News - University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus
February 2018 News Brief
News
Visit the One-Stop Shop for the 2018 GLOBE Learning Expedition! Register Today and Save Your Space
Visit the “One-Stop Shop” for the 2018 GLOBE Learning Expedition (GLE) and the 22nd Annual Meeting. The 2018 GLE will be hosted by the GLOBE Implementation Office (GIO), along with the Europe and Eurasia Regional Office. The theme of the meeting is “Mountain, Woods, and Water: Developing a Sense of Place.” Register today and save your place for this event of a lifetime (registration is being limited to 400 participants, so act now).
GLOBE Students: Attending the 2018 GLE in Ireland? Be a Keynote Speaker!
GLOBE students: Are you attending the GLE? Would you like to be a Student Speaker? From among the students registered for the GLE, one student from each GLOBE region will be selected to present a keynote address (5-10 minutes). The application deadline is 15 March. (Regional Coordination Offices will make their selection from all submissions and send them to the GIO by 01 April.)
Application Process
- Step 1: Make a short (3-5 minute) video.
- Step 2: Send your completed video to your Regional Coordination Office.
The videos of the selected speakers will be hosted on the GLOBE YouTube channel and shown live for GLOBE’s Earth Day Celebration in 2018.
To learn more about the application process, click here.
To learn more about the GLE, click here.
Keep up with the GLE news on social media: #IrelandGLE2018.
2018 GLOBE Annual Meeting in Killarney, Ireland: Call for Presentations – Applications Due 01 March
Presentation applications are now being accepted for the 2018 GLOBE Annual Meeting, which will be taking place on 01 July 2018 in Killarney, Ireland. All presentations at the Annual Meeting will be oral presentations (no posters this year!).
Timeline:
- Presentation applications due: 01 March 2018 (Note: No late applications for presentations will be accepted.)
- Presentation acceptance notification: 15 March 2018
- Presenter confirmation of time and attendance at the Annual Meeting: 01 April 2018
To learn more about the GLOBE Annual Meeting, click here. To fill out the application form, click here. (Please note: Registration and travel funds are not available for presenters.)
Haven’t Filled Out the 2017 GLOBE Annual Survey Yet? Please Complete by 19 February
Are you a GLOBE teacher, scientist, Country Coordinator, or U.S. Partner? If you haven’t already completed the 2017 GLOBE Annual Survey, please do so by 19 February. Your participation in this year's GLOBE Annual Survey is critical because the results will comprise the final data points of a five-year trend analysis that will track all survey responses since 2013. The analysis will provide the means to characterize and describe the growth and changes of the GLOBE community over this five-year period.
To start the survey, click here.
(NOTE: It is important to complete the survey in one sitting, as your responses will not be saved if you exit the survey prior to completion.) Thank you for your invaluable input!
GLOBE International STEM Network (GISN) Now Accepting Early Career STEM Professionals
The GLOBE International STEM Network (GISN) is now accepting early career STEM professionals.
This GISN subgroup will consist of members who are upper-level undergraduate or master's students pursuing a degree in a STEM field, as well as recent graduates who are working in STEM fields who have less than five years’ experience.
The GLOBE Program believes that early career STEM professionals will benefit GLOBE students, teachers, and partners by establishing ties with the next generation of STEM professionals. GLOBE also believes that this action will empower the next generation of STEM leaders to participate in the scientific process; collaborate with successful peers; find mentors among a group of established professionals; participate in data collection and the scientific process with international schools; and further the GLOBE goal of contributing meaningfully to our understanding of the Earth system and global environment.
To learn more about the GISN, click here.
Peace Corps GLOBE Hydrosphere Learning Activity Now Available
There is a new Peace Corps GLOBE Hydrosphere Learning Activity available. Through this hands-on experience, students will study and visit a hydrosphere study site; conduct a visual survey to discover information about local land cover and water quality, and document their findings. The objectives of this learning activity are:
- Students will learn different methods for finding out about a study site, such as through library research, field visits, and interviews
- Students will learn about their hydrosphere study site and begin to develop their investigation.
- Students will reflect on local water issues, and present potential indicators and solutions.
To learn more about this learning activity, click here.
Submitting a Global 2018-2019 GLOBE Field Campaign Proposal? Due to GIO by 28 February
GLOBE's Global Field Campaigns provide students with hands-on opportunities to explore and learn about Earth through a network of students, teachers, and scientists – projects designed to promote collaboration and to increase Earth science awareness.
To submit a proposal, please click here.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please send an email to communications@globe.gov.
2018 GLOBE IVSS Reports/Presentations Due 01 March; Judging Webinar on 16 March
Are you preparing for the 2018 GLOBE International Virtual Science Symposium (IVSS)? Here are some important dates to keep in mind:
The Informational Judging Webinar for the 2018 IVSS will take place on 16 March at 10:00 a.m. MT/12:00 p.m. ET. (Judges should save this link and join on the 16th.) The webinar will be recorded and shared with all judges.
Here are some important IVSS dates to keep in mind:
- Reports and presentations due: 01 March
- Judging period: 18-24 March
- Feedback and virtual badges released: 06 April
- Live drawing for stipends: 06 April (to help with attendance at the GLE in Ireland)
Ready to upload your report? To enter (upload) your report, click here. (Scroll down and click on the blue button: “Upload Your Research Report”. Make sure to select the "International Virtual Science Symposium" and that your report is dated in 2018. You can select up to three optional badges – and please also make sure to let us know if you plan on attending the 2018 GLE.)
Have a question for a scientist or another STEM professional? Visit the Student Groups Looking for Mentors page and fill out the form. Need a mentoring scientist? Scientists have volunteered to help – click here.
To learn more about the 2018 IVSS, click here.
Want to share information about the 2018 IVSS? Click here and share downloadable images.
Connect with Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and NASA Astronaut Joe Acaba in Space: 07 February
On 07 February (9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. ET), Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) and NASA Astronaut Joe Acaba will link directly with Peace Corps from the International Space Station and answer questions from around the world about STEM and life in space.
The conversation will be broadcast live on NASA TV.
To learn more, and to register for this event, click here.
Did you know that The GLOBE Program and Peace Corps share a common commitment to the environment, education, youth development and empowerment, capacity building, and cultural understanding? Since 1995, GLOBE and Peace Corps have informally collaborated on activities in countries in Africa, Asia and Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and Caribbean, and the Near East.
To learn more about the GLOBE/Peace Corps collaboration, click here.
Peace Corps and STEM? Yes! Check Out these Events, Activities, and Resources
GLOBE Teachers (K-12), need assistance and support with STEM-related lesson plants, activities, and general information? Committed to creating opportunities in STEM education and careers, The Paul D. Coverdell World Wise Schools program and educators are finding ways to focus on this transformation in the 21st century. For example, some resources include:
- STEM Opportunities for Learners: View updated materials to share with your learners. Have your students find a project or activity to increase their interest in STEM education. (To learn more, click here.)
- Connect Your Classroom with Peace Corps Volunteers: The Global Connections program allows your learners to interact with Peace Corps Volunteers and their host countries and cultures, including STEM education. Volunteer stories, projects, and experiences can provide U.S. students with unusually candid first-hand perspectives of cultures worldwide.
For a current listing of events, activities, and resources to engage your learners, click here.
Opportunities for Teachers
U.S. opportunities are often highlighted in the News Brief simply because we are more aware of them through our local media; however, if there are opportunities for GLOBE students and/or teachers in your region you would like us to highlight in the coming months, please send the information to communications@globe.gov.
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, “NASA Aeronautics – Speed of Sound,” is geared toward educators in grades K-12. On Monday, 26 February (6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT), the NASA EPDC at Texas State University is providing a one-hour webinar. For decades, NASA has been studying aircraft noise in order to reduce the impact jet aircraft have on the world. The speed of sound and how that speed depends on certain variables are important concepts related to the physics of sound. There are hands-on experiments and physical demonstrations that educators can use to make and share connections to this research within their classroom. (NOTE: This educational activity aligns with NASA Education API 2.4.2: Continue to support STEM educators through the delivery of NASA education content and engagement in educator professional development opportunities.)
NASA STEM Educator Webinars
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), with major funding support from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), is offering two new grant opportunities. The first is a Pollinator Grant, where applicants can request up to $1,000 to facilitate Pollinator Garden and/Community Garden activities. The second is a BioBlitz Grant, where applicants can request up to $3,000 to lead citizen science activities that record the biodiversity of a particular area during a focused “blitz.”
Awarded grantees will be expected to facilitate the development of educational and conservation activities on local Forest Service lands, other partner public lands, local and municipal public lands or on lands within urban communities that seek to connect to urban forests and nature-based spaces to meet people where they are. These activities will be accomplished by mobilizing community volunteers and educating participants about the importance of their actions and their relationship to the long-term sustainability of the lands.
To learn more about each grant please visit the respective links below:
Pollinator/Community Gardens Grant Opportunity
Opportunities for Students
U.S. Summer STEM Research Opportunities
U.S. Community: Now is the time that summer research programs are announcing their 2018 deadlines. Click here and browse by institution, disciplinary categories, or by geography.
Upcoming 2018 GLOBE Teacher Training Workshops
Upcoming GLOBE teacher training workshops include:
- Morehead City, North Carolina, USA (Center for Marine Sciences and Technology): 10 February (potential restricted attendance).
- Morehead City, North Carolina, USA (NCSU Center for Marine Science and Technology): 21 February 2018 (open to all teachers).
- Morehead City, North Carolina, USA (NCSU Center for Marine Science and Technology): 14 March 2018 (open to all teachers).
- Millersville, Maryland, USA (Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center): 19 March (restricted to teachers in the region).
- West Lafayette, Indiana, USA (Pedosphere Workshop for U.S. GLOBE Partners/Held in Conjunction with the North American Regional Meeting): 26-27 March 2018.
No training workshops in your area? Check out GLOBE's protocol eTraining. (In order to enter GLOBE data, GLOBE users must complete the necessary training either by attending a GLOBE workshop or by completing the required online eTraining modules. Once your training is complete, you will be ready to start entering your measurements - and will be joining a community of thousands of teachers around the world!)
Anniversaries
Congratulations to the three GLOBE countries celebrating anniversaries of successful GLOBE implementation during the month of February:
South Africa – 21 years
17 February 1997
Netherlands – 23 years
28 February 1995
New Zealand - 18 years
29 February 2000
News origin: GLOBE Implementation Office