Stars and STEM Stories
GLOBE Poland Begins Three Year Climate Research Focus
GLOBE in Poland is managed by the Environmental Information Centre UNEP/GRID-Warsaw, established in 1991 as a specialized center tasked with collecting and processing environmental information covering Poland as well as Central and Eastern Europe. GLOBE is an important component of the Centre's environmental focus that includes environmental data processing, environmental reporting, computer thematic environmental mapping (from data collection through data analyses, editing activities and professional cartographical approach to data visualization), database and meta-database creation and maintenance (UNEP/GRID-Warsaw owns and/or has access to dozens GIS databases with a broad range of corresponding attributes, mainly consisting of statistical data), geographic information system (GIS) analyses and programming, image processing, analysis of socio-economic data, web-based applications, multimedia presentations, and environmental education.
2012 marks the 15th anniversary of GLOBE in Poland as well as the beginning of their intensive climate research campaign that inspires three years of intensive research in GLOBE schools throughout Poland.
Over the next three years, Poland will implement three modules of the Polish GLOBE sub-project:
- The first, Module A, is currently underway and aims to diagnose and counteract the effects of flooding, using extensive GLOBE hydrology and soil studies. In May 2010 Poland was hit with torrential floods unlike anything experienced in the preceding 160 years. The aim is to include interdisciplinary education in the school to identify and counteract the effects of flooding.
- The second, Module B, will study the contamination of the atmosphere by harmful aerosols, which decrease air quality and the amount of solar energy reaching Earth's surface. These dangerous particles can also decrease visibility, causing the skies around us to appear hazy. This project will join the efforts of GLOBE students with that of local research scientists. The main objective of this activity is to conduct high-quality measurements of atmospheric dust on Polish territory.
- Finally, Module C entails the production of Climate Satellite lessons, lesson plans created by GLOBE teachers that utilize meteorological satellite images. The aim of the action is to prepare climate-based lesson plans that include analysis of satellite data, including data presented in the form of an ESA satellite school atlas.
Each module will be preceded by an Annual Advanced GLOBE Workshop for Teachers. On 10-11 March 2012, GLOBE Poland hosted the first Annual GLOBE Teachers Conference in Warsaw, the country's capital. The conference was organized by UNEP/GRID-Warsaw and Poland Country Coordinator Mrs. Magdalena Machinko-Nagrabecka. According to Mrs. Machinko-Nagrabecka, "The event had a special meaning because this year marks Poland's 15th anniversary as a GLOBE Country." The conference brought together more than 70 people including teachers from across Poland, representatives of the Ministry of Education and a community of local scientists involved in GLOBE research. The Module A Workshop took place on 11-12 March as an extension of the conference.
Poland has participated in various GLOBE activities, including the annual GLOBE Games in the Czech Republic, which brings together students from European countries to encourage team building and raise environmental awareness through games and research. Read about the 2011 GLOBE Games event. Each year, the Polish GLOBE Games take place in a National Park, involving over 200 community members annually. During the event, students complete task cards recording results of their observations and research. In addition, Poland also hosted the 2008 Europe Regional Meeting where 16 European countries made plans to incorporate GLOBE across the curriculum and elections were held to refill newly vacant leadership positions. Read about the 2008 Europe Regional Meeting.
GLOBE schools in Poland have documented over 800,000 measurements in the GLOBE database. Congratulations to GLOBE in Poland on their exemplary research activities!
For more information see: http://www.gridw.pl/
20 September 2012