News - United States of America
In-Person 2023 GLOBE Pacific Region SRS is a Success
Right this way to the 2023 GLOBE Pacific Region Student Research Symposium!
The GLOBE Partners at Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) hosted the 2023 Student Research Symposium (SRS) on 12 and 13 May under the leadership of Peggy Foletta. The Elkhorn Slough NERR welcomed 35 students from eight schools throughout California. The event began on Friday afternoon with lunch, an outdoor icebreaker and three rotating activities for students and their teachers. One activity compared the GLOBE Observer app and the clinometer method to measure tree height. A second activity engaged students in investigating plankton and benthic macroinvertebrates in the estuary’s marshland muds. The third activity challenged students to find, identify and count sea/sand crabs before being released back to the environment. The day ended with two keynote presentations after a wonderful outdoor dinner. The first speaker was a scientist who shared her continuing research at Elkhorn Slough NERR. The second guest speakers were two students who shared their three-year collaborative research experience with NASA on eelgrass growth at the International Space Station.
After starting the event with this great kickoff on Friday at Elkhorn Slough NERR, Saturday’s event took place at the Moss Landing Marine Laboratory (MLML). The day was dedicated to peer and STEM professional review of posters. Students presented their research to STEM professionals in a variety of fields from NASA and local research facilities. Once the presentations were complete, students enjoyed lunch and then a behind the scenes tour of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.
At the conclusion of the tour, all gathered back at MLML for the recognition ceremony. Medals and crystals were given to teams for a variety of recognition areas, such as community impact, use of GLOBE data, and research process.
Teams traveled home after the ceremony. One team from San Fernando has been selected to travel to the GLOBE annual meeting in Denver this July to present their research on Tree Height and community gentrification.
For more information about the GLOBE partnership at Elkhorn Slough including upcoming teacher trainings, contact Peggy Foletta.
Students were recognized for their projects in seven categories:
Peer Review Choice: Leo Johnson, Mia Miyashi, Mya Pop and Brookelynn Setterquist from Washington Middle School for Nitrate Levels and Transparency in the Gabilan Creek and Salinas River of Monterey County
Use of GLOBE Protocols/Data: Sumayyah Sheikh, Denise Hernandez, Nora Macaluso, Julian Hooper and Israel Marez from The Met Sacramento High School for Observations and Tests on SouthSide’s Pond Environment
Research Process: Jessica Vogel, Ellis Anderson and Danae Zarbalis from Skyline High School for Air Quality and Plant Growth
Community Impact and Engagement: Léyann AbdelFattah, Nicolette Fierro and Devyn Sasai from Kingsburg High School for The Effects of PM10 on Rainwater pH in Kingsburg, CA over 2022-2023
21st Century Skills: Rebeca Velasquez-Chavez, Teresa Peralta-Vargas and Daniela Tamayo-Alvarez from Watsonville High School for Life Inside a Tree: Carbon Sequestration at WHS and Elkhorn Slough
Indigenous/community knowledge: Tatiana Suarez and Marina Vasquez from Assurance Learning Academy for The Impacts of Gentrification/Modernization in Our Community
Spirit of GLOBE (two projects recognized):
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Monica Mejia and Ana Rivera from ARISE High School for Plastic Trash: Following the Trail from Land to Water
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Joel Mendoza Matias, Daniela Contreras and Jesus Lopez Valencia from ARISE High School for Microplastics in the San Francisco Bay
Photo captions (top to bottom):
- The sign that welcomed participants to the SRS
- The students and teachers who participated in the SRS