Earth Science with Satellite Imagery
The Summer Enrichment Academy (SEA) at UMBC offers middle and high school students a unique, engaging, and intellectually stimulating experience. With a diverse range of one-week workshops and courses, SEA immerses students in the world of science, engineering, technology, the arts, and humanitiesâall led by UMBC faculty, industry professionals, and graduate students.
SEA's college-style experiences are designed to inspire students to think critically, work collaboratively, and challenge themselves in ways they wonât find anywhere else.
Satellite images of the Earth from space are some of our best tools to study our weather, oceans, pollution, and changes to our cities, rainforests, and polar caps over time. In this class, you will learn why scientists care so much about measuring the entire Earth from space daily. Weâll also talk about the different kinds of signals we measure from space â specifically, how to identify liquid water from ice clouds, algae blooms from sediment in the ocean, desert dust from wildfire smoke â and all from satellite imagery. Youâll also get hands-on experience with satellite data from an exciting new NASA climate mission called PACE (which stands for Plankton, Aerosols, Clouds, ocean Ecosystem). PACE has a special camera on the spacecraft called HARP2, which was built right here at UMBC! This class will culminate in a laboratory tour of the Earth and Space Institute, research labs in the UMBC Physics building where we build and calibrate new satellite instruments, like HARP2 â and a discussion on how to join this rapidly-growing field.
Earning Criteria
- Attend at least 3 workshops