NOAA Satellite Conference April 11, 2013

1. NOAA Satellite Conference April 11, 2013 Advancing Climate Literacy: A CICS Perspective Jenny Dissen1Stephanie Schollaert Uz2Phillip Arkin2 Otis Brown1 1Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites- NC (CICS-NC) / NC State University 2Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites- MD (CICS-MD) / University of Maryland College Park NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center

2. Outline • Translating Satellite Data and Information to Useful Messages • K-12 (high school) students • General public • Business and Industry decision makers • Overcoming the Challenges • Environmental Literacy Grant • Satellite data in the classroom • Users Engagement Discussions • Executive Forum on Business and Climate • Advancing Climate Literacy: Summary

3. One of the newer of NOAA’s CIs with a long heritage Two main centers: CICS-MD and CICS-NC With partners from academic, non-profit, and private institutions, including: all the UNC System campuses, Columbia/IRI, CSU, CUNY, Duke, Howard, Miami, OSU, Princeton, UIUC, UNC Chapel Hill, UC Irvine, USC, CECI, Climate Central, IGES, JGCRI, ORAU, ORNL, RENCI, and RemSS What is CICS? http://www.cicsmd.org http://www.cicsnc.org

4. Climate Connections to Businesses/Industries Climate Changes in climate parameters… Environment …are creating environmental effects… • Temperature • Heat waves • Precipitation • Sea level • Humidity • Drought • Glaciers • Permafrost • Snowcover • Storms • Changes in soil moisture • Increased subsidence • Landslides • Coastal erosion • Fire risk • Growing season changes • Changes in flora, fauna and vegetation • Changes in evapotranspitation • Water resources stress • Changes in seawater chemistry K-12 Education …that impact courses and information General Public …that impact courses and information Business and Industry …that impact business systems and operations

5. Satellite Data – Today’s Challenges CHALLENGES WITH K-12 STUDENTS • Connect satellite data to new National Science Standards • Incorporate satellite data analysis into hands-on learning activities Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; Involve me and I’ll understand. ~ Chinese proverb

6. Satellite Data – Today’s Challenges CHALLENGES WITH GENERAL PUBLIC • Make satellite data intuitive (e.g. familiar palette, land masks) • Create engaging, easily digestible messages relating to people’s experience • Foster stewardship through tangible actions • Sustain their attention in a fast-paced world

7. Satellite Data – Today’s Challenges CHALLENGES IN BUSINESS / INDUSTRY Climate Information • Consistent data series on average and extreme events (e.g., events that disrupt business operations) • Make information relevant to business at the asset scale • Climate data not always at the temporal and spatial scale for business/industry decision-making • Mechanism for providing input to the climate community on climate information needs ? Business Decisions

8. Example: Use of Climate Data in 2012 Drought 2012 drought depicted by Vegetation Index CDR (July 17) • CDRs Supporting Farming and Agribusiness • Example: historical context • 5 km resolution,“wall-to-wall” (globally) • Historical record from 1981- to current • Collateral products • Surface Reflectance • Leaf Area Index (LAI) • FPAR (photosynthetically active radiation) Primary U.S. corn and soybean region

9. Overcoming Challenges (K-12):Satellite Data in the Classroom • Magic Planet visits to Washington, DC area schools • Connecting satellite data to state Standards of Learning • Students engaged - novelty of spherical display • Planning hands-on activities to tie with satellite data

10. Overcoming Challenges (General Public):Environmental Literacy Grant • EarthNow team: Steve Ackerman (PI), Phil Arkin (PI), Rick Kohrs, Margaret Mooney, Dan Pisut, Patrick Rowley, Stephanie Schollaert Uz • Collaboration with Maryland Science Center, Baltimore and National Zoo in Washington, DC to understand how to communicate with museum audiences • Science features explain recent climate research findings • Audio-narration developed in response to docent feedback • Monthly updates of CPC products (climate digest, outlooks)

11. Overcoming Challenges (Industry):Improving Literacy Engagement Executive Forum on Business and Climate Advance Climate Information • A four-day executive forum that explores the connection between weather and climate information • Mixing expertise from the scientific community and business/industry community FORUM GOALS Capacity Building Building Networks & Knowledge Exchange Climate Data User Workshop Series • - SCHEDULE - • Storm and Severe Weather • November 28 – 29th, 2012 • Frost and Freeze Data • March 20 – 21st, 2013 • Sea Surface Temperature • July 29th, 2013 • Website: www.cicsnc.org/events/ddd/

12. Advancing Climate Literacy: Summary K-12 Goal • K-12 students as comfortable using satellite data as YouTube and Instagram General Public Goal • Improved understanding of current climate issues, fostering stewardship and appreciation of satellite data in monitoring the Earth system Private Sector Goal • Improved use of weather and climate data and information for managing climate risks and opportunities

13. Contacts and Additional Information For Additional Information: • Jenny Dissen CICS-NC – Outreach & Engagement JennyDissen@cicsnc.org • Stephanie Schollaert Uz CICS-MD – Outreach & Engagement ses@essic.umd.edu • Otis Brown Director, CICS-NC Otis_Brown@ncsu.edu • Phillip Arkin Executive Director, CICS parkin@essic.umd.edu Additional References: • CICS-NC: • http://cicsnc.org • CICS-MD: • http://essic.umd.edu/cics-md • NOAA Cooperative Institutes: • http://www.nrc.noaa.gov/ci • EarthNow http://sphere.ssec.wisc.edu/