Effectively communicating the topic of climate change to the public in a way that both educates on the science and inspires action presents an immensely challenging task. This is often attributed to the complex, global, and abstract nature of climate change (1), making it difficult to fully understand the underlying science and to relate through personal experience to this seemingly distant problem. To bridge this perceived distance, the dominant way of framing in the mainstream media discourse routinely resorts to emotionally loaded narratives of impending catastrophe, despair, and extinction (2); however, this approach runs the risk of fostering a sense of helplessness rather than serving as a source of inspiration.

In contrast, the use of high-quality visualisations for climate change communication carries the potential to condense complex scientific information into a readily understandable format. It can be used to deliver strong messages and a sense of urgency while avoiding the pitfall of the ‘doomsday’ narrative. Through compelling visuals, the audience can be actively engaged in the playful exploration of information; the ‘hard facts’ of climate change causes and impacts can be made concrete, enhancing a sense of proximity (3). Earth Observation data are particularly suited for this: satellite images are visual by nature and carry the native ability to comprehensively portray climate change causes and impacts at multiple spatial and temporal scales (4). At the same time, they are constituting authentic scientific data that are harder to contradict or deny.

The Phi-Experience is a facility at ESA’s Centre of Earth Observation (ESRIN) in Frascati, Italy, that opened its doors to visitors in September 2018. One of the project’s aims is to improve the visitors’ understanding of the benefits of Earth Observation for monitoring global change, and to inspire, empower and motivate the next generation during guided visits. The exhibition features innovative and interactive display technologies in combination with high-quality visualisations. To date, this includes a virtual control room educating on satellite technologies, a half-dome globe providing a global view, a touch table featuring application examples from large to small scale, an elevation model projection of central Italy providing a regional view, as well as a recently installed VR headset.

In this presentation, an introduction is provided on how the Phi-Experience team develops narratives and visual material to communicate climate change causes and impacts, both for the exhibition centre and for general outreach purposes. We will present a selection of different visualisations and explain the underlying process and intentions behind their creation, as well as discuss the potential and inherent challenges when using Earth Observation data for global change storytelling.

References
(1) Lorenzoni, I., Pidgeon, N.F. Public Views on Climate Change: European and USA Perspectives. Climatic Change 77, 73–95 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-006-9072-z

(2) Hulme, M. The Conquering of Climate: Discourses of Fear and their Dissolution. Geographical Journal 174, 5-16 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4959.2008.00266.x

(3) Ballantyne, A. G. Exploring the Role of Visualization in Climate Change Communication – an Audience Perspective. PhD dissertation, Linköping University Electronic Press (2018). https://doi.org/10.3384/diss.diva-147726

(4) Nastos, P., Vassilakis, E., Hatzaki, M., Antonarakou, A. Earth Observation as a Facilitator of Climate Change Education in Schools: The Teachers’ Perspectives. Remote Sensing 13 (2021). DOI:10.3390/rs13081587

The project KEPLER ISS has brought ISS-based and satellite-based remote sensing data into school lessons since 2017. The first few apps were standalones, but with an expanding variety of topics, these were combined into one app named “Columbus Eye” (Rienow et al. 2020) after the initial project of the same name that is known to many teachers throughout Europe. The Augmented Reality (AR) apps are developed in Unity using the Vuforia extension which enables image recognition. Images are used as markers, i.e. anchors for the digital elements of the app in the real world (Lindner et al. 2019). Additional Scripts in C# allow for customized functions to bring fundamental principles and selected applications of Earth Observation into the AR experience for high school students. The presentation will demonstrate the technical and educational concept and implementation of the most recent apps “Satellite Systems”, “Volcanos under the Radar”, “Volcanoes on Mars?”, “Image Processing”, and “Mining Data”. Every app uses real Remote Sensing data and methods to convey topics from the German high school curriculum using inquiry-based (Constantinou et al. 2018), active and collaborative learning in a moderate constructivist approach in order to make the most of the AR concept (Akçayır & Akçayır 2017, Kljun et al. 2020). Almost all work together with a respective work sheet with AR markers, tasks, and additional information as well as teacher material with sample solutions and background information. All apps are developed for low smartphone specifications and minimal internet usage to ensure a maximum of students can use it, independent of socioeconomic status of both the school and the students.

The app “Satellite Systems” turns the 2D image of Earth as seen from a porthole in orbit into a 3D Earth with a day/night cycle. Several Earth Observation satellites, including the ISS, spin around it. The orbit times are to scale with the Earth’s rotation time, which is about 6 min/d. The size of the satellites is not to scale, given the Earth has a diameter of 12.7 cm in the 3D model meaning even the ISS would be only nanometres in size. The UI includes an equirectangular map of Earth, also displaying the day/night cycle and the ground tracks of the satellites. By touching the orbiting satellites, additional information about the machines is provided as well as example images from each satellite. This app is intended to help students bridge the gap between their 2D and 3D imagination, as well as answer the important question of where the images of the Earth come from. This app part can be used in physics, geography, but also for media literacy which can be covered in all STEM subjects and the subject German.

The "Image Processing" app uses data from the ISS-sensor "DESIS" to convey educational content about image processing. Students learn the foundations of image editing by executing fundamental methods of image manipulation, become familiar with image processing applications using an example of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and get an insight into image compression by applying corresponding techniques to the hyperspectral images. The app is intended for computer science classes, but also falls into the media literacy component of German and other STEM classes.

The app part "Mining Data" brings Europe´s biggest CO2 emitting region to life and into the classroom. By visualizing and augmenting different parts of the lignite mine Hambach in NRW, Germany, the app offers an entry point to students for climate sciences, environmental issues and remote sensing techniques. Tasking the students with the calculation of the mines size and its surrounding renatured areas they should not only get an understanding of area and volume calculation methods but also get a feeling for the sheer dimensions of today´s energy producing infrastructure right in front of their doorstep. The underlying DEM, which is transformed into a 3D model of the mine and then used by the students for the area and volume calculations, is derived from the L2A height data of NASA´s GEDI instrument, mounted on the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM-EF) on the ISS. The lignite mines are an important topic in Germany’s geography classes, where this app and worksheet will be used.

“Volcanos under the Radar” feature interferometric SAR data from Sentinel-1 on the Campi Flegrei, the super volcano next to Naples (on the other side of the city from Mount Vesuvius). The worksheet and app teach how radar satellites work, from their orbital mechanics to their application, and how interferograms are made and read. The app includes several steps: a little game, where the students have to position Sentinel-1 correctly relative to their research area; an idealized 3D model to demonstrate the colour ring structure of interferograms; and finally, a 3D model of the Campi Flegrei region overlaid with aerial images, elevation, the interferogram or the inferred elevation change over the course of 5 years. The elevation change was calculated from Sentinel-1 data in SNAP and correlates well with the in-situ observations of the Osservatorio Vesuviano in Naples. The app and worksheet are to be used in maths and geography classes.

The question of “Volcanoes on Mars?” is answered in the respectively named app part where volcanic formations on Earth are compared with the Olympus Mons region on Mars using the Mars Viking Colorized Global Mosaic 232m v2 and Mars MGS MOLA DEM data. In the app, a 3D model of the area can be compared against a 3D model of Maunakea from its undersea base to the top. This app is kept very small and easy and mostly serves to give students a perspective on the sheer sizes of these volcanoes. Annotations are given for the highest and lowest point in each model’s area and since the lowest point on Mars is “below sea level”, i.e. the surface of the areoid, this artificial sea level is included as a disengageable plane. A scale is also added, the same for both mountains to give the students a better reference to the sizes. This worksheet and app is to be used in geography classes.

Expanding on the AR, a Virtual Reality (VR) application has been developed to explore the benefits and identify restrictions of the use of VR in schools. A Mars VR environment has been developed as a showcase, serving as a basis for several future school applications. Combining Mars Viking Colorized Global Mosaic 232m v2, Mars MGS MOLA, MEX HRSC Blended DEM Global 200 m v2, and virtual textures allocated according to classified surfaces, a multi-scale model of Mars has been implemented in an Unreal Engine application (Lindner et al. 2021). For a realistic and immersive experience, a day-night-cycle, light scattering, and atmosphere as captured by the Mars Rover missions have been added. In order to be able to compare planets in scale, DEM, and overall appearance, smaller models of Mars and Earth are placed to-scale in virtual Space, allowing for a different viewing angle on our home planet as part of our solar system.

References:
Akçayır G, Akçayır M (2017) Advantages and challenges associated with augmented reality for education: a systematic review of the literature. Educ ResRev 20:1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2016.11.002
Constantinou CP, Tsivitanidou OE, Rybska E (2018) What Is Inquiry-Based Science Teaching and Learning? In: Tsivitanidou OE, Gray P, Rybska E, Louca L, Constantinou CP (ed): Professional Development for Inquiry-Based Science Teaching and Learning. Springer Nature, Switzerland, pp 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91406-0_1#
Kljun M, Geroimenko V, Pucihar KC (2020) Augmented Reality in Education: Current Status and Advancement of the Field. In: Geroimenko V (ed): Augmented Reality in Education - A New Technology for Teaching and Learning. Springer Nature, Switzerland, pp 3-21
Lindner C, Rienow A, Jürgens C (2019) Augmented Reality applications as digital experiments for education – An example in the Earth-Moon System. Acta Astronaut 161, 66-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2019.05.025
Lindner C, Ortwein A, Staar K, Rienow A (2021) Different Levels of Complexity for Integrating Textured Extra‑terrestrial Elevation Data in Game Engines for Educational Augmented and Virtual Reality Applications. KN - J Cartogr Geogr Inf. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42489-021-00090-3
Rienow A, Lindner C, Dedring T, Hodam H, Ortwein A, Schultz J, Selg F, Staar K, Juergens C (2020) Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Applications Based on Satellite‑Borne and ISS‑Borne Remote Sensing Data for School Lessons. PFG 88:187-198. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41064-020-00113-0

Remote sensing offers important data to analyse, model, visualize and evaluate environmental changes. The combination of remote sensing data from space and ground truth information is necessary to develop the full potential of those data. The App “BLIF:EXPLORER” for mobile learning enables students to collect location based data and ground truth information and combines those with satellite imagery. With remote sensing and in-situ data students can deal with local topics from biodiversity loss to agriculture and forestry in the context of climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Qualitative interviews showed that teachers are interested in combining satellite imagery with app supported field work in their classes. Additionally, they have to face multiple problems from administrative constraints, available time, lacking knowledge and missing technologies. The aim of the project “geo:spektiv2GO” at the Department of Geography – Research Group for Earth Observation (rgeo) from Heidelberg University of Education is to overcome those obstacles, by develop and evaluate the mobile app “BLIF:EXPLORER”. The mobile app extends the interactive, adaptive e-learning platform “geo:spektiv” and the web-based satellite imagery analysis tool “BLIF” by the significant aspect of location based mobile learning and GPS-based data acquisition.
The framework of the project includes the advancement of e-learning modules and remote sensing tools methodically and didactically. The thematic focus will be expanded by the topics agriculture, forestry, and biodiversity (SDGs 2, 15). The mobile app extends functions of “geo:spektiv” and “BLIF” to implement the goal of interactive and environment-related field work to motivate students according to education for sustainable development (SDG 4). Thereby, the app “BLIF:EXPLORER” offers new opportunities to integrate remote sensing in school curricula.
The qualitative interviews also showed that three aspects must be met to use the mentioned media system in classes. First the media-system needs to have a positive influence on students´ motivation, as motivation is an important factor for learning success. Second, app needs a high usability. And third, additional materials for teachers must be provided, so that preparation time for teachers is reduced. For “geo:spektiv” and “BLIF” first investigations showed their positive influence on students´ motivation. In a second step the app “BLIF:EXPLORER” will be evaluated with usability-tests in four classes in early 2022. Additionally, the materials for teachers will be evaluated by the involved teachers.
With this approach it is possible to evaluate if the media-system is an easy-to-use opportunity to integrate remote sensing in classrooms and curricula, by combining satellite imagery with app supported field work, e-learning and location based learning.

A significant cultural shift, occurring over the past two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, national calls for equal justice, and a global focus on climate action, has initiated parallel conversations and action in the Earth Observation (EO) training and education space. Many trainers and educators shifted the bulk of their work to online platforms, which resulted in new audiences, new barriers to access and uptake, and new data about the audiences themselves that revealed gaps between potential and actual users. In light of this paradigm shift, NASA’s Capacity Building Program (CBP) has undertaken a number of new initiatives, strengthened existing partnerships, and reevaluated the role of capacity development in environmental/climate justice, equity, and accessibility of EO for societal benefit. The move to remote work, a dedicated focus on environmental and climate justice work, and enhanced global collaboration together represent a meaningful shift in CBP’s work and provide a glimpse into a possible future for EO capacity development.

The most readily-apparent change in CBP was a shift to entirely virtual training and workforce development initiatives. The Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET), which previously conducted online and in-person training, conducted 27 virtual trainings in 2020 and 2021, and saw significant growth in its reach to individuals and institutions across this period. With a parallel shift to online coursework at many educational institutions, there is an opportunity for increased incorporation of training materials such as those conducted by ARSET in educational curriculum, which could save time and resources for academic partners and extend the reach of ARSET’s work. The DEVELOP National Program, a workforce development program that engages current students, recent graduates, and transitioning career professionals in 10-week feasibility studies, previously conducted all work from locations across the United States, but shifted all work to online, remote participation in the spring of 2020. Since then, the program has maintained a high number of participants and has seen increased participation from previously underrepresented geographies and demographics. At the same time, the DEVELOP program began targeted outreach to and recruiting at Minority Serving institutions (MSIs), defined by the US Department of Education as “Institutions of higher education enrolling populations with significant percentages of undergraduate minority students, or that serve certain populations of minority students under various programs created by Congress,” which can include Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and University, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, and other groups. Under this new outreach strategy, the DEVELOP program began collecting demographic information of participants and saw a rise in applicants and selections from MSIs, along with a shift in demographics of applicants towards US minority populations.

Equity considerations naturally extended beyond the logistics of CBP’s work to influence the type of work CBP has conducted, and an emphasis on environmental justice and climate has shaped the portfolio in the past two years. The DEVELOP Program, which works primarily with state and local entities including governments and nonprofit organizations, co-developed feasibility studies with numerous environmental justice communities to address concerns such as urban heat and vulnerability to extreme weather. ARSET offered its first climate training, “Introduction to NASA Resources for Climate Change Applications” in 2021, which is the first in a series of climate-related trainings scheduled for 2022 and beyond. The Indigenous Peoples initiative walked alongside Indigenous Communities at the Indigenous Mapping Workshop 2021 “Turtle Island,” hosted by the Firelight Group, an Indigenous-owned consulting group. CBP interns worked directly with the nonprofit Groundwork USA to bring Earth observation training to youth in environmental justice communities across the US. As a capstone presentation for their work in climate justice, SERVIR, a joint program at NASA and USAID, shared the side-event “Global Network Enables Climate Change Resilience by Connecting Space to Village” at the US Pavilion at COP26. These recent work streams all prioritize equity in EO capacity development and represent the opportunity to engage with new user communities in the future.

Finally, the shift to remote work was accompanied by greater international uptake of collaborative technologies that facilitate more-frequent and less-costly global collaboration. Aided by this shift, and in an effort to connect EO capacity development networks across the globe, the leadership team at NASA’s CBP organized partners at the Group on Earth Observations, the World Meteorological Organization, the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, and the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites to initiate the Earth Observation Training, Education, and Capacity Development Network, or EOTEC DevNet. EOTEC DevNet works across networks to improve coordination and engagement of Earth Observation educators and training providers in support of key global sustainable development outcomes. In the long-term, EOTEC DevNet aims to improve the delivery of capacity building resources so that regional and local users can more easily integrate EO data in decision-making related to disaster risk reduction, climate mitigation, and climate adaptation. By connecting capacity development providers across regions, improving coordination across networks, and identifying shared gaps and needs, the network aims to reduce barriers to uptake and connect resources throughout the EO value chain from data to delivery.

This presentation will explore the successes, challenges, and opportunities that have surfaced as a result of the systematic changes CBP has undergone in the past two years, with a particular focus on future opportunities for engagement, growth, and increased equity.

Girls are still under-represented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education disciplines (McNally 2020, EC 2019), although such an educational background is often a prerequisite for careers in Geosciences and Earth observation Globally, only 35% of STEM graduates in higher education are women (UNESCO, 2017). There are numerous factors influencing educational choices that in turn lead to gender disparity in STEM disciplines. Several studies provide different possible explanations such as relative strengths, interest and confidence (OECD, 2019), role-model function of female STEM teachers (Bottia et al., 2015), influence of society and family through gender stereotypes (Makarova et al., 2019) or gender role beliefs (Dicke et al., 2019), family and society-oriented work values (Guo et al., 2018), or monetary expectation in later stage of career (Rapoport and Thibout, 2018, Guo et al, 2018).

The gender gap increases with the level of career due to the leaky pipeline effect. For example, women representation figures decline from 42% assistant professors to 24% full professor in academic positions (UNESCO, 2015). Attracting girls and supporting women during their career in STEM disciplines is not only an equality issue, but also crucial for skills equality, to reduce occupational segregation, but also strengthen the economic development (EIGE, 2021). This also true for the space sector and if it wants to attract and keep female talents, efforts to reduce the gender gap are needed.

The Women in Copernicus project demonstrated by a large survey in 2020 that Women are highly involved in the Copernicus System, while they are not always visible enough in the hierarchy, in conferences, and perhaps also in decision processes. A large majority of the 460 survey participants have education in a STEM discipline. These STEM professionals identified as barriers some of the factors mentioned above, but they also experienced facilitators during their education and career. They are proud of their job mainly because of their close working relation to users and the societal challenges they are able to tackle due to the services built by Copernicus. The space-education for tomorrow can find some inspiration in their testimonials. Initiatives created by various women's groups, such as Women in Copernicus, are essential to promote a more inclusive environment in the space field and attract new professionals and students from STEM studies to work in the space sector. However, this must be a collective effort. The European Space Agency, EARSC and all the Copernicus system can play a major role for the construction of a more diverse and inclusive future education in this field. A crucial pre-condition is the fostering of DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) measures. Organizations that foster DEIB are 81% more likely to have higher customer satisfaction and 45% more likely to retain their employees (Garr and Mehorotra, 2021). WIC recommendations, effect of activities implemented and student’s reactions in webinar sessions could bring insights toward a more diverse space-education for tomorrow.

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