The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program is a worldwide hands-on, science and education program focusing on the environment, now active in over 120 countries worldwide. It works to promote the teaching and learning of science, enhance environmental literacy and stewardship, and promote scientific discovery. Students and teachers collect data and perform research in collaboration with scientists from numerous international agencies, and their work is made accessible through the GLOBE website.

Background

The GLOBE Program seeks to teach young students experimental skills using real experiments and equipment. Students, teachers, and scientists collaborate in a unique global learning network. The program is housed by the

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) is a US nonprofit consortium of more than 100 colleges and universities providing research and training in the atmospheric and related sciences. UCAR manages the National Center for Atmosph ...

(UCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, and sponsored by

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil List of government space agencies, space program ...

(National Aeronautics and Space Administration), NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ), and the

National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National ...

, through an inter-agency agreement signed in 1998. The

U.S. Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other ...

supports the work of the GLOBE Program internationally (see for example the agreement with Mexico); many other organizations support the GLOBE Program in the US and around the world.

Mission

The GLOBE Program's Mission is to promote the teaching and learning of science, enhance environmental literacy and stewardship, and promote scientific discovery. Specific goals include: * Improve student achievement across the curriculum with a focus on student research in environmental and Earth system science; * Enhance awareness and support activities of individuals throughout the world to benefit the environment; * Contribute to scientific understanding of Earth as a system; * Connect and inspire the next generation of global scientists; and * Get young minds outside to explore new things. GLOBE Program logo

History

* 1995: The GLOBE Program launched by former US vice-president

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic no ...

on Earth Day, April 22 * 1997: GLOBE Teacher Conference held in the US * 1998: 1st GLOBE Learning Expedition (GLE) held in Finland * 2000: 2nd GLE held in the USA * 2003: 53 protocols across atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and soil (pedosphere) * 2003: 3rd GLE held in Croatia * 2003: NASA selected the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), to operate The GLOBE Program Office * 2005: Earth Day; GLOBE celebrates its 10th birthday with 15,000 schools in 106 countries * 2008: 4th GLE held in South Africa * 2009: 20 million data in the global database * 2011: Student Climate Research Campaign launches * 2014: 1st regional student aerosols research campaign led by Europe and Eurasia; Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), student research campaigns with NASA launched * 2014: 5th GLE held in India * 2014: NASA selected the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) to operate The GLOBE Implementation Office * 2015: Earth Day, GLOBE celebrates its 20th birthday; GLOBE launches new data entry app for schools, an enhanced website, and an updated teacher's guide; 51 protocols in the Program; 128 million data entries in the international database * 2016: GLOBE provides online eTraining; hosts International Virtual Science Fair and six regional U.S. science fairs, and various student scientific campaigns * 2016: Launch o
GLOBE Observer app
ref> * 2017: Data reaches over 140 million measurements; International Virtual Science Symposium increases in number of submitted projects and worldwide representation, and new mosquito protocol * 2018: 6th GLE held in Ireland

Activities for learning

The GLOBE Program provides the opportunity for students to learn by taking scientifically valid measurements in the fields of atmosphere,

hydrology Hydrology () is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and environmental watershed sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is call ...

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debri ...

s, land cover, and phenology, depending upon their local curricula. Students report their data through the Internet, create maps and graphs to analyze data sets, and collaborate with scientists and other GLOBE students around the world. All the GLOBE data and observations are in the

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because those rights have expired, ...

Contribution by scientists

Members of the international science community are involved in the design and implementation of the GLOBE Program. Scientists are involved in helping select GLOBE environmental measurements, developing measurement procedures, and ensuring overall quality control of data. This is important to ensure that other scientists have confidence about these results and their findings. Their continued support and direction helps to ensure that GLOBE environmental measurements make a significant contribution to the global environmental database.

References

Notes

Additional sources

NASA Selects Colorado Organization to Operate Globe Program

What is the GLOBE program