The GEO Programme Board and the GEO Secretariat invite proposals for new GEO Work Programme (GWP) Pilot Initiatives as part of the development of the 2023-2025 GWP. As a new category, Pilot Initiatives represent early-stage initiatives that aim to develop open, re-usable solutions for applying Earth observations (e.g. instruments on land, in the air and in the sea; human observations; satellite-based sensors) to address demonstrated needs on a regional or global scale. They must include contributions from at least two GEO Members or Participating Organizations and must be open to participation by any GEO Member, Participating Organization, or GEO Associate. For more information about Pilot Initiatives, please review the GEO webpage and contact the GEO Secretariat.
Call For Papers On Fire in the Earth System
The GeoHealth journal welcomes manuscript submissions for a special issue titled, “Fire in the Earth System”. This special issue was developed in collaboration with the following journals: Earth’s Future, Earth and Space Sciences, GeoHealth, Geophysical Research Letters, Global Biogeochemical Cycles, JGR: Atmospheres, JGR: Biogeosciences, and JGR: Earth Surface, Reviews of Geophysics and Water Resources Research. This issue aims to bring together new research on myriad aspects of fire, including physical and biogeochemical processes associated with wildfires, implications for human and ecosystem health, effects on water resources and critical infrastructure, fires in the wildland-urban interface, the use of prescribed fire and other mitigation strategies, and new modeling efforts to characterize potential future fire regime under a warmer climate. Authors may submit their manuscripts by May 31, 2021. Please visit the GeoHealth journal website to learn more information about the author guidelines or email AGU Journals.
Call for Papers on Environment-Health Links Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
The GeoHealth journal welcomes manuscript submissions for a special issue titled, “The COVID-19 Pandemic: Linking Health, Society and Environment”. This special issue was developed in collaboration with four AGU publications: AGU Advances, GeoHealth, Geophysical Research Letters, and Earth’s Future. This issue aims to present research and analyses on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as they relate to society, environment, and health, including links of human behavior on the surrounding environment. Topics can include: remote sensing and disease mapping; environment-climate-health connections; environmental and meteorological aspects to COVID-19 transmission; and impacts to urban or natural systems, air and water quality, and food systems. Please visit the GeoHealth journal website to learn more information about the author guidelines or email AGU Journals.
Call for Papers on Air Quality Research Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Aerosol and Air Quality Research journal welcomes manuscript submissions for a special issue titled, “COVID-19 Aerosol Drivers, Impacts, and Mitigation”. This special issue aims to highlight aerosol and air quality research and analyses that advance scientific knowledge on the epidemiology, aerosol distribution, and air quality impacts related to COVID-19 transmission. Authors may submit their original research articles, short communications, technical notes, and letters, by December 31, 2020. No publication fee will be charged for manuscripts submitted by July 31, 2020. Please visit the Aerosol and Air Quality Research journal website to learn more about the author guidelines.
Call for Papers on Thermal Remote Sensing for Terrestrial Ecosystems
The Remote Sensing of Environment journal welcomes manuscript submissions for a special issue titled, “Thermal Remote Sensing for Terrestrial Ecosystem: Characteristics, Monitoring, and Assessment”. This special issue aims to highlight the use of thermal infrared data that advance scientific understanding of terrestrial ecosystems. Topics can include: methods for near surface air and land surface temperatures; surface energy balance; assessment of terrestrial ecosystems; urban heat islands and heatwaves; validation of land surface temperatures and emissivity products; development of multi-mission thermal infrared records; public health applications; evapotranspiration and plant stress; and land change and geological applications. Authors may submit their one-page abstracts related to original research, reviews, and short communications to Dr. George Xian, by April 10, 2020. Abstract acceptance notifications will be distributed by May 10, 2020, and authors of accepted abstracts may submit their manuscripts by December 30, 2020. Please visit the Remote Sensing of Environment journal website to learn more information about the author guidelines.
2020 NASA International Space Apps Challenge (October 2-4, 2020)
NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge, initiated in 2012, has become the world’s largest global hackathon. Teams representing artists, designers, entrepreneurs, scientists, and others use NASA’s open data to develop innovative and practical solutions to real-time challenges on Earth and in space.
The 2020 NASA International Space Apps Challenge hackathon will be held on October 2-4, 2020. Applications to serve as Local Leads – those individuals who organize the 48-hackathon in a specific city or town – are currently open on the website. Applicants with NASA affiliations are welcome to apply, but this affiliation is not required. In 2019, 225 Local Leads hosted Space Apps events in 71 countries, and over 29,000 people registered to participate worldwide. Please visit the website for program details or contact the program team.
HAQAST Webinars
The NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (HAQAST) will be hosting a series of one-hour webinars, every Tuesday and Thursday (12PM EST and 4PM EST sessions), in February and March 2020. HAQAST members and contributors will lead informational talks on using NASA tools, assessing the health burden of PM2.5, the future of HAQAST, and other health and air quality topics. Please visit the HAQAST event page and register for any of the upcoming HAQAST webinars.
Call for Papers on Climate Change and Health
The World Medical & Health Policy journal, in collaboration with the World Medical Association, welcomes manuscript submissions for a Winter 2020 special issue titled, “Climate Change and Health”. This special issue aims to highlight empirical, ethical, methodological or theoretical insights that contribute understanding to improve policy related to climate change and health around the world. Authors may submit their abstracts related to original research, commentaries, and book reviews, by February 17, 2020. Please visit the World Medical & Health Policy website to learn more information about the author guidelines.
Call for Papers on Environmental Exposure Modeling and Applications in Epidemiological Studies
The Remote Sensing open access journal welcomes manuscript submissions for a special issue titled, “The Use of Earth Observations for Exposure Assessment in Epidemiological Studies”. This special issue aims to highlight global advancements in environmental exposure modeling and applications in epidemiological studies. Authors may submit their manuscripts as original research, reviews, and short communications, until January 1, 2020. Please visit the Remote Sensing website to learn more information about author guidelines and article processing charges.
Symposium on Geographic Perspectives on Infectious Diseases (June 18, 2019)
The Geographic Perspectives on Infectious Diseases in Humans, Animals, and the Environment Symposium will be held on June 18, 2019, at the Center for Geographic Analysis at Harvard University, in Boston, MA. The event is co-hosted by the World-Wide Human Geography Data (WWHGD) Working Group and the Center for Geographic Analysis at Harvard University. By serving as a platform to join researchers and community practitioners in the social and health science disciplines, this event will highlight the use of global geospatial data in infectious disease applications, encourage interdisciplinary research collaborations, and strengthen professional networks. For more information, please visit the Symposium website for the event flyer, details about poster abstract submissions, and registration link. For additional questions, please contact the WWHGD team, Gwyneth Holt.
GEO Symposium 2019 (May 27-29, 2019)
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Symposium 2019 will be held from May 27-29, 2019, at the World Meteorological Organization, in Geneva, Switzerland. Using the theme, “Earth Observations for Impact”, this event will provide an international platform for representatives from GEO’s Work Programme activities and initiatives to share research or program updates, identify strategies to enhance the impact of Earth observations in the area of sustainable development, and expand professional networks. Session topics will focus on the development of the 2020-2022 GEO Work Programme, addressing continued support for GEO efforts over the next three years. Current participants in GEO Flagships, Initiatives, Community Activities or Foundational Tasks are invited to attend the symposium and share experiences with the GEO community. Additionally, those persons who are interested to learn more about the use of Earth observation data and information are invited to attend and become involved in the diverse activities of the GEO community.
For more information, please visit the GEO Symposium website for the conference agenda and registration link. For additional questions, please contact the GEO Secretariat’s Work Programme Coordinator, Craig Larlee.
First International Operational Satellite Oceanography Symposium (June 18-20, 2019)
The first international Operational Satellite Oceanography Symposium will be held from June 18-20, 2019, at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Weather and Climate Prediction Center, in College Park, Maryland. This event is co-organized by the European Organisation for Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) and NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) and Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR). Themes will address defining the operational paradigm, connecting data and information providers, helping end-user communities find information that they seek, and supporting the end-to-end value chain. A gratuitous training opportunity on Earth observation data products will be offered on June 17, 2019, prior to the start of the symposium. Abstracts can be submitted for poster presentations until April 12, 2019.
For more information, please visit the first international Operational Satellite Oceanography Symposium website for the conference program and registration.
Arbovirus Monitoring and Prediction (ArboMAP) System
West Nile virus (WNV) is a virus transmitted by infected Culex spp that can produce asymptomatic infections and neuroinvasive disease in humans and selected animals. According to the World Health Organization, WNV cases have been reported across Africa, Europe, North America, the Middle East, and West Asia. In order to address this global health challenge, integrated vector management has traditionally provided a decision-making framework to coordinate vector control strategies, health promotion activities, and capacity building. Moving forward, innovative data and technology, such as the use of Earth observations, can complement current fieldwork strategies related to integrated vector management.
In the United States, the Northern Great Plains is a high-risk geographic region for WNV transmission. Of the 50 states, South Dakota has the highest reported long-term incidence of WNV neuroinvasive disease. As part of a NASA Health and Air Quality Applications project, Michael Wimberly (University of Oklahoma) and his team aimed to develop a WNV early warning system in South Dakota. Using data from Land Data Assimilation Systems (NLDAS) daily weather, long-range weather forecasts, mosquito infections, and human WNV cases, his team developed computer code for the Arbovirus Monitoring and Prediction (ArboMAP) system. ArboMAP combines meteorological data access via Google Earth Engine with modeling and automated report generation tools implemented with the R programming software. Released in January 2019, this code is freely available via GitHub and is currently being applied for WNV forecasting in South Dakota and other neighboring states.
American Lung Association Launches Year of Air Pollution & Health 2019
The American Lung Association (ALA) has launched the “Year of Air Pollution & Health 2019” campaign, in efforts to increase public understanding and awareness of the harmful effects of air pollution on health. Each month highlights a different theme, including sources of air pollution, influence of environmental hazards, effects on community health, and mitigation strategies. To learn more about this ALA campaign, please download the annual calendar and visit the ALA website for additional resources, news stories, press releases, and blog articles.
Webinar Series on Air Pollution Mitigation (March-October 2019)
The Trinity College Dublin, supported by Cornell University, has organized a series of eight webinar sessions on “Air Pollution Mitigation using Passive Techniques in the Built Environment: Sharing International Best Practice”. Between March and October 2019, each monthly webinar session (60-90 minutes) will offer presentations by two international experts, followed by an open discussion period. This webinar series aims to unite global experts in air pollution and provide a forum to share research findings and best practices that mitigate air contamination in the built environment, including green infrastructure, solid barriers, and urban design. For more information, please visit the website for program details and registration.
GeoHealth Journal Recognized as Best New Journal in Science, Technology, and Medicine (2019 PROSE Award Winner)
In January 2019, the GeoHealth journal was recognized by the Association of American Publishers as the best new journal in science, technology, and medicine and received the 2019 PROSE Award for excellence in physical sciences and mathematics. These annual awards recognize scholarly publications in diverse books and journals across a total of 58 categories.
The GeoHealth journal, with Gabriel Filippelli as Editor-in-Chief, is supported by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and Wiley Publications. Their partnership, which was initiated in 2013, has continued to support the publication of scientific research across diverse disciplines, including the Earth and space sciences.
70th International Astronautical Congress: Washington, DC (October 21-25, 2019)
The 70th International Astronautical Congress will be held from October 21-25, 2019, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, in Washington, DC. This event was organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), hosted by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and supported by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC). Using the theme, “Space: The Power of the Past, the Promise of the Future”, this meeting will provide an international platform for scientists and other experts in the space industry to share innovative technology and research findings, identify approaches to enhance scientific collaboration and engagement, and expand professional networks. The meeting will offer diverse scientific presentations in six technical sessions, including Science and Exploration, Earth Observation and Satellite Applications and Operations, Advancements in Scientific Technology of Space Systems, Infrastructure of Systems Sustaining Space Missions, Interactions of Space and Society, and the Global Technical Symposium on Spaceflight and Space Communications. Abstracts for technical sessions can be submitted for oral or interactive presentations until February 28, 2019.
For more information, please visit the 70th International Astronautical Congress website for general conference information and registration.
Geoscience & Society Summit: Stockholm, Sweden (March 18-21, 2019)
The Geoscience & Society Summit, hosted by the American Geophysical Union, Geology in the Public Interest, and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research at Stockholm University, will be held from March 18 to 21, 2019, in Stockholm, Sweden. This event will serve as an international platform for scientists and other stakeholders to discuss local and global challenges related to natural resource sustainability and propose strategies that strengthen collaborations within the geoscience community. At this meeting, participants will attend five general workshops that: 1) define the problem; 2) identify approaches to enhance interdisciplinary coordination and engagement; 3) ensure solution-oriented actions to overcome challenges; 4) facilitate group dialogue to discuss challenges and summarize recommended actions; and 5) propose specific actions to enhance interdisciplinary collaborations and meet sustainability goals. Each workshop will incorporate four key themes of concurrent sub-workshops: 1) energy and minerals sustainability; 2) climate change and ocean- and habitat-health; 3) water and agricultural production sustainability; and 4) environmental hazards, human health, and social justice.
For more information about this meeting, please visit the event website for the conference registration and agenda.
Multiple Calls for Papers on Tropical Infectious Diseases
The Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease open access journal has announced several special calls for upcoming manuscript submissions in the area of tropical medicine and infectious pathogens. These special calls and respective deadlines include: Recent Advancements on Arthropod-Borne Infectious Diseases (February 28, 2019), The Relationship Between Poverty and Infectious Disease (March 31, 2019), Globalization and Infectious Diseases (April 30, 2019), Climate Change and Infectious Diseases (April 30, 2019), Medical Geography of Tropical Infections: Disease Patterns in a Changing Environment (May 1, 2019), Travel and Tropical Medicine (July 31, 2019), Risks and Benefits of Human, Animal and Environmental Interactions: Application of the One Health Approach (August 31, 2019), Malaria Elimination: Managing Implementation of the Interventions for Success (September 30, 2019), and Spatial Epidemiology of Neglected Tropical Diseases (October 31, 2019). Authors can submit their articles as original research, critical analyses, reviews, perspectives, brief communications, and correspondences. Please visit the Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease website to learn more information about author guidelines and article processing charges.
Call for Papers on Spatial/Temporal Analysis to Identify Infectious Disease Outbreaks
The Health Security journal welcomes manuscript submissions for a special issue that highlights the use and application of disease modeling, geographic information systems, remote sensing, and spatial and temporal analytical techniques to prevent or predict infectious disease outbreaks that threaten health security. Authors may submit their articles (5,000 words maximum) in several formats, including original research, reviews, practice descriptions, perspectives, and commentaries, until January 30, 2019. This special issue will be published in the May/June 2019 issue of Health Security. Please visit the Health Security website for more information about author guidelines.