Nasa's GLOBE Observer App Inspires Citizen Scientists at University of Florida Hackathon

On January 31st, the University of Florida’s Marston Science Library hosted an exciting event that brought students, library staff, researchers, and community members together for a day dedicated to citizen science. The Environmental Monitoring through Education, Research, and Geospatial Engagement (EMERGE) NASA Data Hackathon aimed at empowering libraries, educators, and individuals with the tools needed to engage in public health and environmental science using real-world data.

The heart of this hackathon was NASA’s Global Learning & Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Observer app. This application allows anyone equipped with a smartphone to collect and explore various types of data, including mosquito habitats, land cover, clouds, and more. Participants were given access to an extensive digital textbook created by the Geospatial Digital Informatics Lab at UF that guides them through downloading, processing, visualizing, and analyzing GLOBE Observer data.

The day was divided into morning workshops followed by a full-day sprint where participants transformed real environmental datasets into maps, dashboards, infographics, and practical insights. The event was organized in collaboration with SciStarter (the world’s largest citizen science database), Florida Community Innovation (a civic technology nonprofit), NASA, and UF Libraries.

Thirteen teams came together to build projects analyzing GLOBE data or reenvisioning the app for future use. These efforts not only showcased innovative ways of utilizing existing datasets but also highlighted how local observations can contribute significantly to global research initiatives. The gallery of these projects is available online, providing a platform for further exploration and learning.

Winners Honored

The hackathon celebrated the achievements of its participants through various categories:

• APP IMPROVEMENT TRACK:
• Winner — [Detailed name or description to be added]

The event underscored the importance of citizen science in addressing real-world challenges. By engaging a diverse group of participants, EMERGE demonstrated how collaboration between academia and community can lead to meaningful advancements in public health and environmental monitoring.