News Brief
March 2016 GLOBE News Brief
New Dates for GLOBE Annual Meeting and Student Research Exhibition: 16-21 July!
The dates for the 20th GLOBE Annual Meeting and Student Research Exhibition have changed slightly. The meeting will now begin with an opening networking reception on Saturday, 16 July, and will conclude mid-day on Thursday, 21 July. The GLOBE Working Groups will convene on Saturday, 16 July 2016.
The 2016 Annual Meeting will be hosted by GLOBE Partner Deanna TeBockhorst and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Center for Science Education Director John Ristvey, in collaboration with the GLOBE Implementation Office.
Read all about it here - and register today!
News
Entries for 2016 International Virtual Science Fair Due 11 March!
Entries for the 2016 GLOBE International Virtual Science Fair are due on 11 March - less than two weeks from today! Research reports can be entered any time from now until the due date.
The Virtual Science Fair Report Upload Tool is now available! (If you have questions on how to enter your report, send us an email at help@globe.gov.)
If you missed the webinar, "Preparing for the 2016 GLOBE International Virtual Science Fair: An Overview of Resources and the Rubrics" (held on 16 December 2015), you can connect with the archived recording, as well as PowerPoint Slides, and the Chat Archive.
Do you want to share information about the Virtual Science Fair? There are "shareable" images available for you to download here!
Keep Up With GLOBE/SMAP Soil Moisture Field Campaign
The NASA SMAP Soil Moisture Field Campaign is underway - it began 1 October 2015, and will run through 30 April 2016. As of 23 February, 1,274 measurements have been collected!
Check out the latest on the GLOBE/SMAP Soil Moisture Field Campaign, including blog posts, updates/changes to the GLOBE/SMAP Block Pattern Soil Moisture Protocol, the new SMAP L3 Data Layer on the GLOBE Data Map, and all of the exciting SMAP resources (including protocols, optional protocols, and learning activities)!
Read Brian Campbell's latest blog: Soil Moisture and Human Health. Find out how soil moisture plays a vital role in human health, including its impacts on mosquito breeding and famine.
GLOBE El Niño Field Campaign Has Begun!
The current phase of the GLOBE/SMAP Soil Moisture Field Campaign will end on 30 April 2016. The next phase of the campaign will become a new, larger-scale campaign focusing on the current El Niño event affecting our planet.
As part of the new GLOBE El Niño Field Campaign, there will be a suite of six GLOBE measurement protocols (including the SMAP protocol) that will serve as ways to identify environmental changes affected by El Niño. There will also be regular webinars to discuss the mechanics of the campaign, give updates on data collection, and explore science with experts.
On 08 March, at 8:00 p.m. EST (1:00 a.m. UTC, 09 March) NASA will host a webinar: "The El Niño Field Student Campaign." During this hour-long webinar, participants will get the "nuts and bolts" about how to be involved in this GLOBE campaign. The webinar will cover the expectations for involvement in, as well as the goals for, this campaign. Participants will learn how to navigate through the website, explore which protocols are involved, discover how to share updates on students' data collection and research efforts, and be able to ask questions. To register for the webinar, click here.
Opportunities for Students
National Wildlife Federation Hosts Young Reporters for the Environment Competition in USA: Entries due 15 March!
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is inviting youth between the ages of 13 and 21 to participate in the Young Reporters for the Environment competition in the USA. Three different media types (writing, photography, or video) may be submitted. Submissions are due by Tuesday, 15 March, 5:00 p.m. EST. (The NWF's Eco-Schools USA is a GLOBE program partner.)
Happy Birthday to the NWF! In honor of their 80th Anniversary celebration throughout 2016, the NWF is showcasing special moments in their history with weekly blog posts. And check out their February Newsletter, with SMAP and GLOBE program highlights!
U.S. and Russian Youth Collaborate on Innovative Global Forest Link Project: Now through June 2016
Global Forest Link has announced a special global learning opportunity for U.S. and Russian youth to collaborate on an innovative global forest link project from now through June 2016 - and they are seeking your participation! There is space for 5-10 schools in the USA and 5 schools in Russia to participate! Participants will have the opportunity to build an interactive database that will help environmentalists worldwide to conduct important research. Learn more today!
Opportunities for Teachers
GOES-R Webinar Series for Grades 6-12 Educators
The first satellite in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites -- R (GOES-R) series is scheduled for launch in October 2016. To help educators prepare for exciting new advances and products during the GOES-R era, the GOES-R Education Proving Ground is hosting a series of webinars leading up to launch. The webinars will be hosted by Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) and will take place on Saturday mornings at 11:30 a.m. (ET).
The next webinar, "GOES-R Lesson Plans: For Teachers, By Teachers," will take place on 12 March. Register today!
Climate Change and Michigan Agriculture Webinars: 07 March and 11 April
Join hosts David Bydlowski and Andy Henry for the Wayne RESA ICCARS (Investigating Climate Change and Remote Sensing) Professional Learning Network for the 2015-2016 School Year. The one hour meetings are held at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (ET). To join the conversation, visit: http://www.resa.net/science and click on the event calendar for full information.
On 07 March the webinar "Climate Change and Michigan Agriculture" will be presented by Dr. Phil Robertson.
On 11 April, the webinar "Climate Change and Adaptation Resources in the Great Lakes Region" will be presented by B.J. Baule.
Free 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, "Making Waves with NASA: Optics Resources" is geared toward educators in grade levels 4 through 12. Through this webinar, which is presented by John Weis, (22 March, 6:30 p.m. ET), participants will get an overview of the NASA resources for teaching about waves, lenses, and mirrors.
Global Precipitation Measurement Mission: Water Cycle - Webinar 03 March
K-12 Teachers! Join the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission on Thursday, 03 March, (6:30 p.m. ET) for a webinar discussing the water cycle and the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission.
Topics discussed at this 90-minute webinar will include: What is water? Where did Earth's water come from? In addition, the webinar will cover water cycle basics, water management, freshwater versus saltwater usage to meet our needs, freshwater availability, and how NASA helps us better understand the water cycle.
Anniversaries
Congratulations to the 12 GLOBE countries celebrating anniversaries of successful GLOBE implementation during the month of March:
Panama - 16 years
02 March 2000
Nepal - 16 years
03 March 2000
Hungary - 17 years
10 March 1999
Senegal - 21 years
17 March 1995
Egypt - 21 years
20 March 1995
Ghana - 18 years
20 March 1998
Finland - 21 years
23 March 1995
Belgium - 21 years
24 March 1995
Israel - 21 years
24 March 1995
Liechtenstein - 13 years
26 March 2003
Kazakhstan - 21 years
27 March 1995
Morocco - 20 years
27 March 1996
Connect With Us
The GLOBE Program depends on you to let us know what is happening in your regions, countries, communities and classrooms. Send us news you would like to share with the GLOBE Community and we'll include it in next month's News Brief. Be sure to include photos, too.
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Four Eligible 2016 GLOBE International Virtual Science Fair Projects Will be Awarded Stipends to Help Defray Costs of GLOBE Annual Meeting in USA
Eligible projects entered for the 2016 GLOBE International Virtual Science Fair have the opportunity to be selected for a stipend to help defray the cost of attending the 20th GLOBE Annual Meeting and Student Learning Experience in Estes Park, Colorado, USA, in July 2016. (Read about eligibility requirements in more detail on the science fair webpage.)
Remember: Entries for the 2016 GLOBE International Virtual Science Fair are due on 11 March 2016.
United States Regional Science Fairs
Thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation, students from across the United States have the opportunity to come together at one of six face-to-face regional science fairs to share the results of field investigations using GLOBE program protocols. The competition grade spans are: grades 5-8 and grades 9-12.
Stay informed on all science fair developments!
GLOBE Hosts Two "Bootcamp" Intensives for U.S. Partners
GLOBE is hosting two five-day Train-the-Trainer intensive "Bootcamps." The focus of these trainings is on implementing GLOBE within highly diverse communities or within schools and informal learning programs that serve traditionally under-served and underrepresented populations in the STEM disciplines, including women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in the United States. The two Bootcamps are scheduled for:
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA:
April 17 - April 22
For: Partners in the three Eastern GLOBE U.S. regions
Application Process is CLOSED
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA: May 22 - May 27
For: Partners in the three Western GLOBE U.S. regions
Application Deadline: March 22
The workshops are funded by a National Science Foundation grant that covers travel, accommodation, and meals for 20 participants. New GLOBE partners (those who have joined in the last three years and have not received a full five-day training) can register two participants. Other GLOBE partners can register one participant.
Deadline for the Sante Fe, New Mexico, Bootcamp is 22 March (which is for U.S. Partners in the three Western GLOBE U.S. regions: Northwest, Southwest, and Pacific). Space is limited for this Bootcamp, and people within the Western regions will be given preference (others may be added to a Waiting List).
If you have any questions about the bootcamps, contact help@globe.gov.
Winning Photos from Europe and Eurasia "GLOBE at My School" Competition Announced!
The Europe and Eurasia Region is proud to present the winning photos from the 2016 GLOBE at My School Calendar Competition.
In 2015, more than 700 photos were submitted for the 2016 calendar competition. Many students captured their best moments with GLOBE - showing GLOBE study sites and their local environment. The winning photos come from six European countries: Croatia, Israel, Italy, Ukraine, Estonia, and Germany. Thanks to all participants!
New GLOBE "Tip of the Week" Website Feature
The GLOBE Implementation Office has added a new "Tip of the Week" feature to the homepage of the website (www.globe.gov, under "News"). This feature is designed to offer tips and insights on making participation in The GLOBE Program more user-friendly - and to make sure that you can put GLOBE to work for you!
For example ...
Advanced Data Access Tool - Retrieving GLOBE Data Made Easy!
Did you know that the Advanced Data Access Tool allows you to find and retrieve GLOBE data using several different search parameters?
It's easy! When you use the tool, you will be presented a summary of sites that have data available based on your search parameters. From those sites, you can further refine your search and or download the data into a CSV file for detailed analysis.
GLOBE Students (K-14) Can Become GOES-R: Global Weather Watchers
The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites - R Series (GOES-R) is the next generation of geostationary Earth-observing systems scheduled for launch in 2016.The GOES-R program is a collaborative development and acquisition effort between National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The GOES-R satellite will be the first geostationary satellite introduced within the GLOBE collaborating satellite missions. The project will create pathways for teachers and students to engage a more in-depth study and investigation into satellites and remote sensing.
The Global Weather Watchers K-14 project will add another collaborative project to the GLOBE Classroom, a chance to develop content, collaborate in data collection, conduct joint investigations, and learn from each other the variations of weather around the world. Through these types of activities students will learn firsthand the connectedness of global weather patterns and global transport systems. Students using GLOBE Atmospheric Protocols can complete ground verification/truth data in comparison to satellite imagery. Students will investigate and document extreme, hazardous and severe weather in their region. Read more about how you can participate in this exciting project!
Upcoming 2016 GLOBE Teacher Training Workshops
Upcoming GLOBE teacher training workshops include:
- Palmyra, New Jersey, USA (Institute for Earth Observations at Palmyra Cove): 08 March (open to all teachers)
- Wayne, Michigan, USA (Wayne RESA): 15 March (potential restricted attendance)
- New York, New York, USA (American Museum of Natural History): 18 March - 10 June (potential restricted attendance)
- Wayne, Michigan, USA (Wayne RESA): 23 March (open to all teachers)
- Nashville, Tennessee, USA (Hyatt Place Nashville Downtown): 28-29 March (potential restricted attendance)
- Reading, Pennsylvania, USA (The Nature Place at Angelica Park): 13 April (open to all teachers)
- Charlotte, North Carolina, USA (Hilton Charlotte University): 17-22 April (Bootcamp Workshop for partners from the three Eastern U.S. regions)
- Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA (The Lodge at Sante Fe): 22-27 May (Bootcamp Workshop for partners from the three Western U.S. regions)
News Brief Archive
All past issues of the GLOBE News Brief are available in the online archive.
