December 2020 GLOBE News Brief |
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The December GLOBE Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE) - Surface Temperature Field Campaign Has Begun |
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The Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE) - Surface Temperature Field Campaign for December has begun! As always, your participation is invaluable to this scientific endeavor. Your observations add to the extensive data set that students and scientists, including Dr. Kevin Czajkowski (“Dr. C” at the University of Toledo, Ohio, USA), can use to study the urban heat island effect.
The campaign – which now takes place in October, December, and March – is focused on looking at the impact urbanization has on the Earth’s surface temperature, and on how the surface temperature changes the dynamics of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Did you participate in the October campaign? Then read Dr. C’s recent blog, “Update for October 2020” for a summary of observations from around the world.
To learn more about the campaign,
including how to get started, what data to collect and when, and how, click here.
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2021 GLOBE Annual Meeting Will Be Virtual – Save the Dates: 19-23 July |
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The 2021 GLOBE Annual Meeting will be held 19-23 July. Please mark these dates on your calendar! The meeting will be 100 percent virtual. More information, including information about registering for this event, will be sent in the coming months.
To learn more about, and see highlights from, GLOBE Annual Meetings, click here.
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Total Solar Eclipse in South America on 14 December 2020:
Get Ready to Take Temperature and Clouds Measurements
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In case you haven’t heard, there will be a total solar eclipse in South America on 14 December 2020. The eclipse will pass across the southern part of South America, slightly further south than the path of the eclipse on 02 July 2019. This year’s eclipse will begin over the Pacific Ocean, and the lunar shadow will enter South America near Lago Budi, Chile, and will end near Las Grutas, Argentina. Outside this path, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in the rest of Chile and Argentina, as well as in Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and in parts of Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil.
Beginning 07 December, GLOBE Observer app users in South America will see the Eclipse tool turned on in their apps. The app tool will be set up to be “geo-fenced” – that is, only available to those within the following area (where this eclipse will be visible):
- Latitude: -70 to 3
- Longitude: -100 to -25
Everyone within the area is invited to make observations of air temperature and clouds using the app (and an external thermometer) both leading up to (as practice) and during this natural phenomenon.
For more details on how to participate in this year’s special event,
The video below was created for the eclipse in August 2017, but it explains why NASA needs your help making observations during any eclipse (in English).
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For resources in both English and Spanish, click here.
To find out exactly how much of the eclipse a particular location will experience,
(total, partial and annular).
SAFETY FIRST: Never look directly at the Sun unless you are wearing certified eclipse glasses. And, as always, please follow guidelines from your local officials, and only participate in GLOBE activities or use the GLOBE Observer app if it is safe to do so.
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Miss the October/November Webinars for the 2021 IVSS?
Watch them Today!
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Whether you missed the informational/inspirational webinars designed to help you move forward with your 2021 International Virtual Science Symposium (IVSS) research endeavors – or just want to watch them again – they have been archived.
The 2021 IVSS will be focusing on Data Analysis. Students are welcome to use new or old data in their projects. The GLOBE Implementation Office (GIO) is also encouraging students to present research in creative ways – like with storytelling tools (video, online, etc.).
In October, GIO hosted two webinars designed to help introduce data science skills and resources, as well as one general informational webinar covering the 2021 IVSS. In November, GIO hosted two dual-language webinars: the first webinar (in English and Spanish) was presented by Alejandro Mundo (a CCRI Educator/Associate Researcher at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies) on creating a scientific poster; the second webinar (in English and American Sign Language) was presented by Wade Phillips and Jillian Anderson (both high school science teachers at the Lexington School for the Deaf in New York, USA) on how to develop a good research question.
To view recordings of the October/November webinars, click here.
Inspiration at Your Fingertips!
Are you seeking inspiration on possible 2021 IVSS research topics? Then check out GLOBE’s current measurement campaigns!
To explore the current measurement campaigns, click here.
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Important 2021 IVSS Dates/Events:
- Reports Accepted: Mid-to-late January through 10 March 2021
- Due Date for Student Reports: 10 March 2021
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Judging Webinar: 29 March 2021, 09:00 a.m. MT (To access, click here.)
- Judging Period: 29 March through 05 April 2021
- Feedback and Virtual Badges Shared: 22 April 2021
- Drawing for Stipends: 22 April 2021
For more information on the 2021 IVSS, click here.
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GLOBE Seeks Input on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan in Spanish, French, and Arabic – Submit by 10 December |
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Over the past year, GLOBE has assembled a Task Force of GLOBE members to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In October, the Task Force developed draft definitions, a vision and mission statement, and an action plan related to DEI (“DEI Statements”) – and requested member feedback. GIO would like to thank everyone who submitted feedback to the survey.
There is now an opportunity to translate the DEI Statements into Spanish, French, and Arabic. If you would like to comment on the DEI Statements in these languages, please use the following form to comment in your respective language:
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To access the Spanish Translated Feedback Form, click here.
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To access the French Translated Feedback Form, click here.
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To access the Arabic Translated Feedback Form, click here.
The comment period has been reopened in these languages until 10 December.
If you have already submitted your feedback in English, there is no need to submit another form. The English language comment period for this feedback survey has closed, and the feedback provided in English is being reviewed.
For more information on the DEI Task Force, click here.
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Welcome to GLOBE’s New Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Blog |
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There is a new DEI blogging portal available on the GLOBE website. “We are excited to start a new blog highlighting stories of GLOBE members and their commitment to help GLOBE become an increasingly welcoming, diverse, equitable, and inclusive community,” Rosalba Giarratana, a member of the GLOBE DEI Task Force, said in a new blog.
“Almost a year ago, GLOBE announced its initiative to start the GLOBE Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. GLOBE encouraged people to apply to be part of this group, and work towards a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive GLOBE. Twenty-two people were selected, representing six countries.”
“It is now hard to believe that we still had the opportunity to have our first GLOBE DEI meeting in person, in Boulder, Colorado, USA, back in February, before all our meetings became virtual… More than ever do we treasure the chance we had to exchange handshakes and hugs!”
“We are grateful for the enthusiastic response to this initiative and, while we recognize there is a lot of work ahead of us, we are excited to be moving towards a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive GLOBE community, together. Please stay tuned to learn more about GLOBE DEI efforts, and about how GLOBE members are helping shape the most welcoming community!”
To read the entire blog, click here (in both English and Spanish)
GLOBE would like to encourage members to share work they are doing via their own blog. All blogs show up in the Community Blog – and, if the blog is related to DEI, please select the “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” category.
Need help posting a blog? Contact the GLOBE Community Support Team (CST)
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Join 08 December Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign Webinar: “Trees are Land Cover!” |
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The Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign webinar: “Trees are Land Cover!” will be held on Tuesday, 08 December, at 02:00 p.m. EST (07:00 p.m. UTC).
Did you know that all the trees that you see in your local environment are all part of the local land cover? Land cover data helps us understand how much of or what part of local regions to global locations are covered by landforms, trees and forests, wetlands, impervious surfaces, agriculture, and other land and water types. This webinar will feature Peder Nelson, Researcher and Instructor and GLOBE Observer Land Cover Science Lead, from Oregon State University. Peder will discuss the importance of land cover observations from the ground and space and focus on why trees are part of land cover.
If you are interested in joining the webinar, please send an email
To learn more about the Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign, click here.
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Read Recent Blog “NASA Releases
Two New Tree-related Feature Videos”
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Are you participating in the Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign? Then you’ll want to read a recent GLOBE Community Blog written by Brian Campbell, NASA Senior Earth Science Education Specialist: “NASA Releases Two New Tree-related Feature Videos.”
“I just wanted to share, with every participant on the Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign, that NASA has released two new amazing videos related to trees, tree height and tree research,” Campbell said in the blog.
The videos highlighted in the blog are:
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Video One: “An unexpectedly large count of trees in West African Sahara and Sahel” (released 10 October 2020) – “This visualization focuses on the Dryer areas of the globe that do not have forests are sometimes discounted for their contribution to the global biome in climate models and other prediction systems. However, this research has shown that over 1.8 billion trees are in the small study area in the West African Sahara and Sahel.” To access the video, click here.
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Video Two: “GLOBE Observer Why Observe?: Tree Height (released 29 October 2020) – “This video explores surface height measurement missions and the role that citizen science can play within the scientific community. NASA uses field campaigns and sensors on satellites and the International Space Station (ISS) to improve our understanding of how much carbon is being stored in terrestrial ecosystems and how this could change as patterns of drought, fire, and forest ecosystems shift in a changing climate.” To access the video, click here.
To learn more about the Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign, click here.
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Join 10 December GLOBE Mission Mosquito Data Challenge Meet-up |
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On Thursday, 10 December, at 02:00 p.m. ET (07:00 p.m. UTC), you are invited to join the GLOBE Mission Mosquito (GMM) Data Challenge Meet-up.
Join this informal meeting and discuss the November Data Literacy Challenge with the GMM team. Bring your ideas and suggestions!
To learn more about GLOBE Mission Mosquito, click here.
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December GLOBE Zika and Education Project Update |
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In December 2018, GIO submitted a proposal for a chapter to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Global Campus Innovations, about the GLOBE Zika Education and Prevention Project, which was subsequently accepted in January 2019.
To access the Global Campus Innovations collection, which was recently published, click here.
The papers collected in this publication reveal just a small sample of the innovations being explored in education and training around the world. Many of these originated as goals to increase access for learners, to make learning more efficient, or to increase the impacts of training initiatives to ensure the investments of learners and teachers are well rewarded.
To learn more about the GLOBE Zika Education and Prevention Project, click here.
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As always, GLOBE continues to work to ensure that your “use” of the website, and associated apps, is as user-friendly as possible. Check out the latest tech updates:
The Website:
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The highly anticipated website upgrade is now complete. All functionality, including login, data entry, and data retrieval have been returned to normal at this time. Stored observations within the GLOBE Observer app can now be submitted as well.
For more information about the upgrade, please take a look at our website upgrade
GLOBE Observer App:
Due to the updates needed to ready the GLOBE Observer app for the eclipse, Phase 1 of the Data Entry app merger into the GLOBE Observer app will not be available until mid-to-late January 2021.
Looking Ahead:
In January 2020, look for the Mosquito Habitat Mapper tool within the app to receive an update. In addition, look for a new ability to submit GLOBE observations to SciStarter. (SciStarter is the place to find, join, and contribute to science through providing people access to searchable formal and informal research projects and events.)
Have questions, or need assistance, contact the GLOBE Community Support Team at: globehelp@ucar.edu.
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GLOBE Campaigns Process and Documents Are Being
Updated and Improved
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GIO is currently reviewing and updating the “GLOBE Campaigns” processes and documents. Keep an eye out for these improvements in early 2021. Also, look out for an informational webinar covering these updates in depth in early 2021.
GLOBE field campaigns are regional and worldwide projects that provide students with hands-on opportunities to explore and learn about Earth through a network of students, teachers, and scientists. GLOBE field campaigns are grounded in real science embedded in an inquiry-based, collaborative approach.
To learn more about the current GLOBE campaigns, click here.
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Are You Using Email to Enter Data? Please Use New Email Address! |
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Effective immediately: If you are using GLOBE’s Email Data Entry portal to send in GLOBE measurements, you need to start using this new email: globedata@ucar.edu. The old email address has now been retired.
For instructions on how to use GLOBE’s email Data Entry, click here.
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2021 U.S. Student Research Symposia Cancelled |
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After much deliberation, the U.S. GLOBE Office, in consultation with event sponsors NASA and Youth Learning as Citizen Environmental Sciences (YLACES), has decided to cancel the 2021 Student Research Symposia.
This decision was not an easy one to make. Many GLOBE partners, who support teachers and organize the regional events, let the U.S. GLOBE Office know that their institutions and potential locations could not commit to hosting, and were limiting travel and events into the future. Several teachers said that their schools were not supporting field trips, and some were reverting back to, or remaining, virtual until an unforeseeable date. These circumstances led the U.S. GLOBE Office to make the decision to cancel in-person events.
On 17 September, the U.S. GLOBE Office held an open forum and created a Padlet that captured ideas from the community about the 2021 SRS. After considering several options, including a virtual Student Research Symposia, it was determined that an alternative event was not feasible. A virtual SRS, even if later in the school year, would be very similar in format, participants, and reviewers/judges to the GLOBE International Virtual Science Symposia (IVSS). In order to create a new type of event for just this year, which would complement rather than compete with the 2021 IVSS, would require a significant amount of time and resources that the U.S. GLOBE Office may not be able to maintain into the future.
For the 2020-2021 academic year, the U.S. GLOBE Office will be focusing on increasing the numbers and engagement level of the U.S. STEM professionals in the GLOBE International STEM Network (GISN). This will involve:
- exploring collaboration tools, resources, and promising practices on creating and maintaining high-quality student-scientist interactions;
- refining and updating the GISN database to better match students/teachers with STEM professionals from diverse backgrounds; and
- creating or instituting systems for meeting management and relationship building to increase the accessibility of outreach activities.
These efforts will strengthen the number and quality of mentorship relationships between students, teachers, and STEM professionals in the United States. The outcomes from this work will also benefit students who are in the process of carrying out research and writing reports for the 2021 IVSS.
This was a hard decision, but given the current circumstances in these uncertain times, focusing on making connections between students, teachers, and STEM professionals will benefit the U.S. SRS and their participants into the future. This is seen as an opportunity to leverage the time that would have been spent planning a one-year substitute event for a project that will yield long-term benefits.
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U.S. GLOBE Teachers/Partners:
Join Thursday Watercoolers in December
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U.S. GLOBE Teachers and Partners: Join the Thursday Watercoolers in December. The Watercoolers will begin at 04:10 p.m. ET with a brief update from U.S. Country Coordinator Jen Bourgeault, and will proceed with a presentation or two from a GLOBE teacher or partner, with time for questions and conversation.
The following Watercoolers will be held in December:
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Keeping Up with GLOBE Star Stories? Read About Our Latest Star |
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Have you been keeping up with the latest GLOBE Star Stories? GLOBE Stars are stories of projects, people and extraordinary activities being conducted around the world in connection to GLOBE. These GLOBE Stars are the bright lights that spark our imagination and inspire us with news of GLOBE at work in the world.
Read our most recent Star Stories:
Are you a GLOBE Star? Share Your Story!
Are you a GLOBE Star? If so, GLOBE wants to hear all about it! Send your story of people, projects, or activities to share on the GLOBE website.
To learn more about GLOBE Stars, and to use the new easier-to-use template for submitting your GLOBE Star Story, click here.
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GLOBE Implementation Office
Closed 25 December and 01 January
for the Holidays
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The GLOBE Implementation Office, including the Community Support Team,
will be closed Friday, 25 December, and Friday, 01 January,
in order to celebrate the seasonal holidays.
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Opportunities for Teachers |
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(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 that you would like us to highlight in the coming months, please send the information to: globecommunications@ucar.edu. Thank you!)
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NASA STEM Educator Webinars |
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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 STEM at Home or School: Picture Books with Activities,” is geared toward educators in grades K-05. On Thursday, 10 December (06:00 p.m. ET), participants will learn how to use the storybook to introduce young learners to Earth Science. Participants will review NASA Earth Science resources and explore online learning; and will learn how to use inquiry-based activities associated with the story to help students explore the outdoors.
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YLACES Offers Awards, Scholarships, Grants – and Support – for Science Education |
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Youth Learning as Citizen Environmental Scientists (YLACES), based in the United States, offers awards, scholarships, grants, and support – all to assist and reward the implementation of inquiry-based, experiential science education where students do science and contribute to understanding of our environment through recognition and financial reward programs.
Those working with youth to do research projects through environmental citizen science are invited to submit proposals for support to help their efforts. Grants range from support for taking simple measurements to teacher professional development and working for pervasive inclusion of student research projects in science teaching.
In addition, support is provided for prizes recognizing student achievement and effective teaching; for infrastructure necessary for contributing, storing, and sharing data and methods; and for science fairs/symposia that assess student work.
For more information on YLACES, and the specific types of assistance
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Deadline for NSTA Awards and Recognitions is 10 December |
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The annual National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Awards and Recognition Program, which recognizes exceptional and innovative science educators, began in 1973. The NSTA Awards and Recognition Program was created to raise awareness and to expose the outstanding work being done in the science education field. It honors exceptional and innovative science educators and principals for their outstanding work. Applications for the 2020-2021 awards cycle are being accepted – all entries must be received by 10 December.
There are 17 teacher award programs, and more $80,000 in cash and prizes available. This could be the year that you and/or your school walks away with a treasure trove of cash and prizes.
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Opportunities for Students |
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U.S./Canada K-12 Teachers: Deadline for Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Science Competition is
08 February
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The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision science competition encourages K–12 students to imagine what technology might be like in the future while learning the scientific process in an engaging, hands-on way. The deadline for submissions 08 February 2021.
ExploraVision is a science competition that goes beyond the typical student science competition and into what it takes to bring ideas to reality. A teacher will sponsor and lead his/her students as they work in groups of 02-04 to simulate real research and development. A teacher will guide his or her students as they pick a current technology, research it, envision what it might look like in 10 or more years, and describe the development steps, pros and cons, and obstacles. Past winners have envisioned technologies ranging from a hand-held food allergen detector to a new device to help people who have lost limbs regain movement in real time. The competition is open to students enrolled in public, private, or home school in the United States and Canada.
For more information on the competition, click here.
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U.S. NOAA Offers Scholarship Opportunities for U.S. Undergraduates – Deadline is
01 February 2021
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The NOAA Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions Undergraduate Scholarship Program Class of 2019 sit together outside NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, during scholarship orientation. Bottom, left to right: Nohemi Perales, Ayanna Butler, Jezella Peraza, Elyse Bonner, Kristyn Wilkerson Top, left to right: Sheldon Rosa, Darrielle Williams, JaNia Dunbar, Paola Santiago, Ashley Yates-Contreras, Koffi Apegnadjro (NOAA) |
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is pleased to announce the availability of scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students majoring in disciplines related to oceanic and atmospheric science, research, or technology – and supportive of the purposes of NOAA’s programs and mission. Over 100 students are selected each year for participation in the Ernest F. Hollings and Educational Partnership Program (EPP)/Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) scholarship programs. These scholarships include support for two years of undergraduate study and summer internship opportunities at NOAA facilities across the country.
For information on program benefits and how to apply, visit:
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Educational Partnership Program (EPP)/Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) at ww.noaa.gov/eppscholarship Application Deadline: 01 February 2021 (Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, internships and planned events, such as scholar orientation and the scholar symposium, may be held virtually.)
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Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship at: http://www.noaa.gov/hollings Application Deadline: 01 February 2021
For more information, including eligibility requirements,
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Congratulations to the 11 GLOBE countries celebrating anniversaries of successful GLOBE implementation during the month of December:
Burkina Faso – 22 years
18 December 1998
El Salvador – 25 years
11 December 1995
Germany – 25 years
08 December 1995
Greece – 25 years
12 December 1995
Guatemala – 23 years
05 December 1997
Maldives – 17 years
08 December 2003
Oman – 11 years
08 December 2009
Russia – 26 years
16 December 1994
Slovak Republic – 01 year
31 December 2019
Sri Lanka – 21 years
20 December 1999
Suriname – 23 years
23 December 1997
The GLOBE Implementation Office would like to thank these countries for their ongoing educational and scientific contributions to The GLOBE Program!
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Past issues of the GLOBE News Brief are available in the online. (On the drop-down menu under “Category,” simply scroll down to “News Topics” and select “News Briefs.”)
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