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January 2019 News Brief Right

Jan 31, 2019

Highlights from the GLOBE Zika Education and Prevention Project: Latin America and Caribbean Region

Zika project.

Participants at a recent CMT in Suriname.

The GLOBE Zika Education and Prevention Project is well underway in the GLOBE Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Region! Funded by the U.S. Department of State, this invaluable project enlists citizen scientists in Zika-affected regions in the collection and mapping of mosquito data. The GLOBE LAC region has successfully completed its Country Mosquito Trainings (CMTs), which train public health officials, teachers, and community leaders in using the Mosquito Habitat Mapper, within the GLOBE Observer app, to limit the spread of mosquito-borne disease.

A recent CMT took place in Ayolas, Paraguay; it was held in collaboration with the hydroelectric power station, Yacyreta. Teachers, public officers, and environmental and health professionals participated in the training. For most participants, it was the first time they were introduced to The GLOBE Program. One participant, Marisol Viana, said that training in the Mosquito Habitat Mapper protocol is important because it makes it possible for citizens to prevent and fight diseases that have already caused many deaths at the country level. Professor Dalia Salinas de Fernández, another participant, said that the Mosquito Habitat Mapper App is useful for city officials in Ayolas, as well as for officials belonging to larger institutions and government departments.

The next phase of the GLOBE Zika Education and Prevention Project will be the Local Mosquito Workshops (LMWs), where those trained at CMTs will engage in the “train-the-trainer” approach in order to expand the number of citizen scientists involved in the project.

The GLOBE Zika and Education Project would like to thank the following schools for their exceptional data collection efforts:

J. Haselhoef, Anton de Kom University/ Environmental Science, Suriname: 22 data entries
A. Zeitune, CEF 08 Sobradinho DF, Brasila, Brazil: 13 data entries
N. Ridaie, Anton de Kom University/ Environmental Science, Suriname: 10 data entries

To learn more about this critical project, click here.

Opportunities for U.S. 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 information to communications@globe.gov. Thank you!)

NASA STEM Educator Webinars

A NASA logo.

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 Flight with Elementary STEM Science and Literacy Connections,” is geared toward educators in grades K-5. On Wednesday, 23 January (5:00 p.m. ET), the NASA EPDC at Texas State University is providing a one-hour webinar. Participants will explore teaching science and literacy through stories. Six integrated STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) lessons, based on popular books, will be presented. Instructional strategies for engineering kites, balloons, and parachutes will be included. NASA resources for alphabet activities and integrated technology will also be included.

Fulbright Distinguished Award Opportunities

U.S. K-12 Teachers: Deadline to Apply for Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Semester is 15 January

Applications for the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Semester Program for U.S. Teachers (Fulbright DA) will be accepted through 15 January. This program provides an opportunity for K–12 educators from the United States to take part in a three-month to six-month professional development experience abroad. Participants will pursue individual inquiry projects, take courses at a host university, and collaborate with colleagues on best educational practices.

For more information, and to apply for the program, click here.

U.S. K-12 Teachers: Deadline to Apply for Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program for U.S. Teachers (Cycle 1) is 25 January

Applications for the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-Term Program for U.S. Teachers (Fulbright DAST), Cycle 1, is 25 January. (Applications for Cycle II, for projects taking place between October 2019 and May 2020, will open in February 2019.) Participants in the two-week to six-week professional development experience will share their educational expertise with schools, nonprofits, teacher training institutions, and other educational organizations abroad.

Three countries are part of summer 2019’s Fulbright DAST program:

Mexico: An American specialist in natural sciences and/or STEM will work with school administration, faculty, and pre-service Mexican public-school teachers to improve teaching methods in natural sciences and/or STEM.
Uganda: An American Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education specialist will equip sixty Ugandan teachers with skills, knowledge and attitudes to effectively use modern ICT as tools for enhancing teaching and learning outcomes.
Uzbekistan: An American TESOL specialist will conduct training workshops on modern and innovative TESOL teaching methods for Uzbek English language teaching practitioners.

For more information, and to apply for the program, click here.

Opportunities for Students

Are you 18-25? Participate in the Most Comprehensive Global Survey Involving Youth from Around the World!

Are you 18-25 years old? Then participate in one of the most comprehensive global surveys involving youth (18-25 years) from all around the world!

Through this survey, the UN (United Nations) Environmental Global Environmental Outlook (GEO) for Youth, wants to find out what you want your desired future to look like; how likely you think this future will become reality; which jobs you envision; and what actions you can do yourself to make the future planet more sustainable. The outcome of this survey will be included in an E-book published by GEO-6 for Youth.

The GEO for Youth report is produced by, and adapted for, a youth audience. It is meant to stimulate dialogue within the youth community on environmental themes and issues, as well as to educate and provide capacity-building tools to foster active youth commitment for achieving sustainable development.

To take the survey, click here.

For more information about GEO for Youth, click here.

U.S. NOAA Announces Scholarship Opportunities for U.S. Undergraduates: 31 January Deadline!

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced the availability of scholarships for 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.

NOAA’s student scholarship programs provide opportunities for undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience while pursuing research and educational training in NOAA-mission sciences. The Hollings and Educational Partnership Program Undergraduate Scholarship share a common application and students who are eligible for both programs are encouraged to apply to both. For information on program benefits and how to apply, visit the following websites:

Educational Partnership Program Undergraduate Scholarship: Application Deadline: 31 January
Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship: Application Deadline: 31 January

For additional information, click here.

Upcoming 2019 GLOBE Teacher Training Workshops

A map of the world where the Globe teacher training workshops are held.

Upcoming GLOBE teacher training workshops include:

Tananarive, Madagascar (Lycee Andohalo): 07-11 January (restricted to teachers in the region)
Denver, Colorado, USA (MULTI STEM – GLOBE Weather Station and Data Visualization Workshop): 26 January (open to all teachers)

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!