A team of CUNY researchers from Lehman College , the Graduate Center, the Advanced Science Research Center (CUNY ASRC), and Brooklyn College is embarking on a collaboration that will expand and innovate NASA’s Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program.

The project, supported by a highly competitive $11.1 million grant awarded to the CUNY Graduate Center, will help advance GLOBE’s mission to create a worldwide community of environmentally literate students, educators, and citizen scientists working to sustain and improve Earth’s environment at local, regional, and global scales. True to its name, GLOBE operates in 127 countries around the world, from Benin to Vietnam.

At Lehman, Gillian Bayne, professor of science education, will be the co-investigator directing the College’s activities.

"I am thrilled to partner with my colleagues across CUNY in creating new, innovative, and culturally embedded GLOBE resources," she said. “Our work will broaden exposure to these resources among unique and diverse communities around the world. The expansion of the GLOBE program will help to empower the next generation of scientists, the scientific community, and citizen scientists at large. We are excited for Lehman College and other CUNY students who will have great opportunities to engage with NASA-GLOBE throughout the duration of this award and beyond."

CUNY was one of only two organizations selected to work with NASA in delivering the GLOBE program’s key elements over the next five years. Specifically, the CUNY team will lead the GLOBE Implementation Office’s Training, Education, and Public Engagement elements. The work will include designing, implementing, and leading a diverse set of initiatives to elevate GLOBE's visibility and scientific relevance in the realms of STEM education, Earth system research, and science diplomacy.

The CUNY-GLOBE partnership will be based at CUNY ASRC with work germinating at other key locations across the university in the areas of STEM and Earth and Environmental Sciences. In addition, the team will work to develop and expand on GLOBE’s participatory science infrastructure, providing more opportunities and additional pathways for the public to contribute to GLOBE science.

“The ability to leverage talent across our university, the reach of our academic community, and the extent to which we are embedded in diverse communities throughout New York City put CUNY in an ideal position to support GLOBE participants as agents of change who contribute to building a sustainable and resilient planet,” said Rebecca Boger, the award’s principal investigator and a professor at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center’s Earth and Environmental Sciences programs.

GLOBE was established in 1994 by the U.S. Government and launched worldwide in 1995. It is one of the most long-standing and well-respected education and participatory science consortia dedicated to understanding our global environment and how it is changing, advancing science diplomacy, and building a global workforce collaborating toward a sustainable future.

 “The experienced team from CUNY and collaborating partners have an ambitious plan to strengthen and innovate GLOBE’s enabling infrastructure in Science, Training, Education, and Public Engagement. I am looking forward to seeing GLOBE further its reach and impact from this team’s effort,” said Amy P. Chen, NASA GLOBE Program Manager.