Science Activation Stories

These highlights illustrate the range of activities conducted by the Science Activation collaborative network that reach learners of all ages using NASA Science-funded experts, content, or authentic experiences.

3 teachers at the GMRI summer institute look at a series of NDVI data on small individual maps. One of the teachers is pointing at the small maps, and another had Google Maps open on their nearby computer. In the background, another group of teachers looks at the same data.

Science Activation’s PLACES Team Facilitates Third Professional Learning Institute

5 min read

The NASA Science Activation program’s Place-Based Learning to Advance Connections, Education, and Stewardship (PLACES) project supports middle and high school educators to engage students in data-rich Earth science learning through the integration of NASA data sets, images, classroom lessons, and…

Article2 days ago
A standing adult who appears to have dropped a ball leans over a large pan on the floor, which holds different colored materials and the ball. Two smiling adults in the background watch.

Culturally Inclusive Planetary Engagement in Colorado

2 min read

In August 2024, the NASA Science Activation program’s Planetary Resources and Content Heroes (ReaCH) project held a Culturally Inclusive Planetary Engagement workshop at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder, Colorado for the planetary science community. These workshops…

Article3 days ago
Dark sky background with list of the new VALUE Bundle themes, Earth’s Moon, Explore Planets, Forces of Flight, Magnets, Planets, and Plants.

New NASA eClips VALUE Bundles for Learners with Varied Needs

2 min read

The NASA Science Activation program’s NASA eClips project, led by the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA), aims to increase Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) literacy and inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists by providing effective web-based, standards-aligned,…

Article4 days ago
A group photo from a 2023 event shows a large group of people standing in a conference room. Many attendees are wearing masks and facing the camera. Two large screens in the background display a vibrant, colorful image of an astronaut standing on a futuristic, otherworldly landscape. The room is set with chairs and tables in the foreground, and a green banner with "2023" is centered at the top of the image.

NASA Science Activation Program Wins Prestigious Award

3 min read

The NASA Science Activation (SciAct) Program has been selected to receive the American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2024 Excellence in Earth and Space Science Education Award. This prestigious, annual award, established in 1995, honors a mid-career or senior scientist team, individual,…

Article2 weeks ago

Going Back-to-School with NASA Data

4 min read

As students head back to school, teachers have a new tool that brings NASA satellite data down to their earthly classrooms. For over 50 years of observing Earth, NASA’s satellites have collected petabytes of global science data (that’s millions and…

Article3 weeks ago
Middle school students and camp counselors standing in front of a tree smiling.

NASA Summer Camp Inspires Future Climate Leaders

2 min read

From July 15-19, 2024, the Coastal Equity and Resilience Hub at the Georgia Institute of Technology collaborated with the University of Georgia (UGA) Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant to host a week-long NASA Sea Level Changemakers Summer Camp. The…

Article1 month ago
Two ambassadors work with NASA sunspot data on computers, graphing sunspot number versus time, and an image of the Sun's surface with spots, while completing an activity sheet.

Leveraging Teacher Leaders to Share the Joy of NASA Heliophysics

2 min read

Many teachers are exceptionally skilled at bridging students’ interests with real-world science. Now for the third year, the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) has brought together such a group of highly-motivated secondary and higher education teachers as part of…

Article1 month ago

Proyecto de la NASA en Puerto Rico capacita a estudiantes en biología marina

9 min read

Read this story in English here. Tainaliz Marie Rodríguez Lugo respiró hondo, se ajustó la máscara de buceo y se sumergió en el océano, metiendo primero sus pies cubiertos por aletas. Tres semanas antes, Rodríguez Lugo no sabía nadar. Pero…

Article1 month ago
A world map with dots showing locations where over 200,000 citizen scientist observations of mosquitos have been submitted using GLOBE Observer, Mosquito Alert, and iNaturalist.

NASA Earth Science Education Collaborative Member Co-Authors Award-Winning Paper in Insects

2 min read

On August 13, 2024, the publishers of the journal Insects notified authors of three papers selected to receive “Insects 2022 Best Paper Award” for research and review articles published in Insects from January 1 to December 31, 2022. One of…

Article1 month ago
Educators and a family do a hands-on activity together at a science center.

Co-creating authentic STEM learning experiences with Latino communities

2 min read

Led by Arizona State University, the NASA Science Activation Program’s “Engaging Hispanic Communities in Authentic NASA Science” project advances NASA’s vision for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education by co-creating learning experiences with Latino communities in six locations in…

Article1 month ago