Taiwan Joins the GLOBE Program

PR-1352E | Date: 11/05/2013

GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is a hands-on international science education program (Photo: globe.gov)

The American Institute in Taiwan is pleased to announce Taiwan’s inclusion in the GLOBE Program.

GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is a hands-on international science education program that brings together students, teachers, scientists and community members in over 110 countries to develop environmental awareness, understanding of other cultures, and a sense of global community.  GLOBE offers a cross-curricular approach to the study of science, mathematics and technology in conjunction with geography, social studies, languages and the arts.  Students conduct scientific experiments and upload data to a central computer database.  Researchers and students all over the world can use the data to study the effects of global climate change.

On September 6, 2013, AIT/Washington on behalf of NASA, and TECRO on behalf of Taiwan’s National Science Council (NSC), signed a GLOBE agreement in Washington, D.C. making Taiwan a participant in the program.  NSC has allocated research funding to GLOBE’s Taiwan partner, the Department of Atmospheric Sciences and Graduate Institute of Atmospheric Physics at National Central University, to conduct GLOBE science training and educational programs at local schools. The GLOBE Science Investigations are divided into five themes, including Atmosphere, Hydrology, Land cover/Biology, Soil and Earth as a System.  Through the program, we expect to enhance awareness and support activities of individuals throughout the world to benefit the environment and the Earth.

Six Taiwan schools are currently participating in the GLOBE program.  They are the Affiliated High School of National Taiwan Normal University, The Affiliated Jhongli Senior High School of National Central University, National Wu-Ling Senior High School, National Chia-Yi Girls' Senior High School, Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Girls’ Senior High School, and National Lo-Tung Senior High School.

The American Institute in Taiwan, National Science Council and National Central University will host a GLOBE kick-off event to officially launch the GLOBE Program in Taiwan.  We would like to invite the members of the media, school representatives, and earth science researchers to attend a press conference on November 12^th at 10:30 a.m. at the Affiliated High School of the National Taiwan Normal University.  Taiwan’s GLOBE team would also like to use this opportunity to recruit new GLOBE schools for the next year.  We welcome representatives from schools to join us for more information on becoming a GLOBE participant.

For more information about press events in Taipei, please contact AIT's Public Diplomacy Section (Tel: 02-2162-2037, E-mail: AITmedia@mail.ait.org.tw).

• Activity: GLOBE Program Launch Ceremony
• Time: 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, November 12, 2013
• Venue:     The Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University
  No. 143, Section 3, Hsin-Yi Road, Daan District, Taipei City, 106

For more information about the GLOBE program, please visit the website at http://globe.gov/.