Adirondack organizations selected for NASA climate training

Local leaders chosen to attend Earth to Sky Academy climate communication course this November

The Wild Center, Adirondack Explorer, Adirondack Research Consortium, and Paul Smith’s College have been selected to the new Earth to Sky Academy cohort as Team Adirondack. This multi-organization team highlights the local commitment to advancing climate communications and supporting interpreters and community educators in the Adirondack region.

The Earth to Sky Academy is intended for experienced interpreters, informal educators, and science communication leaders who have a strong commitment to furthering place-based climate literacy within their respective regions.

The purpose is to train teams of regional leaders who will conduct regional Earth to Sky climate communication courses for interpreters, informal educators, and other target audiences, and nurture their own Earth to Sky regional community of practice. 

“We are thrilled to invite Team Adirondack to our upcoming Academy and include them in our growing community of practice. The most effective conversations about climate change are happening at regional scales, and the impressive coalition that Team Adirondack has assembled is well-positioned to lead that work in upstate New York,” said John Ceballos, Earth to Sky Interagency Partnership Course Coordinator.

The Academy is a tuition-free five-day course held at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The content is based on more than 20 years of experience and extensive evaluation of the Earth to Sky model. Participants are supported every step of the way: before, during, and after the Academy. 

The new cohort comprises five other teams: Channel Islands, Team Colorado River & Uplands Corridor, Team Climate Resilient Colorado, Team Northeast Ohio Climate Heroes, and New York City. They were chosen through a competitive selection, and the new teams represent various federal and state agencies, state and metropolitan parks, colleges, and nature centers. The 29 incoming regional leaders have extensive experience in place-based interpretation and education, Earth science, training development, and community building.

“We are excited to be part of the Earth to Sky community and to have the opportunity to bring cutting-edge climate science and communication techniques to the Adirondack region,” said Jen Kretser, Director of Climate Initiatives at The Wild Center. “This training will empower us to better support our educators in delivering impactful climate messages that resonate with our local communities.”

The teams will travel to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center this November to attend the Earth to Sky Academy. The week-long training will focus on NASA climate science, communication techniques, and Earth to Sky methodology. After completing the Academy, each team will develop and offer climate communication courses tailored to their region’s needs. These courses will serve as ongoing resources for their communities, fostering a network of skilled interpreters and educators.

“This opportunity to attend the Earth to Sky Academy will give Adirondack Explorer cutting edge climate science and understanding to inform our reporting and engage our audiences–in print and online–in this crucial topic,” said Tracy Ormsbee, publisher of Adirondack Explorer. Climate reporter Chloe Bennett will represent Team Adirondack for the Explorer.

Photo at top: Dr. Claire Parkinson describes some of her research on our planet’s changing ice to the Earth to Sky Academy class of 2019 using Goddard Scientific Visualization Studio imagery projected on the NASA hyperwall. Photo courtesy of Earth to Sky Academy