Project Plans
Project Plans: 1999
When NASA sends a satellite into Earth orbit today it is viewed as a normal occurrence in our lives. Even as the spacecraft moves deliberately around the Earth collecting data about our planet, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land we inhabit -- the mission's technological feat, scientific ingenuity and interconnectedness to our lives is often lost in the headlines of the day.
Scientists are the ones most often excited by the data stream's current and future potential to help develop our understanding of the Earth. Engaged in a life-long discovery and learning process to make sense of the chaotic and deterministic forces of nature and humans, scientists are driven both by pure fascination with the science problem's complexity and the ability to envision the tremendous benefits of understanding how the Earth system works.
A principal reason that NASA scientists are choosing to work with educators and students in the ICP is the realization that all citizens need to be a part of this discovery and learning process. If citizens are familiar with scientific and technical issues, they can participate effectively in both private and public decision making. Involving non-scientists in the research process helps in assessing the public discussion of issues such as global warming, air pollution or genetic modification of plants and animals -- the myriad of technical issues that will only increase in the future. Ultimately, these issues must be evaluated and acted on by the public and their representatives.
Students who have participated in the research process are more likely to develop the critical thinking and perspective for connecting science to their lives and thus as citizens be better able to assess the conflicting arguments of special interest groups. This is why GISS is creating a hybrid research community that involves scientists, educators and students.
GISS is fortunate to recruit an excellent group of ICP Faculty Fellows to work with our scientists and education staff in identifying the content and processes in climate research that are most suited to teaching science and addressing new science standards.
Our Summer 1999 Student Research Interns are an enthusiastic and capable mix of high school and college students. With most of the senior student researchers moving on to other endeavors, this summer's students represent the next generation. Your predecessors set a high standard we are looking forward with high expectations to your contributions to the summer research projects and science papers.
The interdisciplinary study of Planet Earth brings into focus the interconnectedness of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise and our lives, a theme that cuts across ICP student research projects and related curriculum. Research that improves our understanding of how the climate system works is the essential complement to national science goals to evaluate the impacts of climate variability and change on natural resources, health, safety and the economy. The endeavor to study the earth system through observations and modeling is one of the most important inputs for responsible policy decisions in the present and to plan for the future, yielding knowledge needed for managing such resources as energy, water and land. It is also ideally suited to address national education goals that seek to improve science education by creating greater opportunities for systems thinking, analysis and modeling, science inquiry and technology applications.
1999 Projects
- Tracks and Cloud Structures in Midlatitude Storms
- Global Methane Inventory
- Climate Change and New York State Agriculture: Projections, Impacts and Adaptation Strategies
- Assessing the Impact of Climate and Land-Use/Land-Cover Changes on New York City's Water Supply System
- The History of New York's Vegetation and Climate - Ties to the Present
- Investigation of Aerosol Variability and Trends in NYC
- Forcings and Chaos: Climatic Characterization of Urban Warming
