On August 3-6, 2020, NASA’s Applied Sciences Program will host their end-of-summer showcase, Applied Sciences Week 2020. This annual event will highlight many examples of applications of Earth observations and allow attendees to learn about the resources and opportunities available through NASA and its partners, all while empowering early career professionals as future scientists, researchers and leaders in Earth science. This year’s event will be completely virtual, to allow anyone interested in participating to join the fun from a distance.
Applied Sciences Week 2020 will be organized by theme and geography, to highlight the many ways NASA Earth observations are being used around the world. The week-long celebration will also showcase collaborations with partners and stakeholders like state government agencies and local decision makers, to protect human health and ecology, respond to disasters, and enhance resource management.
Applied Sciences Week will be structured with daily plenary sessions, followed by thematic breakout rooms focused on Water Resources, Disasters and Energy, Ecological Forecasting and Health and Air Quality with Urban Development. Side events include a video premiere from the Capacity Building program area and a volunteer Mapathon, followed by a virtual networking session.
Each day, the focus will be on one part of the U.S. and one international region, as well as one additional related activity – VALUABLES, the Global Partnership Program, and efforts to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Groups to be highlighted include ARSET, DEVELOP, SERVIR, and the Central American Integration System (SICA), including talks on projects in Health and Air Quality, Eco Forecasting, Water Resources, and Disasters.
Featured speakers include Argie Kavvada speaking on SDGs, Shanna McClain on the ESD Partnership Program, and Bethany Mabee on VALUABLES. Nancy Searby, the Capacity Building Program Manager, and Lawrence Friedl, the Applied Sciences Program Director, will moderate a panel of Earth observation users and open and close each day, respectively. Emily Sylak-Glassman, an Applied Sciences Program Manager, will give an overview of Applied Sciences and related highlights. On the first day, a user panel with speakers from multiple sectors working in different thematic areas will provide insights into their partnerships with Applied Sciences and use of NASA Earth observations.
To register for this event, visit the Applied Sciences Week registration site. Registration provides access to plenary talks, project highlights, user panels and more.
About the Authors
Aariana Maynard and Grace Finstrom are summer interns with NASA’s Earth Applied Sciences Capacity Building program area. They are supporting the Capacity Building Program’s communication efforts this summer.
