Jeannelyn, SEES Earth System Explorer 2025 - GLOBE International STEM Network

For my (Area of Interest) AOI project I collected my 37 points using GLOBE observer, google maps, and a grid creator. These tools made collecting my data points a lot easier.

To start I plotted where all my AOI points would be based on a central point. Using CVS and GeoJson files I was able to get all 37 AOI points in that area. When choosing a center point for your grid you should consider things that will affect your ability to take photos before placing your center point. Originally I had placed my AOI points in West Bloomfield but due to the large amount of private property and multiple of my points being in lakes I had to change my center point. I changed it to Detroit as there were less lakes and a lot of the spaces were public property.

After choosing your central point and seeing all the coordinates you can copy them into google maps and save them to a list. This will give you the directions to all of your points.
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As google map guides you to your points there are some things I would recommend doing while collecting and uploading your points.

• While collecting points you should keep a list of all​​​​​​​ the places you have visited. In the middle of collecting points I had to stop and go to camp and I couldn't remember where I had left off. Luckily my mom was writing each point I visited down, so I was able to continue where I had left off.
   
• When you get to an AOI coordinate you should either take photos from your camera roll then upload them or if you are in an area with good internet press “send to GLOBE” on your globe observer app. I lost many of my photos, but the ones that were saved are because I did these two things.
• Get as close as you can to the AOI coordinates. A lot of your future research will be based on these coordinates, so to be as accurate as possible get as close to the points as you can.

Overall this has been a wonderful experience and I hope my time with AOI is able to help others gather data more simply and efficiently.

This program has given me the experience of collecting, analyzing and using data on my own and with a group. I have really enjoyed it and want this blog to assist others in this program.

Guest author, Jeannelyn, is a rising senior from West Bloomfield Michigan. This virtual internship is part of a collaboration 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 for U.S. high school (http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/sees-internship/). This guest blog shares the NASA SEES Earth System Explorers virtual internship in 2025.