Letter to the Community

Letter to the Community

October 2015

I knew I would have to prepare for the challenge, having been involved in a research expedition once before -- a botanical survey of the Gadsar Valley in northern India followed by high altitude trekking in the Himalayas. I attempted to get in peak condition by hiking in the mountains here in Colorado and I was determined to break in my boots and gear. But the best preparation is mental preparation: developing the positive attitude and spirit that would contribute to a unified team. Once I arrived in Tanzania, the real call to action was to stay focused less on the summit and more on the science along the way. And this we did! 

When I began with GLOBE twenty years ago, we started each training workshop with an activity, called 'A Special Place.'  This was an activity, which asked people to describe a place they knew and loved, and why they considered it special. It is a wonderful activity that requires some reflection, and this experience requires that as well.

What makes a place special for me? There are a number of criteria:

One of these has to do with the natural environment and its unique character.  Kilimanjaro, with its 6 distinct biomes, is extraordinary. I saw plants there that exist nowhere else on Earth. 

Another criteria making a place special is the satisfaction I get from having a reason for being there. I take enjoyment in being immersed in an environment for a scientific purpose. On Kilimanjaro, I felt a part of a true team effort while collecting data, rallying each other onward when the going got tough, and breaking into song with our wonderful guides and porters. 

One other factor that influences my feelings about a place is who was involved. Memories of the exceptional people I travel with and meet along the way stay with me long after we part. Meeting all these criteria, Kilimanjaro certainly now joins my group of special places.

As a learning expedition, my being with the students, as they experienced the mountain environment, was exciting and refreshing to see. Their eagerness around the science was palpable, and their learning about the Tanzanian and Omani culture is an example of the great power of The GLOBE Program... learning about the natural environment and cultural backgrounds... and doing all this in a special place!  I want to thank GLOBE Africa for this initiative and the group for welcoming me as part of the expedition.  I'd also like to thank all the participants who have been involved over the last 5 expeditions, as well as the people who followed the expedition online. GLOBE is richer for this experience and your involvement in it. 

A week after the expedition, a live webinar about the expedition was hosted in Colorado by Discovery Education, including interviews with several expedition team members after they had returned home. Some of you may have tuned in live. However, due to technical difficulties you may have missed the first several minutes. In any case, you can see the full 26-minute broadcast here.   

Now moving forward with the community news . . .

Later this week, we will announce the process of filling vacancies in the GLOBE Working Groups. Contact your regional office and/or Country Coordinator for details.  

There is still time to participate in the second GLOBE Data Entry Challenge for 2015! The call has gone out for all GLOBE schools to enter data this week: from 11-17 October during Earth Science Week. Collect and enter data as usual, try the new data entry app, or simply send data you have not yet reported. Your environmental measurements are only really valuable when you enter them in the GLOBE database where others can use them for research about the environment. Data entry is at the heart of The GLOBE Program. Please do your part and make an effort to participate in the Data Entry Challenge this week. Top contributors will be recognized on the GLOBE website.

Also, from 1 October 2015 through April 2016, the SMAP satellite mission has initiated a 7-month-long Soil Moisture Measurement Campaign and invites GLOBE schools to participate. The SMAP team will provide feedback to schools that enter 15 or more measurements to the GLOBE database. The SMAP team will have monthly webinars highlighting schools and countries collecting soil moisture data following the SMAP protocol.  Connect your GLOBE data with NASA satellite measurements through this campaign. Help NASA understand our planet's lifeblood -- water! -- by contributing your measurements of soil moisture. 

It's not too early to start planning for the 2016 GLOBE International Virtual Science Fair! It will take place online and students from any GLOBE country may participate. This is your opportunity to use the GLOBE data that you've entered into the database and to collaborate with scientists of the GLOBE International Scientists' Network (GISN). Every project that is submitted will be hosted on the Student Research Reports section and qualified entries will be entered for a chance to receive a stipend to help offset the cost of attending the 2016 GLOBE Annual Meeting. For details on the timeline, rubrics, and resources, read more here. If you have any questions, email help@globe.gov.

Last but not least, I would like to welcome our new friends in Mauritius, the latest country to join The GLOBE Program.

Have a good month everyone!

Sincerely,

 
 
 
 
Dr. Tony Murphy  
Director, GLOBE Implementation Office
tmurphy@ucar.edu