Stars and STEM Stories
GLOBE United States: New EMERGE Environmental Science Curriculum Features GLOBE Mission Mosquito and Land Cover
In 2025, the EMERGE project (Environmental Monitoring through Education, Research & Geospatial Engagement), supported by NASA and led by the University of Florida’s GeoDI Lab, launched its open-access EMERGE curriculum: Environmental Science Meets Community Action. At the center of this effort were undergraduate students Ashley Hays (geomatics) and Olivia Zhang (geography and data science), two GLOBE Observer citizen scientists who authored the curriculum and helped bring it to life for educators, librarians, and citizen scientists.
The five-chapter textbook introduces learners to foundational concepts of citizen science and public health, and then builds toward data visualization, NASA Earth observation satellites, and coding in Python to analyze GLOBE Mission Mosquito and Land Cover data. The final chapter guides participants in hosting community “Data Camps,” empowering them to communicate findings and take local action. By tailoring the materials for different audiences, Ashley and Olivia ensured that teachers, librarians, local governments, and community members could all engage meaningfully with GLOBE data.
Ashley Hays (L); Olivia Zhang (R)
In addition to writing the textbook, Ashley and Olivia also are developing facilitator guides and support resources for EMERGE mini-grantees—a statewide cohort of libraries and community-based organizations funded to run citizen science programs with their communities. Their guidance helps librarians and educators understand how to integrate GLOBE Mosquito Habitat Mapper (MHM) and Land Cover tools into events, manage data collection activities, and adapt the curriculum for local contexts.
Ashley and Olivia were central to EMERGE Kickoff Week (28 July–1 August 2025), a statewide series of webinars where they introduced the curriculum to Florida educators, librarians, and extension agents. Soon after, they partnered with Dr. Rusty Low on a two-part educator webinar series for the GLOBE Mission Mosquito Campaign in September 2025, bridging GLOBE Observer MHM data with introductory coding activities for classrooms and afterschool programs.
Their leadership extended to hands-on events as well. Ashley and Olivia helped organize and facilitate the EMERGE Hackathon and Data Visualization Contest in September 2025 at the Broward County Library Creation Station. There, students, librarians, and community members used GLOBE MHM and Land Cover data to build maps, infographics, and dashboards, demonstrating how citizen science data can be transformed into actionable tools for public health and resilience.
They also shared EMERGE with the youth development community at the 4-H Volunteer Conference of Southern States in early October 2025, co-presenting on how GLOBE data and citizen science can inspire youth-led environmental action.
Reflecting on her experience, Ashley said:
“The most exciting thing about this project is getting to talk to people who are not only reading but using the textbook that Olivia and I created. A lot of love and work went into this project, and it feels rewarding to see our goals in action. I feel very personally connected to this project since vector tracking, specifically with mosquitoes, has been a long-time interest of mine. My long-term goals are to work in medical geography, and this project shows how datasets can be built collaboratively with the public.”
Olivia added:
“Citizen science was what first ignited my interest in research when I was in high school. Through EMERGE, I’m so grateful to contribute to educational materials that inspire more people to be involved in citizen science through GLOBE. … I am passionate about the intersection of community engagement and geospatial data to build resilience. This project has given me skills in both science communication and geospatial analysis.”
Together, Ashley and Olivia have shown how student leadership can powerfully advance GLOBE science. Their work on EMERGE connects Florida communities to global research, supports educators and libraries across the state, and demonstrates how citizen science can inspire resilience and public health awareness far beyond the classroom.
Opening image courtesy of Your Name in Landsat.