GLOBAL News - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

October 2017 GLOBE News Brief

GLOBE Welcomes Two New Partnering Countries: Republic of Seychelles and Liberia

On 25 August, an agreement between NASA and the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Seychelles, for cooperation in The GLOBE Program, was finalized. Seychelles is the 118th country to participate in GLOBE. 

On 25 September, an agreement between NASA and the Ministry of Education, to implement The GLOBE Program in Liberia, was signed. Liberia is now the 119th country to participate in GLOBE.

The GLOBE Implementation Office welcomes the Republic of Seychelles and Liberia to our ever-expanding GLOBE community!

News

Phase III of the ENSO Campaign "Water in Our Environment" Has Begun!

We are proud to announce Phase III of the GLOBE ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) Student Research Campaign: "Water in Our Environment." For this phase, the focus is on Earth's water, with three simple guiding investigative questions: 

• What is the quality of the water in our environment?
• What impact does water, both above and below ground, have on our environment?
• How does water in our environment impact living organisms?

During Phase III, you can be as involved as you like. There are no commitment requirements, although we do hope to "see you" at a webinar or two - and would love for you and your students to share what you are doing! There will be two types of webinars:

• Monthly Science and Research Webinars - These webinars will focus on our guiding questions as we learn about research currently being conducted by scientists at NASA and around the world. We will also explore a variety of both GLOBE and non-GLOBE resources that can be used to enhance students' understanding of the science behind the guiding questions.
• The Short Observation & Data Analysis (SODA) Webinars - These webinars will focus on the data collected during the SODA protocol measurement period. Several schools (teachers and students) will present their data collection and what the data has told them about "Water in Our Environment."

To learn more about Phase III of the ENSO Student Research Campaign, click here! To receive emails and to sign up for the webinars, click here! Then you will be on your way to connecting with NASA, scientists, and teachers around the world! 

Have You Heard? The 2018 GLE Will Take Place in Ireland!

The GLOBE Program has announced the site of the 2018 GLOBE Learning Expedition (GLE): Killarney, Ireland! The event will take place during the first week of July 2018. Stay tuned for more information - and the registration page, which will be going up this month.

U.S. Teachers: Register Today for the 17 October GLOBE Mission EARTH Webinar: "GOES-R: GLOBAL WEATHER WATCHERS"

U.S. Teachers: Register today for the GLOBE Mission EARTH webinar on 17 October: "GOES-R: Global Weather Watchers." John Moore, Director for Geosciences and STEM Education at Palmyra Cove Nature and Environmental Center will be the presenter for the webinar, which will begin at 8:00 p.m. EDT.

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites - R Series (GOES-R) - is the next generation of geostationary Earth-observing systems, which was launched in November 2016. Now that it is in orbit, its designation is GOES 16, and will become operational in the near future.

The geosciences have a critical role to play in the public awareness, safety, and national security. This Earth SySTEM project will introduce the SPACE to EARTH: EARTH to SPACE (SEES) model. Students using standard GLOBE atmosphere protocols (including the GLOBE Cloud app), will complete ground verification/truth data in comparison to satellite imagery. In addition, a sneak preview of a developing Augmented Reality (AR) project, HoloGLOBE , will be introduced. A student follow-up event will occur on Friday, 20 October, at 1:00 pm (EDT).

To register for the event, click here.

To learn more about GLOBE Mission EARTH, which is a collaborative of multiple institutions across the United States that was formed in order to increase involvement in The GLOBE Program, click here!

European Phenology Campaign 2017/2018 is On!

The European Phenology Campaign 2017/2018 has begun! This event gives students a special opportunity to learn more about phenology and seasonal changes in their environment. During autumn, students will observe color changes and the falling of leaves using both the GLOBE green-down protocol and the GrowApp smartphone application. To learn more, click here! 

Read the Latest Blogs by Dr. Dixon Butler?

When can observations of daily precipitation be reported?

As Dr. Dixon Butler (the Chief Scientist of The GLOBE Program from 1996 through 2003 who now serves as a consultant for NASA on GLOBE) explains in his blog,"Daily Precipitation - Now May be Reported at Any Time of Day," daily temperature and precipitation measurements were originally to be taken within one hour of local solar noon - a time expected to coincide with a school's mid-day lunch break. How have the protocols been freed from this time constraint? Read the blog and find out!

What is the story on the GLOBE Max/Min Thermometer? 

As Dr. Dixon Butler explains in his blog, "The GLOBE Max/Min Thermometer Story," the measurement of daily maximum minimum air temperature has been a key GLOBE protocol. The low-cost approach was to use a U-tube thermometer housed in a wooden instrument shelter facing away from the equator - yet, there was a problem with the prolonged use of this type of thermometer. What was the problem? And what is now the appropriate thermometer for GLOBE schools to use in instrument shelters? Read the blog and find out!

The Eclipse has Passed Over - But Here's What You Can Do with Your Solar Eclipse Glasses Now

Now that the solar eclipse across America has passed over, you may be wondering what you can do with your eclipse glasses. If your glasses aren't damaged, you can save them for future eclipses (the next eclipse in America will be in 2023 and 2024) or you can donate them to children in regions experiencing future eclipses! Astronomers Without Borders has announced a partnership with telescope company Explore Scientific to collect and distribute used eclipse glasses. Simply (and carefully) pack your glasses and mail them to: AWB Eclipse Glasses Donation Program, Explore Scientific, 1010 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR 72762.

In a recent NASA article discussing this topic, Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate at Headquarters in Washington said, "As long as they're in pristine condition, safe solar viewing tools can be used any time to continue our newfound relationship with the Sun." (To read the full article, which provides an interactive tool with information on upcoming total and partial eclipses, click here.)

Did you use the GLOBE Observer App to experience the eclipse? Click here to check out the data observation contributions from throughout the path of totality and beyond. If you haven't downloaded the GLOBE Observer App yet, download it today. By using the GLOBE Observer App, you are contributing important scientific data to NASA and GLOBE, your local community, and students and scientists worldwide. 

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. 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, "Lessons from a Decade of Stratospheric Exploration: STEM in Action for Educators," is geared toward educators in grades K-12. On Wednesday, 11 October (6:30 p.m. ET) the NASA EPDC at Texas State University is providing a one-hour webinar. Participants in this webinar will get an overview of assessment strategies and resources to use in their classrooms from guest speaker Ken Walczak.

Obama Foundation Fellowship Program Seeking Civic Innovators from Around the World

The Obama Foundation Fellowship program is seeking to support outstanding civic innovators from around the world in order to amplify the impact of their work and to inspire a wave of civic innovation. The inaugural class of 20 Fellows will be integral to shaping the program and the community of Fellows for future years. Applications close 06 October at 6:00 p.m. CT.

The two-year, non-residential Fellowship will offer hands-on training, resources, and leadership development. Fellows must be proficient in English; however, they do not need to be U.S. citizens. The Obama Foundation is a non-partisan, non-political entity. To learn more, and to apply, click here! 

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Awards and Recognitions - Entries Must be Submitted by 15 December! 

The annual NSTA Awards and Recognition Program, which recognizes exceptional and innovative science educators, began in 1973. The NSTA Awards and Recognition Program was created to raise awareness and to expose the outstanding work being done in the science education field. All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST on 15 December 2017 (via online submission). There are no entry fees. For more information on the variety of awards, and how to submit entries, click here.

U.S. Department of State Issues Open Call for U.S. Scientists to Serve as Authors/Editors on IPCC Sixth Assessment Report

The U.S. Department of State seeks nominations for U.S. scientists with requisite expertise to serve as Lead Authors or Review Editors on the Working Group I, II, and III contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6).

Additional information and the nominations vehicle can be found on the USGCRP Public Contributions System. All registered users can nominate U.S. citizens and permanent lawful residents to be considered by the IPCC Working Group Bureau responsible for respective contributions to the AR6. The USGCRP nominations system for this process will be disabled on Tuesday, 24 October, and a nominations package transmitted on behalf of the U.S. IPCC Focal Point on 27 October. For more information, and to view the Open Notice, click here. 

Opportunities for Students

U.S. Texas Juniors: NASA's High School Aerospace Scholars Application is Now Open

NASA's High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) application is now open. This is a one-of-a-kind experience for Texas high school students to explore the possibilities of a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related major or career. In order to be eligible for this experience, you must be a U.S. citizen, a Texas high school junior, committed to a one-year relationship with NASA, and have Internet access (from home, school or public library). For more information and application deadlines, click here. 

Upcoming 2017 GLOBE Teacher Training Workshops 

• Perrysburg, Ohio, USA (577 Foundation): 09-10 October (restricted to teachers in the region)

• Cottage Grove, Oregon, USA (Lane Cottage Grove Center): 09 October (open to all teachers)

• Eugene, Oregon, USA (Lane Community College): 10 October (open to all teachers)

• Florence, Oregon, USA (Lane Florence Center): 12 October (open to all teachers)

• Portland, Oregon, USA (Portland Community College-Sylvania): 14 October (potential restricted attendance)

• Huntsville, Alabama, USA (UAH K): 01 November (restricted to teachers in the region)

• New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (New Orleans Bootcamp): 06-10 November (for U.S. Partners)

• Pearlingon, Mississippi, USA (INFINITY Science Center): 17 November (open to all teachers)

• Morehead City, North Carolina, USA (NCSU Center for Marine Sciences and Technology/CMAST): 02 December (open to all teachers)

• Chon Buri, Thailand (Burapha University): 17-23 December (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.)

Sign Up Today for the Phase III ENSO Campaign Webinar on 24 October: "Water Quality"

The next Phase III GLOBE ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) Student Research Campaign science and research webinar will be held on 24 October at 5 p.m. ET (9 p.m. UTC): "Water Quality."

The guiding questions for the 24 October webinar are: 

• SME: "What is the quality of water in our environment?" (A NASA scientist will give an overview of the use of remote sensing to measure water quality.)
• Collaboration: We will focus our discussion on these questions:

1. What are some "Best Practices" when using hydrology protocols?

2. How can teachers/scientists use their results to bring about change in their communities?

3.  What are some potential collaborations GLOBE schools could engage in while focusing on water quality?

4. What resources/support can we offer to enhance their collaboration?

To learn more about Phase III of the ENSO Student Research Campaign, click here! To receive emails and to sign up for the webinars, click here! 

2018 GLOBE IVSS Informational Webinar Will be Held on 25 October

The GLOBE Program is pleased to announce the 2018 GLOBE International Virtual Science Symposium (IVSS)! Projects will be due on Thursday, 01 March 2018.

Informational Webinar

 Dr. Julie Malmberg from the GLOBE Implementation Office will host an informational webinar about the 2018 GLOBE IVSS on Wednesday, 25 October, at 1:00 p.m. MT/3:00 p.m. ET/19:00 UTC. If you are unable to attend, you can submit questions ahead of time to malmberg@ucar.edu and she will answer them during the webinar (which will be recorded). Plan to join us on the 25th via this url: https://zoom.us/j/217948903. 

Teachers: Do you have questions for a scientist or another STEM professional? We are trying something new this year! If you would like assistance or mentoring for your IVSS project, fill in a form with your information here: Student Groups Looking for Mentors. We'll then post the information and interested GISN members or others STEM professionals can contact you. (Once you hear from a mentor, let us know and we'll remove your advertisement.) Please be as specific as possible about what sort of assistance your students need!

GISN Members and STEM Professionals: There are several ways for you to participate in the IVSS  this year: 

• Check the Student Groups Looking for Mentors page to see what student groups need help.  
• Sign up to be a mentor or a judge on the Volunteer Sign-Up page.

To learn more about the IVSS - and this year's IVSS timeline - click here.

International Biomes Project 2017 Has Begun! 

The International Biomes Project 2017 began on 30 September in the foothills of South Africa.

In the past, the African Biannual Kilimanjaro Learning Expedition alternated with the Lake Victoria Learning Expedition. This year, the expedition for the International Biomes Project will begin in the foothills of the Outeniqwa Mountains in George, South Africa. The adventure will start in the cultivated foothills biome. It will then move through the various biomes of the Outeniqwa Mountains.  

If you are interested in participating in the International Biomes Project 2017, or if you have questions regarding the expedition, please contact Mark Brettenny at: mark@globe-africa.org.

Have You Read the Scientific American Blog "The GLOBE Program: Making the Case for K-12 Citizen Scientists" Yet?

Have you read the Scientific American blog, "The GLOBE Program: Making the Case for K-12 Citizen Scientists" by Amanda Baker? If not, click here and read it today!

The article, published on 19 September, states that The GLOBE Program has spent the last 20 years making the case for K-12 students as citizen scientists. "In fact," the article states, "it has made the case millions of times - with more than 10 million students collecting more than 140 million data points around the world. Their measurements have ranged from soil moisture to surface temperature to cloud observations and have provided data for numerous academic publications about the global environment."

In the blog, Dr. Tony Murphy, Director of the GLOBE Implementation Office, states that GLOBE campaigns give students a chance to learn about their local environment and see how it fits into a broader global context. Dr. Murphy also states that The GLOBE Program is first and foremost a K-12 citizen science program - and that he sees no reason why someone should have to wait until they are 18 to become a citizen scientist. And, as the article concludes, "GLOBE has shown a number of reasons not to wait ... millions of reasons and counting."

To read the entire article, click here.

Keeping up with the Community Blogs? Share Your Story!

Have you been keeping up with what's going on in the GLOBE community? A great place to start is the Community Blog! As a vital part of the GLOBE community, you are cordially invited to respectfully voice your opinion, ask questions, share tips and tidbits - and make meaningful connections with members of the community.

Recent blog posts include: 

• Guest Post by GLOBE Teacher Bonnie Banyas: The First Year with our Weather Shelter (by Jennifer Bourgeault, posted 02 October)
• Water in Our Environment (by Dorian Wood Janney, posted 02 October)
• Just How Cool was the Solar Eclipse? Temperature Data from NASA Langley (by Jessica Taylor, posted 27 September)

The GLOBE Community Support Team (CST) has recorded a demonstration video on how to create a blog post, including how to add images and "tags" to your text. Simply click on the following link or visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwu7DaSJMgY. If you prefer, you can follow along with the set of instructions by clicking here.

What do Peace Corps and The GLOBE Program Have in Common? Find Out!

The GLOBE Program and Peace Corps share a common commitment to the environment, education, youth development and empowerment, capacity building, and cultural understanding. Since 1995, GLOBE and Peace Corps have informally collaborated on activities in countries in Africa, Asia and Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and Caribbean, and the Near East.

In 2016, NASA and Peace Corps signed a Letter of Intent to strengthen collaboration between GLOBE and the Peace Corps. The GLOBE/Peace Corps Alignment Document outlines some of the ways Peace Corps can, and is, using GLOBE - as well as how GLOBE science protocols align to the Peace Corps.

To learn more about this collaboration, click here.

Teachers: Check out These "GLOBE Across the Curriculum" Tips/Resources for Your Classrooms

GLOBE Teachers: If you haven't visited "GLOBE Across the Curriculum" pages on the GLOBE website lately, you may want to check out the tips and resources available to you!

For instance, under "Group Documents," you will find invaluable resources, including: 

• "U.S. Next Generation Science Standards" (which provides information about GLOBE alignment with the NGSS)
• "STEM Activities in GLOBE Atmosphere" (a flyer created by NASA Langley as a teacher handout)
• "Sheltered English in Environmental Education" (a presentation about working with English language learners) 

Keep coming back for more tips and resources for your classroom!

Want to Share Information about The GLOBE Program? Check Out These One-Pagers!

Presenting about GLOBE at a conference? Want to share information about GLOBE? Here is a collection of our GLOBE One-Pagers.

Available one-pagers include: 

• Become a GLOBE Teacher
• Become a GLOBE Observer
• Become a Member of the GISN
• GLOBE eTraining
• GLOBE Measurement Campaigns
• GLOBE Schools and NASA Satellite Missions
• GLOBE Countries
• U.S. GLOBE Regions Map
• Become a GLOBE Partner
• GLOBE and Peace Corps
• GLOBE and USAID

Tech Update

In September, we launched the NEW mobile-friendly GLOBE visualization system.  New features include an improved menu and user navigation and the ability to add multiple layers to the map at one time. Click here to check it out now. ("Vis Classic" will remain available through mid-October.)

Coming Up:

 The website's homepage and organization pages are getting a makeover. Look for that in late-October/early-November. 

Anniversaries

News Topics: News Briefs type: globe-news

News origin: GLOBE Implementation Office

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