News - University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus
September 2016 GLOBE News Brief
GLOBE Expands Beyond the Classroom to Invite Everyone to Become a Citizen Scientist
Want to be a citizen scientist? All you need to contribute to NASA's studies of our home planet is a smartphone, access to the outdoors, and the new "GLOBE Observer" App. The initial release of the app allows users to collect observations of clouds, which are a critical part of the global climate system. Additional types of observations are planned for the GLOBE Observer App, including land cover and the identification of mosquito larvae. Read more, and see the video, here.
News
Follow the Lake Victoria Learning Expedition -- 18 - 24 September
The GLOBE Program, YLACES (Youth Learning As Citizen Environmental Scientists), GLOBE Africa Regional Coordinating Office (RCO) and GLOBE Kenya invite you to attend the first Lake Victoria Learning Expedition.
Participants will travel to Homa Bay, Kenya, including: Hell Gate, Lake Naivasha, Kericho, and the Maasai Mara Game Park. Participants will conduct GLOBE protocols (hydrology and atmosphere, among others), GLOBE teacher trainings, and visits to GLOBE schools enroute to, and on the shores of, Lake Victoria.
Expedition members will be posting photos on the GLOBE Africa Facebook page when connectivity permits, so stay tuned.
Think ahead to the 2017 GLOBE International Virtual Science Symposium
It's not too early to start thinking about the 2017 International Virtual Science Symposium (IVSS), which will take place online during April and May of 2017. K-16 students from any GLOBE school may participate. Students are required to use the GLOBE data they entered into the database and should collaborate with scientists and other STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professionals, who are part of the GLOBE International STEM Network (GISN).
Here at the GIO, we are planning ahead for this exciting event and we hope you are too! Student reports will be accepted from January through 03 April 2017. Keep checking for information on the 2017 GLOBE International Virtual Science Symposium page.
Thanks to those who volunteered to review the rubrics assisting Dr. Julie Malmberg, during August.
Are You Up-to-Date on the GLOBE El Niño Field Campaign?
Register for the hour-long webinar "El Nino Student Campaign Refresher and Update," which will take place on 21 September at 8:00 p.m. ET (12:00 a.m. 22 September UTC).
Participants will get a refresher on this campaign and will hear from several GLOBE teachers who have been involved with their classes from the start of the campaign. Webinar leaders will discuss the need for ongoing data collection. A NASA scientist will discuss the current state of the ENSO cycle and what it might mean for weather conditions for the remainder of this campaign.
Opportunities for U.S. Teachers
Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program
The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship (AEF) Program is now accepting applications for the 2017-2018 AEF fellowship year. Applications are due 17 November 2016.
NASA Opportunity for U.S. High School Teachers to Participate in NASA GISS Climate Change Research Initiative
The NASA GISS Climate Change Research Initiative (CCRI) is a year-long STEM engagement opportunity for STEM educators to work directly with NASA scientists, lead research teams and develop STEM curriculum for their current classes.
Educators participating in this opportunity will become associate researchers at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and STEM education experts who will integrate NASA education resources and content into their classroom while improving STEM education within their community.
Deadline for submitting application is 19 September 2016. Click here for more information.
Opportunities for Students
2017 Breakthrough Junior Contest
The application period for the 2016 Breakthrough Junior Challenge, an annual, global competition for students designed to inspire creative thinking about science, is currently open. Students aged 13-18, from countries across the globe are invited to participate and compete for prizes and college scholarships. This competition is worth exploring! Read more here.
Congratulations to Mike Jabot -- Selected by Drawing for Free Registration to the 2017 Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting survey was distributed to all who attended the GLOBE Annual Meeting in Colorado in July. The GIO drew a name from among those who completed the survey. Mike Jabot has been awarded one free registration for next year's Annual Meeting! Congratulations, Mike, and thank you to all who completed the survey, which is meant to help us plan and improve future meeting based on results of the surveys. If you attended the 2016 Annual Meeting, but have not yet completed the survey, please do so. Click here to complete the survey.
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The GLOBE Program depends on you to let us know what is happening in your regions, countries, communities and classrooms. Send us news you would like to share with the GLOBE Community and we'll include it in next month's News Brief. Be sure to include photos, too.
Send your message to communications@globe.gov
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Have You Seen the Video About the Student Research Experience in Rocky Mountain National Park?
Filmed at the GLOBE Student Research Experience in Rocky Mountain National Park during this year's GLOBE Annual Meeting, this video has gotten some buzz! More than 41,000 people have viewed it so far; you should too.
Click here to view.
GLOBE students have become an essential part of GLOBE Annual Meetings. Students present their research projects through the Student Research Exhibition, an evening of formal poster presentations and they continue ongoing informal discussions of their work throughout the week.
An additional benefit of attending the Annual Meeting for students is the opportunity to take part in a Student Research Experience. In July, 23 students from seven countries learned about the environment side by side, taking environmental measurements, forming new friendships, and finding out that they have more similarities than differences.
Calling All Artists of the Europe and Eurasia Region!
During the month of September, GLOBE Europe and Eurasia is holding a photo contest to illustrate the upcoming 2017 GLOBE At My School annual calendar. Find all instructions here. Deadline is 30 September!
Want to Share Information about GLOBE CItizen Science? Check Out These Shareables!
NASA has developed several shareables for you to announce the new GLOBE Observer App. Click here for several beautiful images to help your networks get involved with GLOBE, using the GLOBE Observer App.
Opportunity for Partners: Call for Abstracts - 2017 Citizen Science Conference "
The 2017 annual conference of the Citizen Science Association will be held 17 - 20 May in Saint Paul, Minnesota, hosted by the Science Museum of Minnesota. Click here for more information and guidelines for submission of abstracts.
Upcoming 2016 GLOBE Teacher Training Workshops
Upcoming GLOBE teacher training workshops include:
- Prague, Czech Republic (TEREZA): 19-20 September (restricted to teachers in the region)
- New Delhi, India (Vishwa Yuvak Kendra): 19 September (open to all teachers)
- Camp Hill Center for Schools and Communities, 21 September 2016, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, USA
- STEM Quick Stops: Elementary GLOBE, 24 Oct 2016 - 24 April 2017, Pierre, South Dakota, USA
Anniversaries
Congratulations to the six GLOBE countries celebrating anniversaries of successful GLOBE implementation during the month of September:
Taiwan - 3 years
06 September 2013
Bulgaria - 18 years
08 September 1998
Chad - 21 years
27 September 1995
Qatar - 16 years
27 September 2000
Saudi Arabia - 14 years
30 September 2002
Thailand - 17 years
30 September 1999
News origin: GLOBE Implementation Office