NASA’s ESTEEM ‘Ask US’ Online Professional Development Series

Written by Nathan Smith on April 10, 2015. Posted in STEM and STEAM.

NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Program, or MUREP, is sponsoring a series of Google Plus Hangout professional development events for K-12 educators. The Earth Systems, Technology and Energy Education for MUREP, or ESTEEM, team will lead the monthly sessions that will cover a variety of climate topics. This month’s webinar topic is described below:

Change Over Time: Investigate Climate Change Impacts in Alaska — April 13, 2015, at 8:30 p.m. EDT
The National Climate Assessment, released in May 2014, summarizes the impact of climate change on the United States. The assessment touches on many disciplines: earth science, biology, human health, engineering, technology, economics and policy. Explore the document with lead National Climate Assessment author Sarah Trainor. Then learn about related educator resources with Jessica Brunacini of the PoLAR Climate Change Education Partnership, Elena Sparrow from the International Arctic Research Center, and Malinda Chase from the Association of Interior Native Educators. The focus this month will be on the Alaska region. Learn more about the rapid changes taking place in Alaska, ask questions about the science behind the report and related learning resources, and discover how to bring the National Climate Assessment to life for learners of all ages.

Watch for additional regions of the U.S. to be featured in upcoming “Ask US” sessions.

Certificates of professional development hours are available upon request.

For more information on this event and upcoming webinar sessions, visit http://esteem.larc.nasa.gov/ask-us/. Questions about this series should be sent to Bonnie Murray at bonnie.murray@nasa.gov.

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith is Director of Technology for the College of Education and Human Services at Utah State University. In that role, he also directs The Adele & Dale Young Education Technology Center (The YETC) located in room 170 of the Education Building on Utah State University's Logan campus. The YETC is a combination student openaccess computer facility, a K12 curriculum materials library, a NASA Educator Resource Center for Utah, and a technology training center. Nathan served eight years (20042012) on the Board of Directors for the Utah Coalition for Education Technology (UCET) He was reelected in 2014 to serve another two year term on the board. A former elementary school teacher, Nathan has taught students every age from young children to senior citizens. He has had the opportunity beginning in 2011 to train international high school teachers from all over the world about technology in education, through the U.S. State