This year, as Malta and the United States celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations, our strong bilateral relationship is epitomized by our partnership with the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research, and Innovation through numerous educational exchange programs. One source of celebration is our collaboration in the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program, which is coordinated by Professor Paul Pace and Ms. Ramona Mercieca.
GLOBE is an international science and education program, supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. Department of State, and other U.S. entities that allows students and the public worldwide to contribute meaningfully to our understanding of the global environment through scientific data collection. GLOBE is dedicated to supplying the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals of tomorrow with the knowledge necessary to better understand, sustain, and improve the Earth’s environment.
Through a hands-on approach to inquiry, students engage in local investigations using the GLOBE Observer App and submit their findings to the GLOBE data and information system, which can be accessed freely online on GLOBE’s international database (https://www.globe.gov/). These measurements are combined with readings at automated stations to create a worldwide resource for conducting scientific inquiry, and some measurements serve as ground truth for NASA satellite data products (e.g., clouds and soil moisture). Through the GLOBE Observer mobile app, participants can measure and submit observations of clouds, mosquito habitats, ground temperature, and trees, among other things.
Last week, we were proud to welcome Ministry of Education officials and other partners to the U.S. Embassy to celebrate GLOBE Malta’s achievements. U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Ken Toko thanked Prof. Pace and Ms. Mercieca for their tireless efforts to nurture GLOBE Malta and make it into one of the most popular student environmental research programs. He also thanked our numerous partners, including teachers and students, for their enthusiastic support of and commitment to GLOBE Malta. During the event, students who were selected as GLOBE Vloggers shared their vlog-style videos to showcase their scientific experiments. These videos were posted to GLOBE’s primary YouTube channel and presented at various GLOBE events and on the program’s social media platforms. Chargé Toko presented certificates of appreciation to the teachers, who have expertly incorporated GLOBE into their daily lesson plans, and to the students who have demonstrated such commendable activism to safeguard the environment.
Please join us in celebrating the achievements of GLOBE Malta and its successes in promoting environmental stewardship and scientific research!
Caption: Celebrating GLOBE Malta’s achievements with the Ministry for Education and other partners.
