PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
March 2016
179
SECTOR
INSIGHT:
.
gov
E
ducation
and
P
rofessional
D
evelopment
in
the
G
eospatial
I
nformation
S
cience
and
T
echnology
C
ommunity
S
pace provides the ultimate vantage point to monitor
and measure the constantly changing Earth below.
Earth observing satellites give insight into the global
domains of geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere
and biosphere, and their interactions through processes like
the water and carbon cycles. The Earth Science Division in
the Science Mission Directorate at the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) invests in Earth observing
missions that provide synoptic views of the planet’s surface
and makes this information freely available to improve
understanding of Earth as a dynamic system. NASA applies
that understanding to benefit society through applications
research and development of decision support tools. To
further bridge the gap between research and operational
use of remote sensing, NASA assists institutions and their
workforce to use Earth science information effectively and
sustainably.
NASA addresses the needs of current and future decision
makers in the USA and developing countries to access and
apply Earth science for societal benefit through its Capacity
Building Program (CBP). The CBP provides training and
webinars, collaborates on feasibility projects, and co-develops
decision support tools through its three program elements:
Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET), DEVELOP, and
SERVIR. This approach employs a spectrum of methods for
building capacity in individuals and institutions to use Earth
observations in their decision-making and finds success in its
broad range of practitioners that can be engaged.
Through ARSET, the CBP delivers in-person workshops,
online webinars, and recorded training videos available to
the ASPRS community
. ARSET’s
training efforts cover five NASA Applied Sciences Program
Application Areas: Ecological Forecasting, Disasters,
Health and Air Quality, Water Resources, and Wildfires.
Introductory and advanced webinars typically run four to
five weeks per topic with an instructor-led one-hour session
per week. Workshops are more intensive and include a
few days of instruction and hands-on activities tailored to
participants’ needs. Through these efforts, ARSET reaches
a broad audience. In 2015, ARSET held eight webinars and
three in-person workshops with 2,496 total participants from
By Nancy Searby, Ph.D. and Kenton Ross, Ph.D.
Increasing the Impacts of Capacity Building for Remote Sensing Applications
1,032 unique organizations. These organizations represent
a diverse set of institutions: U.S. government (federal,
state and local agencies), international governments, non-
governmental organizations (NGOs), commercial interests,
and academia. While most training content is in English,
some training sets are also offered in Spanish to further the
program’s impact.
The CBP’s DEVELOP program
builds capacity of participants and partners through
collaborative feasibility projects. Participants work as
interdisciplinary teams mainly in the USA to apply NASA
Earth observations to aid in a partner organization’s
decision-making process. Participants include students,
recent graduates, early transitioning professionals, veterans,
and active duty volunteers. Participants begin the program
with varying levels of geographic information system (GIS)
and remote sensing skills. Through the collaborative work
environment, participants gain technical and professional
skills while conducting 10-week projects. Each project is
centered on creating a decision-making tool or application
that is provided to the project’s partner organization for
use in their decision-making, increasing partner capacity to
use Earth observations. Partner organizations range from
government agencies at all levels (local, state, and federal) to
NGOs, regional organizations, tribal entities, international
organizations, private entities, and academic institutions.
In 2015, 393 participants conducted 93 projects partnered
with 157 unique organizations. Suggestions are encouraged
from the community of ASPRS with respect to project ideas,
partner organization engagement, and technical advising.
The SERVIR element of CBP
) is a joint venture between NASA and the U.S. Agency
for International Development (USAID). SERVIR works
through “hubs” across the developing world to build capacity
Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing
Vol. 82, No. 3, March 2016, pp. 179–180.
0099-1112/16/179–180
© 2016 American Society for Photogrammetry
and Remote Sensing
doi: 10.14358/PERS.82.3.179
