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GLOBE Satellites in Education Team (G-SET) Established

Sep 09, 2020

Written by J ohn Moore, GLOBE Partner at the Institute for Earth Observations, New Jersey, USA.

There’s always a story behind great things. As a kid growing up in the 1960's, I was totally hooked by the Space Program, and of course like many wanted to become an astronaut (and I still do). Perhaps the closest I’ve come to that dream is earning my pilot’s license, flying my own airplane, and flying an experiment on NASA’s Zero-G aircraft. Along the way I became an Environmental Scientist and teacher. I began to think about and follow the developments of NASA and NOAA for looking at Earth from Space. In 1985, I was a Teacher in Space applicant … my proposed project, photographing the planet and allowing students to investigate our environment on a global level from space. In 1987 I purchased through a grant a “direct readout” GOES satellite dish and an antenna to receive live images from polar orbiting satellites. In 1987 the Satellite Educators Association was formed as a result of a “Satellites in Education Conference'' held at West Chester University with support from both NASA and NOAA. It was largely because of this infrastructure at WCU that the first GLOBE Teacher Training Workshop was held there 25 years ago. During that training we were given a LandSat data set and covered the topic of interpreting satellite imagery and was introduced to MultiSpec. Incorporating satellites in education was what I thought to be a normal response, afterall it was NASA and NOAA largely supporting and directing GLOBE in the very early stages. That is where I met Todd Toth. In the summer of 1987 I was selected as a NASA Honors Teacher and sent to the National Space Technologies Laboratory, known today as the Stennis Space Center. It was there on the welcome sign that I saw these words, “Space-Oceans-Earth”. That was my “light bulb” moment. I was introduced to meteorology while preparing for my pilot’s license. I continued to learn more about Meteorology because most of the earth observing satellites at that time were weather satellites. I become an active educational member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS). I also became highly involved with the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS). Satellites and Education … as we say in New Jersey, “perfect together”.

Over the years with these affiliations with NASA. NOAA, GLOBE, AMS, and GRSS I had become a part of professionals with similar likes and as passionate about their work as I am about mine. After many years
of thought and attempting to explain this work to others not familiar with these topics, I have broken it down into three simple categories; to Acquire – Analyze – Apply (A3). Another educational model that I have developed in the SPACE to Earth: EARTH to SPACE (SEES) Model that provides a foundation to investigations. This came about with the development and educational applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the mid-1990’s. Amazing work, innovation, creativity, all focused on some really cool stuff. Why then is it not in our schools as part of our mainstream curriculum? Thus, the creation of the GLOBE Satellites in Education Team. It’s time to get serious. This group that responded to my invitation emails within 48 hours consists of stellar individuals, most whom you know. This community can make a profound impact on STEM Education, create new career pathways promoting the attributes of a Career Technical Education (CTE), expose this excitement to young people, most who never exposed to this type of opportunity, thus creating enhanced diversity within the Geosciences and these critical future endeavors that will impact society, our nation, and our planet. Simply put, the overarching theme (which was generated with my students to describe our Career tech Program, is “To Observe the Earth and Visualize the Future”. Great things are about to happen. Want to join our amazing team of individuals? Simply contact me at mr.moore.john@gmail.com.

Read more in this community blog by John.