News - North America
2024 GLOBE Annual Meeting Highlights: U.S. Partners
The 2024 GLOBE Annual Meeting was held 15-18 July at the State University of New York at Fredonia and hosted by long-time U.S. GLOBE Partner Mike Jabot. The meeting was organized and facilitated by the outgoing GLOBE Implementation Office (GIO) at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). More than 200 attendees from 31 countries gathered on the SUNY Fredonia campus throughout the week and joined in the field trip to Niagara Falls on the third day.
The meeting was chock full of presentations, informal gatherings, and discussions. Nearly 30 U.S. GLOBE Partners and educators presented about their GLOBE work and led sessions to help others learn about protocols. Thank you to all who shared your expertise!
Katie Spellman and Elena Sparrow (University of Alaska Fairbanks), along with Katie’s daughters and mother Chris Villano (also known as “GLOBE Grandma”), gave the final keynote of the meeting. The title of their keynote was “GLOBE Year of Climate and Carbon—Past, Present and Future of GLOBE Climate Change Research and Action.”
Members of the incoming GIO teams were introduced from the Education Development Center (EDC; led by Rebecca Lewis) and The City University of New York (CUNY; led by Becky Boger). They shared their roles and priorities for the future.
Videos from the Annual Meeting are being uploaded to a YouTube playlist. Available for watching now are the Week in Review, Dr. John Francis’s keynote, and lightning talks around the 2023-24 solar eclipses. More videos will be added to the playlist over time.
Several U.S. GLOBE Partners received travel funding support from the GLOBE U.S. Coordination Office through UCAR/GLOBE Implementation Office Grant and Cooperative Agreement No. NNX17AD75A. Below are reports of their experiences and take-aways.
David Bydlowski, Wayne RESA, Michigan
It was a pleasure to attend the GLOBE Annual Meeting in Fredonia, NY, July 15–18, 2024. I always learn so much at the meeting, but it also helps me to reflect on my Partnership. During this next year, I would like to focus more on "gray" GLOBE educators and community scientists and how they can partner with students in our K–12 schools.
Highlights:
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Meeting John Francis, The Planetwalker: The thing that moved me the most was seeing the impact that he had on the students that attended. He is an environmental inspiration.
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Spending time reviewing protocols: Clouds, Frost Tube, Land Cover Observations focused on freshwater ice.
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Learning about NASA Lifelines.
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Visiting Cave of the Winds and the Niagara Power Vista Visitors Center
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Discussing climate change and the impact of GLOBE with our students.
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Learning about the transition of the GIO.
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A wonderful keynote presentation by the Spellman family on The GLOBE Year of Climate and Carbon.
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It is always great to view the Student Experience report outs.
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Reuniting and "breaking bread" with my GLOBE family throughout the annual meeting.
Lynne Hehr, Arkansas Partnership for STEM Education, Arkansas
The week was packed full of ideas for K-20+ collaborations.
Highlights:
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Reuniting with old and meeting new friends.
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GLOBE members expanded the climate of environmental education with key speakers and share-a-thons.
As a result of the annual meeting, I will be working with 1) the newly formed GLOBE Macro Mappers*, and 2) expanding Lifelong Learning.
*The GLOBE Macro Mappers is a new group that began at the conference. Peggy Folletta (California) is heading it up, with Arkansas, California, Michigan, Ohio, Uruguay, Africa and Bhutan schools. The group will be mapping the macroinvertebrates in their respective areas twice a year and connecting students to each other.
Donna Torres, INFINITY Science Center, Mississippi
Highlights:
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Keynote, day one with Dr. John Francis, The Planetwalker: I am amazed at how one man's dedication to silence and walking created an amazing life story and impacted thousands of others through living life differently and sharing a message of planet care and human kindness. The word he gave us to discuss at lunch after his keynote, “co-create,” is so much better than “partner.” To co-create brings something new, fresh, and inclusive when looking at the creation of solutions and identifying ways that we can work together.
The GLOBE Annual Meeting was a wonderful opportunity to renew friendships, learn from others who are amazing in their fields, and communicate GLOBE science to museum guests, students, and educators. Thank you for this wonderful experience.
Photo captions (top to bottom)
- Photo 1: 2024 GLOBE Annual Meeting participants at the closing banquet (courtesy of David Bydlowski)
- Photo 2: Dr. John Francis played his banjo during his keynote speech (courtesy of Donna Torres)