Colorado, USA (MULTI Summer Institute of Metropolitan State University of Denver): 05-09 June (potential restricted attendance)
• Matinhos, Brazil (UFPR Setor Litoral): 05-06 June (restricted to teachers in the region)
• Huntington, West Virginia, USA (Huntington High School): 06 June (open to all teachers)
• Pearlington, Mississippi, USA (INFINITY Science Center): 08 June (open to all teachers)
• Pearlington, Mississippi, USA (INFINITY Science Center): 09 June (potential restricted attendance)
• Huntsville, Alabama, USA (MSFC ERC): 09 June: (potential restricted attendance)
• Perrysville, Ohio, USA (The Nuhop Center for Experiential Learning): 09-10 June (open to all teachers)
• Bozeman, Montana, USA (Bozeman CATE): 10 June - 21 August (potential restricted attendance)
• Mountain View, California, USA (NASA AMES): 12-13 June (open to all teachers)
• Opelika, Alabama, USA (Opelika Middle School): 12-16 June (restricted to teachers in the region)
• Phenix City, Alabama, USA (Phenix City Elementary School): 12-16 June (restricted to teachers in the region)
• Fairbanks, Alaska, USA (University of Alaska Fairbanks): 12-16 June (potential restricted attendance)
• Pierre, South Dakota, USA (GLOBE Learning Expedition South Dakota): 13-16 June (restricted to teachers in the region)
• Birmingham, Alabama, USA (Oak Mountain): 13-16 June (restricted to teachers in the region)
• Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA (Westlawn Middle School): 13-22 June (restricted to teachers in the region)
• Athens, Alabama, USA (Tanner High School): 15-21 June (restricted to teachers in the region)      Montgomery, Alabama, USA (AUM): 24-25 June (restricted to teachers in the region)
• Leeds, Alabama, USA (UAB): 27-30 June (restricted to teachers in the region)
• Watsonville, California, USA (Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve): 08-09 July (open to all teachers)
• Manchester, New Hampshire, USA (STEM Discovery Lab, UNH at Manchester): 10-11 July (open to all teachers)
• Birmingham, Alabama, USA (Hoover High School) 11-14 July (restricted to teachers in the region)
• Mountain View, California, USA (NASA AMES):24-25 July (open to all teachers) 

Connect With Us

The GLOBE Program depends on you to let us know what is happening in your regions, countries, communities and classrooms. Send us news you would like to share with the GLOBE Community and we'll include it in next month's News Brief. Be sure to include photos, too.

Send your message to communications@globe.gov

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GLOBE Teachers - Are You Ready for the Great American Eclipse Coming in August? 

GLOBE teachers - there's no doubt that you're already well aware of the coming eclipse (21 August), but did you know that there are GLOBE science investigations that you can use with your students to enhance this amazing experience? Check them out here!
 
The eclipse in August will be visible across a broad swath of the Northern Hemisphere. Most areas will see a partial eclipse; however, those within the approximately 60-mile wide "path of totality" from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a total solar eclipse. These celestial events have inspired wonder and awe throughout human history, and for the first time since 1979 people in the continental U.S. will get to experience one as well!
 
This is a rare opportunity - what solar-powered protocols will you be watching? For more detailed information, visit these links: 

• GLOBE Research Ideas
• Safety
• Eclipse Learning Activities and Demos
• More about the Eclipse
• Discussions and Documents

What Are the Impacts of El Niño As Seen Through GLOBE Student Observations? Read Dr. Czajkowski's Latest Blog and Find Out!

In the fall of 2016, students in Dr. Kevin Czajkowski's Weather and Climate class at the University of Toledo developed projects based on El Niño. The students looked at GLOBE data from a part of the world impacted by El Niño. What were their observations? Read Dr. Czajkowski's blog and embark on your own journey of research and discovery!

New GLOBE Community Blog "El Niño Costero In Perú: A Story to Tell" Shares Vivid Impacts of Unique El Niño Variation - What's Your GLOBE Story?

What is causing severe social and economic impacts in Peru? A recent GLOBE Community Blog by Claudia Cecilia Caro Vera, "El Niño Costero In Perú: A Story to Tell" explains that the answer to this question is "El Niño Costero" - a unique variation of El Niño (ENSO) that occurs when there is an irregular increase in the temperature of the ocean surface restricted to Peruvian and Ecuadorian coasts. If you'd like to learn more about this phenomenon - and if you'd like to help the people of Perú affected by El Niño Costero - please read the entire blog here!
 
Do you have a GLOBE-related story to share? As a vital part of the GLOBE community, you are now invited to blog on the GLOBE website. Respectfully voice your opinion, ask questions, share tips and tidbits - and make meaningful connections with members of the community today! 

GLOBE Opportunity for U.S. Middle School Science Teachers: Professional Development Workshop Will be Held in Boulder, Colorado, USA, in August - Travel/Stipend Offered

Twelve middle school science teachers are being recruited to attend a teacher professional development workshop in Boulder, Colorado, USA, from 13-18 August - and to field test a science unit on weather that uses activities, data, and scientific protocols from The GLOBE Program. BSCS (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study) and SciEd (UCAR Center for Science Education) are developing this innovative middle school science unit.
 
This 4-5 week curriculum unit is a comprehensive approach to the NGSS-based concepts on weather, such as the uneven heating of Earth, local and global atmospheric circulation, and air mass formation and collision - all in pursuit of understanding normal weather patterns and extreme weather events that we experience in our everyday lives.
 
Funds will be provided for travel, lodging, and meals for this workshop. In addition, field test teachers will receive a stipend. Click here for more information, and instructions on how to apply. Applications must be submitted by 11 June. 

05 June is World Environment Day - Citizen Scientists Play Crucial Role in "Connecting People to Nature"

Anniversaries

Congratulations to the ten GLOBE countries celebrating anniversaries of successful GLOBE implementation during the month of June:

Argentina - 22 years
28 June 1995

Bahrain - 16 years
16 June 2001

Republic of Congo - 12 years
28 June 2005

Dominican Republic - 20 years
20 June 1997

Estonia - 21 years
19 June 1996

Ireland - 22 years
12 June 1995

Kenya - 20 years
9 June 1997

Kyrgyz Republic - 22 years
9 June 1995

Madagascar - 20 years
11 June 1997

Monaco - 17 years
29 June 2000

News Topics: News Briefs type: globe-news

News origin: GLOBE Implementation Office

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