From: baalke@zagami.jpl.nasa.gov   
      
   Gretchen Cook-Anderson/Elvia Thompson   
   Headquarters, Washington                  October 10, 2003   
   (Phone: 202/358-0836/358-1696)   
      
   Cynthia Martinez   
   American Geological Institute   
   (Phone: 703/379-2480 ext. 227)   
      
   Carolyn Bell   
   U.S. Geological Survey   
   (Phone: 703/648-4463)   
      
   RELEASE: 03-328   
      
   NASA CELEBRATES EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS OF EARTH SCIENCE WEEK   
      
        NASA, the American Geological Institute (AGI), the U.S.   
   Geological Survey (USGS) and AGI's member societies will   
   celebrate Earth Science Week October 12-18. The agencies are   
   participating in activities to enhance national Earth science   
   literacy among students, educators and the public.   
   Earth Science Week focuses on the Earth, its resources,   
   processes and hazards. The theme for Earth Science Week 2003   
   is "Eyes on Planet Earth: Monitoring our Changing World."   
   Observation of Earth, from the most detailed microscopic   
   levels to satellite imagery, illustrates the   
   interconnectedness of and within the planet. "Satellites   
   provide us the eyes to predict and monitor climate change,   
   weather and natural hazards, and we continue to make strides   
   to better understand and protect our home planet," said Dr.   
   Ghassem Asrar, NASA's Associate Administrator for Earth   
   Science.   
   NASA and others collaborated to produce Earth Science Week   
   educational packets. The packets, available from AGI, contain   
   informative posters, bookmarks, NASA lithographs and   
   interactive CD-ROM's, including a digital atlas of North   
   America that is a part of the Global Geographic Information   
   Systems hosted by USGS and AGI.   
   The educational packet is intended to give students, teachers   
   and the public innovative ideas about how to celebrate Earth   
   Science Week 2003. Approximately 12,000 have been distributed   
   to teachers and schools nationwide. The content helps   
   individuals appreciate our natural environment, as well as   
   gain familiarity with analytical tools for spatial analysis.   
      
   "During Earth Science Week and thereafter, NASA and its   
   partners hope students, teachers, and people from all walks of   
   life will take a look around and notice what's happening on   
   Earth," said Dr. Adena Williams Loston, NASA's Associate   
   Administrator for Education. "We seek through our celebration   
   of Earth Science Week another valuable opportunity to inspire   
   and motivate the next generation of explorers to learn more   
   about our home planet."   
      
   Earth Science Week activities at NASA include special features   
   on the NASA Web site and NASA TV. A new Earth Science-related   
   episode of NASA Connect will air October 16 on NASA TV,   
   participating PBS stations, Channel One, and a number of cable   
   access channels.   
      
   NASA's Students' Cloud Observations On-Line (S'COOL) and the   
   GLOBE Program, sponsored by NASA and the National Science   
   Foundation, are supporting Earth Science Week by engaging   
   students in an intensive period of observation of clouds, soil   
   moisture, and respective data collection.   
      
   "The science of the USGS and NASA benefits lives in countless   
   ways. Earth Science Week is a great opportunity to increase   
   public awareness of the diversity of scientific expertise   
   within the government and the ways science contributes to the   
   health and vitality of citizens, communities, our nation and   
   our world," said USGS Director Dr. Charles Groat.   
      
   For information about NASA Earth Science research or other   
   education programs on the Internet, visit:   
   http://www.nasa.gov   
      
   For more information about Earth Science Week 2003 and AGI on   
   the Internet, visit:   
      
   http://www.earthsciweek.org   
      
   For information about USGS education programs on the Internet,   
   visit:   
      
   http://www.usgs.gov/education/index.html   
      
   For the NASA Connect broadcast schedule on the Internet,   
   visit:   
      
   http://connect.larc.nasa.gov   
      
      
   -end-   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)