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By NASA
Explore This Section Science Science Activation GLOBE, NASA, and the Monsignor… Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science 4 min read
GLOBE, NASA, and the Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School in Queens, New York
When students actively participate in scientific investigations that connect to their everyday lives, something powerful happens: they begin to see themselves as scientists. This sense of relevance and ownership can spark a lifelong interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), paving the way for continued education and even future careers in these fields. Opportunities to engage directly with NASA science—like the one you’ll read about in this story—not only deepen students’ understanding of STEM concepts, but also nourish their curiosity and confidence. With the support of passionate educators, these moments of participation become stepping stones to a future in which students see themselves as contributors to real-world science.
In September 2021, Ms. Deanna Danke, a Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School mathematics teacher in Queens, New York, began teaching her students how to measure tree heights using trigonometry. Soon enough, Ms. Danke discovered the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Observer Trees Tool, and with her 150+ students, began taking tree height observations around the school, an activity that Ms. Danke and her students continue to participate in today. Her and her students’ hundreds of repeat tree height observations have provided student and professional researchers with clusters of measurements that can coincide with measurements made by NASA satellite instruments, allowing for a comparison of datasets that can be analyzed over time.
Due to the consistent tree height data collection resulting from this effort, Ms. Danke was asked to be a co-author on a peer-reviewed research paper that was published on June 21, 2022 in the Environmental Research Letters special journal “Focus on Public Participation in Environmental Research.” The paper, “The potential of citizen science data to complement satellite and airborne lidar tree height measurements: lessons from The GLOBE Program,” included data from the tree height observations reported by Ms. Danke and her students—an incredible achievement for everyone involved.
On March 21, 2025, Ms. Danke’s former and current students continued their inspiring adventures with NASA science by taking a trip to the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Highlights from this trip included science and technology presentations by personnel from the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Missions, the Wallops Balloon Program Office, and the Wallops Machine Shop for Fabrication and Testing. The ICESat-2 presentation, in particular, included a discussion on the student-collected tree height data and how the ICESat-2 satellite makes tree height observations from space.
Ms. Danke’s work is a testament to the incredible impact educators can have when they connect classroom learning to authentic scientific discovery. By introducing her students to tools like the GLOBE Observer Trees Tool and facilitating meaningful contributions to NASA science, she opened the door to experiences most students only dream of—from collecting data that supports satellite missions to co-authoring peer-reviewed research and visiting NASA facilities. Stories like this remind us that when students are empowered to be part of real science, the possibilities—for learning, inspiration, and future careers in STEM—are truly limitless.
The GLOBE Observer app, used by Ms. Danke and her students, is made possible by the NASA Earth Science Education Collaborative (NESEC). This free mobile app includes four tools that enable citizen scientists to participate in NASA science: Clouds, Mosquito Habitat Mapper, Land Cover, and Trees. Learn more about ways that you can join and participate in this and other NASA Citizen Science projects. Through these projects, sometimes called “participatory science” projects, volunteers and amateurs have helped make thousands of important scientific discoveries, and they are open to everyone around the world (no citizenship required).
NESEC is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AE28A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn
Map of tree height around the Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School from the GLOBE Program’s Visualization System. I know this was an experience they will remember forever and they have already told me that they cannot wait to tell their future children about it. It was wonderful meeting you in person and being on site to get a real sense of what you are working on. The boys were especially fascinated by the last two stops on the tour and appreciated learning a little more about how tree height is measured. Thank you again for this incredible opportunity.”
Ms. Deanna Danke
Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School
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Last Updated Apr 10, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Location Wallops Flight Facility Related Terms
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By NASA
This summer, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is offering a free summer STEM program for high school students in their junior and senior years.Credit: NASA NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is launching the NASA Glenn High School Engineering Institute this summer. The free, work-based learning experience is designed to help high school students prepare for a future in the aerospace workforce.
Rising high school juniors and seniors in Northeast Ohio can submit applications for this new, in-person summer program from Friday, April 11, through Friday, May 9.
The NASA Glenn High School Engineering Institute will immerse students in NASA’s work while providing essential career readiness tools to help them in future science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-focused academic and professional pursuits.
Throughout the five-day institute, students will use authentic NASA mission content and work alongside Glenn’s technical experts to gain a deeper understanding of the engineering design process, develop practical engineering solutions to real-world challenges, and test prototypes to answer questions in key mission areas:
Acoustic dampening – How can we reduce noise pollution from jet engines? Power management and distribution – How can we develop a smart power system for future space stations? Simulated lunar operations – Can we invent tires that don’t use air? Program Dates
Selected students will participate in one of the following week-long sessions.
Session 1: July 7 – 11, 2025 Session 2: July 14 – 18, 2025 Session 3: July 21 – 25, 2025 Eligibility and Application Requirements
To be eligible for this program, students must:
Be entering 11th or 12th grade for the 2025-2026 academic year Have a minimum 3.2 GPA, verified by their school counselor Submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher Additional application requirements are outlined in the Supplemental Application.
How to Apply:
To be considered for this opportunity, complete and submit the NASA Gateway application and the Supplemental Application by Friday May 9.
Questions pertaining to the NASA Glenn High School Engineering Institute should be directed to Gerald Voltz at GRC-Ed-Opportunities@mail.nasa.gov.
For information about NASA Glenn, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/glenn
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Debbie Welch
Glenn Research Center, Cleveland
216-433-8655
debbie.welch@nasa.gov
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By NASA
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NASA Science Supports Data Literacy for K-12 Students
Data – and our ability to understand and use it – shapes nearly every aspect of our world, from decisions in our lives to the skills we need in the workplace and more. All of us, as either producers or consumers of data, will experience how it can be used to problem-solve and think critically as we navigate the world around us. For that reason, Data Science has become an increasingly essential and growing field that combines the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and sharing of data in virtually every area of life. As more data become more openly available, our Data Science skills will be of increasing importance. And yet, there is a widening gap between what students learn in school and the skills they will need to succeed in a data-driven world. The integration of Data Science into K-12 education opens doors to higher education, high-paying careers, and empowering learners to eventually participate in the creation of new knowledge and understanding of our world, and at least 29 states have reported some level of data science implementation at the K-12 level, including standard or framework adoption, course piloting, and educator professional learning.
In February 2025, the first-ever Data Science Education K-12: Research to Practice Conference (DS4E) took place in San Antonio, TX. A number of representatives from NASA’s Science Activation program and other NASA partners attended and presented along with over 250 educators, researchers, and school leaders from across the nation. Science Activation projects share a passion for helping people of all ages and backgrounds connect with NASA science experts, content, experiences, and learning resources, and the AEROKATS & ROVER Education Network (AREN); Place-Based Learning to Advance Connections, Education, and Stewardship (PLACES); Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Mission Earth; and My NASA Data teams did just that. Their presentations at the conference included:
“BYOD – Build or Bring Your Own Data: Developing K-12 Datasets” (PLACES) “Using NASA Data Resources as a Tool to Support Storytelling with Data in K-12 Education” (My NASA Data) “Place-Based Data Literacy: Real People, Real Places, Real Data” (AREN) Conference participants expressed interest in learning more about NASA assets, including data and subject matter experts. Stemming from their participation in this first DS4E, several Science Activation teams are collaborating to potentially host regional events next year under the umbrella of this effort (PLACES in particular), a wonderful example of how Science Activation project teams help lead the charge in the advancement of key Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, such as Data Science, to activate minds and promote a deeper understanding of our world and beyond.
Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn
Data Science Education K-12 Research to Practice Conference Share
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Last Updated Apr 09, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Students from Universidad Católica Boliviana “San Pablo” compete during NASA’s 2024 Human Exploration Rover Challenge. The 2025 competition takes place Friday and Saturday, April 11-12, 2025, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Aviation Challenge course in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA NASA’s annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge returns Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, with student teams competing at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Aviation Challenge course near the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Media are invited to watch as hundreds of students from around the world attempt to navigate a complex obstacle course by piloting a vehicle of their own design and production. Media interested in attending or setting up interviews should contact Taylor Goodwin in the Marshall Office of Communications at 938-210-2891 no later than 2 p.m. Thursday, April 10.
In addition to the traditional human-powered rover division, this year’s competition expands the challenge to include a remote-control division. The 2025 HERC Handbook includes guidelines for the new remote-control division and updates for the human-powered division.
Participating teams represent 35 colleges and universities, 38 high schools, and two middle schools from 20 states, Puerto Rico, and 16 other nations.
The event is free and open to the public, with rover excursions from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT each day, or until the last rover completes the obstacle course.
Following the competition, NASA will host an in-person awards ceremony Saturday, April 12, at 5:30 p.m. inside the Space Camp Operations Center at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. NASA and industry sponsors will present multiple awards highlighting team successes throughout the past eight-months-long engineering design project, including awards for best rover design, best pit crew, best social media presence, and many other accomplishments.
About the Challenge
Recognized as NASA’s leading international student challenge, the Human Exploration Rover Challenge aims to put competitors in the mindset of NASA’s Artemis campaign. Teams pitch an engineering design for a lunar rover which simulates astronauts exploring the lunar surface while overcoming various obstacles. Eligible teams compete to be among the top three finishers in their divisions, and to win multiple awards, including best vehicle design, best rookie team, and more.
The annual challenge draws hundreds of students from around the world and reflects the goals of NASA’s Artemis campaign, which will establish the first long-term presence on the Moon and pave the way for eventual missions to Mars.
The event was launched in 1994 as the NASA Great Moonbuggy Race – a collegiate competition to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. It expanded in 1996 to include high school teams, evolving again in 2014 into the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge. Since its inception, more than 15,000 students have participated – with many former students now working in the aerospace industry, including with NASA.
The Human Exploration Rover Challenge is managed by NASA Marshall’s Southeast Regional Office of STEM Engagement and is one of eight Artemis Student Challenges. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement uses challenges and competitions to further the agency’s goal of encouraging students to pursue degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
To learn more about the challenge, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/roverchallenge/
Taylor Goodwin
256-544-0034
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
taylor.goodwin@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Apr 04, 2025 EditorBeth RidgewayLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms
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By NASA
A Soyuz rocket launches to the International Space Station with Expedition 73 crew members: NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy, onboard, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky) NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, arrived at the International Space Station on Tuesday, bringing the number of residents to 10 for the next two weeks.
The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft carrying Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky docked to the Prichal module at 4:57 a.m. EDT, following a three-hour, two-orbit journey to the space station. They launched at 1:47 a.m. (10:47 a.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
When hatches open at approximately 7:20 a.m., the trio will join the Expedition 72 crew, including NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Don Pettit, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Kirill Peskov, Ivan Vagner, and Alexey Ovchinin.
NASA’s live coverage of hatch opening will begin at 7 a.m. on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms.
Expedition 73 will begin on Saturday, April 19, following the departure of Pettit, Ovchinin, and Vagner, as they conclude a seven-month science mission aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Watch the ceremonial change of command at 2:40 p.m. on Friday, April 18, as Ovchinin transfers the distinction to Onishi, live on NASA+.
Throughout his eight-month stay aboard the orbital outpost, Kim will conduct scientific research in technology development, Earth science, biology, human research, and more. This is the first flight for Kim and Zubritsky, and the third for Ryzhikov.
Learn more about space station activities at:
https://www.nasa.gov/station
-end-
Joshua Finch
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Apr 08, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
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