Photo credit: science.nasa.gov

NASA’s GLOBE Mission EARTH: Bridging Education and Real-World Science

The GLOBE Mission EARTH (GME) initiative, part of NASA’s Science Activation program, is successfully linking career technical education (CTE) with real-world scientific practices. This innovative approach is encouraging students throughout the United States to explore potential careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

GME is a partnership involving NASA scientists, educators, and various educational institutions, aimed at integrating NASA Earth science and the GLOBE Program into educational settings. GLOBE, which stands for Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, is an international program that empowers students and community members to engage in data collection and the scientific process, thus playing a vital role in enhancing our understanding of the Earth’s systems.

By linking students to environmental research and leveraging NASA’s extensive data resources, GME makes scientific inquiry more relevant and engaging, effectively preparing students for future careers. In CTE environments, where hands-on projects and real-world applications are central to the learning process, the integration of GLOBE protocols equips students with both technical proficiencies and critical soft skills. These abilities, including data literacy, teamwork, communication, and analytical thinking, are beneficial across diverse fields, such as agriculture, advanced manufacturing, environmental science, and public safety.

CTE’s practical framework makes it an excellent fit for implementing GLOBE initiatives to enhance STEM education. At Skyline High School in Oakland, California, for instance, GLOBE has been an integral part of the Green Energy Pathway, a program supported by GLOBE partner Tracy Ostrom. Over the past ten years, nearly 1,000 students have engaged in GLOBE activities at Skyline. Many of them recall their encounters with data collection and NASA scientists as both inspiring and life-changing. Similarly, at Toledo Technology Academy, students are involved in NASA science and renewable energy projects that explore the effects of solar energy and the implications of weather on wind energy production.

To broaden the impact of GLOBE on CTE learning and career readiness, WestEd representatives Svetlana Darche and Nico Janik presented at the Educating for Careers Conference held on March 3, 2025, in Sacramento, California. This event, hosted by the California chapter of the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), attracted over 2,600 educators focused on providing students with essential skills for an evolving job landscape. Darche and Janik’s session, titled “Developing STEM Skills While Contributing to Science,” illustrated GLOBE’s contribution to work-based learning and introduced updated federal guidelines from the Carl D. Perkins Act (Perkins V), which emphasize:

• Engagement with industry professionals
• A direct connection to curriculum and instruction
• Hands-on involvement with authentic tasks in specific career sectors

The methodology behind GLOBE’s scientific data acquisition is well-aligned with these educational criteria. Janik facilitated a practical workshop for 40 educators, employing the GLOBE Surface Temperature Protocol to analyze the Urban Heat Island Effect. This hands-on experience allowed educators to witness how students can conduct real scientific investigations while honing important technical skills. By collecting and analyzing genuine data, students bridge the divide between classroom learning and future career opportunities.

Through GME’s partnership with CTE programs, students aren’t just learning about science—they are actively engaging in scientific practices. These real-world experiences instill inspiration, empowerment, and preparation for careers that demand data literacy, scientific inquiry, and problem-solving skills. With ongoing collaborations among GLOBE, NASA, and educators nationwide, the next generation of STEM professionals is being cultivated—one real-world investigation at a time.

The GME initiative is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC54A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. For further information on how Science Activation links NASA science experts, relevant education content, and community endeavors to facilitate scientific inquiry, visit: https://science.nasa.gov/learn

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science.nasa.gov