GLOBE Observer Data: 2016–2019

Amos, H. M.; Starke, Matthew; Rogerson, T. M.; Robles, Marilé Colón; Andersen, Travis; Boger, Rebecca; Campbell, Brian A.; Low, Russanne; Nelson, Peter O.; Overoye, David; Taylor, J.; Weaver, K. L. K.; Ferrell, Trena; Kohl, H. Riebeek; Schwerin, T. G.

doi:10.1029/2020ea001175

Cited by 19 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…GLOBE is an international science and education program engaging students, teachers, community members and scientists in environmental monitoring and research. Created 25 years ago to support inquiry-based learning in K-12 classrooms, GLOBE recently expanded its mission to support citizen scientist data collection and investigation by launching the GLOBE Observer mobile app, a place-based citizen science app for volunteers of all ages (Amos et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science “Mosquito Mappers” Virtual Internship: Outcomes of Place-Based Engagement with Citizen Science

Cho

Low

Fischer

et al. 2021

Front. Environ. Sci.

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In this paper, we describe a virtual high school earth science enhancement program that embeds a citizen science experience within a scientist-mentored research internship. We demonstrate the success of the program as measured by knowledge of pertinent science concepts and processes, and changes in future career orientation, and explore the role of place-based citizen science in interns’ experience of their research projects. The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) Mosquito Mappers Virtual Internship connected high school interns with research opportunities applying NASA Earth Observations to the global health threat of mosquito-vector borne diseases. The interns engaged in 120–150 h of research working closely with NASA subject matter expert mentors, and making use of the GLOBE Observer citizen science infrastructure to collect and analyse data. In the virtual format, interns were able to participate in activities synchronously or asynchronously through an online learning platform, web conferencing software and social media. Students developed and completed either an independent or small team research project leveraging data collected using the place-based citizen science mobile application, GLOBE Observer. We found that participants were motivated by conducting fieldwork in and around their communities using the GLOBE Observer app. Local fieldwork enabled the student researchers to apply their prior knowledge of their natural and built landscapes, while also contributing to the reduction of mosquito-borne disease risk in their communities. This finding highlights the benefit of coupling citizen science to a virtual internship. Interns shared that their interest in research, and research in the earth sciences specifically, increased as a result of participating in the internship program. By leveraging citizen science data collection and reporting tools, existing data, and analysis tools, the program represented a robust, cost effective research experience conducted in a virtual environment, lowering barriers to participation and broadening access to STEM enhancement opportunities for all.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science “Mosquito Mappers” Virtual Internship: Outcomes of Place-Based Engagement with Citizen Science

Cho

Low

Fischer

et al. 2021

Front. Environ. Sci.

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“…For the most part, the protocols-clouds, mosquito habitats, land cover, trees, and eclipse-do not require equipment beyond the app tools to collect meaningful data. The eclipse protocol requires a thermometer and trees has an optional tree circumference observation that requires a tape measure (Amos et al 2020). Training for these protocols is provided within the app.…”

Section: The Globe Programmentioning

confidence: 99%

The potential of citizen science data to complement satellite and airborne lidar tree height measurements: lessons from The GLOBE Program

Enterkine

Campbell

Kohl

et al. 2022

Environ. Res. Lett.

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The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program is an international science, citizen science, and education program through which volunteers in participating countries collect environmental data in support of Earth system science. Using the program’s software application, GLOBE Observer, volunteers measure tree height and optional tree circumference, which may support the interpretation of NASA and other space-based satellite data such as tree height data from the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) and Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) instrument. This paper describes tree heights data collected through the GLOBE Observer application and identifies sources of error in data collection. We also illustrate how the ground-based citizen science data collected in the GLOBE Observer application can be used in conjunction with ICESat-2 tree height observations from two locations in the United States: Grand Mesa, Colorado, and Greenbelt, Maryland. Initial analyses indicate that data location accuracy and the scientific relevance of data density should be considered in order to align GLOBE tree height data with satellite-based data collections. These recommendations are intended to inform the improved implementation of citizen science environmental data collection in scientific work and to document a use case of the GLOBE Trees data for the science research community.

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“…Since the primary data are geotagged photos, location accuracy is the most significant data quality check done on the GO on a Trail data to facilitate mapping the photos to other LCLU data. Further, a published quality assessment of all GLOBE Observer land cover data collected between 2016 and 2019, including GO on a Trail data, found that location errors are the most common errors (Amos et al, 2020). The GLOBE Observer app reports location accuracy estimates based on repeated queries of the phone's GPS receiver.…”

Section: Data Quality Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bayas et al (2020) report significant improvement in the quality of volunteers' land cover classifications when users were provided with timely feedback. As documented in Amos et al (2020), GLOBE Observer provides such feedback for volunteers who submit clouds data. Volunteers are encouraged to take cloud observations when a satellite is overhead through an alert that appears 15 min before the overpass.…”

Section: Data Quality Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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GLOBE Observer and the GO on a Trail Data Challenge: A Citizen Science Approach to Generating a Global Land Cover Land Use Reference Dataset

Kohl¹,

Nelson²,

Pring³

et al. 2021

Front. Clim.

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Land cover and land use are highly visible indicators of climate change and human disruption to natural processes. While land cover is frequently monitored over a large area using satellite data, ground-based reference data is valuable as a comparison point. The NASA-funded GLOBE Observer (GO) program provides volunteer-collected land cover photos tagged with location, date and time, and, in some cases, land cover type. When making a full land cover observation, volunteers take six photos of the site, one facing north, south, east, and west (N-S-E-W), respectively, one pointing straight up to capture canopy and sky, and one pointing down to document ground cover. Together, the photos document a 100-meter square of land. Volunteers may then optionally tag each N-S-E-W photo with the land cover types present. Volunteers collect the data through a smartphone app, also called GLOBE Observer, resulting in consistent data. While land cover data collected through GLOBE Observer is ongoing, this paper presents the results of a data challenge held between June 1 and October 15, 2019. Called “GO on a Trail,” the challenge resulted in more than 3,300 land cover data points from around the world with concentrated data collection in the United States and Australia. GLOBE Observer collections can serve as reference data, complementing satellite imagery for the improvement and verification of broad land cover maps. Continued collection using this protocol will build a database documenting climate-related land cover and land use change into the future.

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GLOBE Observer Data: 2016–2019

Cited by 19 publications

References 20 publications

The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science “Mosquito Mappers” Virtual Internship: Outcomes of Place-Based Engagement with Citizen Science

The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science “Mosquito Mappers” Virtual Internship: Outcomes of Place-Based Engagement with Citizen Science

The potential of citizen science data to complement satellite and airborne lidar tree height measurements: lessons from The GLOBE Program

GLOBE Observer and the GO on a Trail Data Challenge: A Citizen Science Approach to Generating a Global Land Cover Land Use Reference Dataset

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