You can see the earth like you’ve never seen it before, thanks to the U.S. Geological Survey Land Remote Sensing Program. Thursday evening (7/29) Ron Beck, one of the Program’s scientists, will discuss the ways in which satellite observations are documenting dramatic changes in Earth’s surface features. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, takes place at 7:00 pm in Building 3 Auditorium, 2nd floor of the USGS located at 345 Middlefield in Menlo Park.
From detecting shifting patterns of land use and the harvesting of natural resources to examining the effects of natural disasters like wildfires and mega-earthquakes and the environmental consequences of human-induced disasters, USGS scientists have utilized remote sensing technology to unveil a changing global surface. Tonight’s lecture will focus specifically on how current satellite imagery from USGS’s Landsat program and plans for the next Landsat satellite will provide scientists, planners, and managers with critical environmental information.
A gallery of images of the Earth As Art is available here.
For some high school teachers, out of the classroom means escape from the grind of teaching, not to mention the kids themselves. Not so for Menlo-Atherton teacher Lance Powell. He enjoys plunging into the woods, leading a group of his young charges on backpacking trips through a program sponsored by Bay Area Wilderness Training.
“I work in the Academy program at M-A,” he says, “and these are the kids I want to bond with. Once you’ve backpacked with kids, you get to know them so much better.”
Lance became familiar with BAWT some years ago when he participated in the non-profit group’s leadership training. “To be honest, I was pretty experienced and didn’t think I really needed the training,” he recalls. “But BAWT also offers equipment and I needed the gear.
“Turns out the training was really awesome and worthwhile. Not only did I learn a lot but I got the gear. And I got connected to a great group of people, including some amazing chaperons for the trip.”
Lance teaches biology and environmental chemistry as part of M-A’s Academy program. This school-within-a- school is made up of about 130 students who navigate the day in clusters, instructed by a team of five teachers.
“I’m at M-A because of Matt Zito,” says Lance of the school’s prinicipal. “I never thought I’d teach at a big high school, but he recruited the Academy team. He’s as competent as they come and is very passionate about what he’s doing at the school.”
The camping trips are optional for Academy kids. “Many of these kids have never had a wilderness experience – to some camping is sleeping in a car. These trips really bring the kids together in a great way.”
Lance has also been certified through BAWT as a wilderness first responder and was trained in wilderness first aid. “The truth is that I’m more likely to administer first aid to a kid in one of my science classes than on a backpacking trip.”
Group photo of kids on camping trip by Romero Miraflor; photo of Lance Powell on trip by Thom Golia.
