1 00:00:04,601 --> 00:00:10,601 [dramatic percussion music] 2 00:00:18,667 --> 00:00:20,767 >> HEY, THERE. WELCOME TO "NASA LAUNCHPAD." 3 00:00:20,767 --> 00:00:22,701 I'M YOUR HOST, AMBER WHALEN. 4 00:00:22,701 --> 00:00:25,467 EVER WISH YOUR TEACHER COULD JUST GET OUT OF TOWN FOR A WEEK? 5 00:00:25,467 --> 00:00:26,868 I KNOW I DID. 6 00:00:26,868 --> 00:00:28,534 WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ALL KINDS 7 00:00:28,534 --> 00:00:29,734 OF WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES 8 00:00:29,734 --> 00:00:31,334 AND THINGS THAT YOU CAN SUGGEST TO THEM. 9 00:00:31,334 --> 00:00:33,434 BUT WHAT ABOUT ONE THAT CAN REALLY HELP THEM 10 00:00:33,434 --> 00:00:36,367 UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT WHAT SCIENTISTS DO DAY TO DAY? 11 00:00:36,367 --> 00:00:38,100 WELL, HERE'S ONE FOR YOU TO MENTION: 12 00:00:38,100 --> 00:00:40,801 THE HISTORY OF WINTER, IN LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK. 13 00:00:40,801 --> 00:00:43,334 AND GUESS WHAT; IT'S SPONSORED BY NASA. 14 00:00:43,334 --> 00:00:46,367 HERE'S PEGGY MAHER, AEROSPACE EDUCATION SPECIALIST, 15 00:00:46,367 --> 00:00:49,434 TELLING US MORE ABOUT HISTORY OF WINTER, OR H.O.W. 16 00:00:49,434 --> 00:00:52,868 >> THE HISTORY OF WINTER PROJECT IS A WORKSHOP 17 00:00:52,868 --> 00:00:57,133 AND FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES THAT ARE WEB-BASED 18 00:00:57,133 --> 00:00:59,601 THAT REALLY INTENDS TO INTRODUCE TEACHERS 19 00:00:59,601 --> 00:01:02,067 TO THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE STUDY OF SNOW AND ICE 20 00:01:02,067 --> 00:01:06,000 AND DO IT AS SCIENTISTS RATHER THAN AS TEACHERS 21 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,801 SO THAT THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO DO SOME AUTHENTIC SCIENCE 22 00:01:09,801 --> 00:01:13,667 AND TO SHARE THAT WITH THEIR STUDENTS, 23 00:01:13,667 --> 00:01:15,100 NOT JUST IN THE STUDY OF SNOW AND ICE 24 00:01:15,100 --> 00:01:17,968 BUT IN KIND OF EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT THEY'RE TEACHING. 25 00:01:17,968 --> 00:01:20,300 I HOPE THEY GET A CHANCE TO MAYBE STEP AWAY 26 00:01:20,300 --> 00:01:21,901 FROM BEING A TEACHER FOR A LITTLE WHILE 27 00:01:21,901 --> 00:01:24,734 AND TO BE A SCIENTIST INSTEAD. 28 00:01:24,734 --> 00:01:26,300 >> SCIENTIST. 29 00:01:26,300 --> 00:01:28,200 YOU KNOW, IN A LOT OF CASES, YOUR TEACHERS 30 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:30,868 DON'T GET TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME BEING SCIENTISTS. 31 00:01:30,868 --> 00:01:32,400 THEY GO RIGHT FROM BEING TOLD 32 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:34,400 WHAT TO DO IN THEIR LABS IN COLLEGE 33 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,300 TO TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO IN YOUR LABS. 34 00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:38,901 NOT A LOT OF TIME IN BETWEEN FOR THEIR OWN RESEARCH. 35 00:01:38,901 --> 00:01:42,200 BUT AT H.O.W., PARTICIPANTS GET TO DO ALL KINDS OF RESEARCH, 36 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:44,868 LIKE MEASURING DENSITIES OF SNOW IN SNOW PITS, 37 00:01:44,868 --> 00:01:46,200 BUBBLE LAYERS IN ICE, 38 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:47,801 DIAGRAMMING SNOWFLAKES, 39 00:01:47,801 --> 00:01:50,501 EVEN FIND OUT ABOUT THE SCIENCE BEHIND ICE-CLIMBING. 40 00:01:54,300 --> 00:01:55,634 BUT HOLD ON. 41 00:01:55,634 --> 00:01:58,367 WHY DOES NASA CARE ABOUT ALL THIS SNOW AND ICE? 42 00:01:58,367 --> 00:02:01,601 WELL, IT TURNS OUT THAT THE SNOW AND ICE ARE PART OF SOMETHING 43 00:02:01,601 --> 00:02:03,534 SCIENTISTS CALL THE CRYOSPHERE. 44 00:02:03,534 --> 00:02:06,200 THE TERM "CRYOSPHERE" DESCRIBES ALL THE PARTS OF EARTH 45 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,033 WHERE WATER IS FOUND IN SOLID FORM. 46 00:02:08,033 --> 00:02:10,601 THAT INCLUDES SEA ICE, RIVER ICE, SNOW GLACIERS, 47 00:02:10,601 --> 00:02:11,968 AND ICE SHEETS. 48 00:02:11,968 --> 00:02:13,834 EVEN THE FROZEN GROUND IN PERMAFROST AREAS 49 00:02:13,834 --> 00:02:15,701 ARE PART OF THE CRYOSPHERE. 50 00:02:15,701 --> 00:02:17,434 AND THE CRYOSPHERE IS AN IMPORTANT PART 51 00:02:17,434 --> 00:02:19,167 OF EARTH'S GLOBAL CLIMATE SYSTEM. 52 00:02:19,167 --> 00:02:21,567 HERE'S PEGGY AGAIN TO EXPLAIN. 53 00:02:21,567 --> 00:02:23,968 >> WELL, NASA DOES A LOT OF EARTH SCIENCE, 54 00:02:23,968 --> 00:02:26,634 AND GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, WHERE I WORK, 55 00:02:26,634 --> 00:02:29,334 ACTUALLY HAS MORE EARTH SCIENTISTS 56 00:02:29,334 --> 00:02:32,634 THAN ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD, ALL IN ONE SPOT. 57 00:02:32,634 --> 00:02:34,734 SO WE HAVE THE EARTH-OBSERVING MISSIONS, 58 00:02:34,734 --> 00:02:37,167 INCLUDING MISSIONS THAT STUDY SNOW AND ICE. 59 00:02:37,167 --> 00:02:38,767 WE HAVE A SATELLITE CALLED ICE SAT 60 00:02:38,767 --> 00:02:40,033 THAT JUST STUDIES SNOW AND ICE, 61 00:02:40,033 --> 00:02:42,601 AND WE HAVE INSTRUMENTS ON OTHER SATELLITES 62 00:02:42,601 --> 00:02:45,334 THAT STUDY ICE ALONG WITH SNOW COVER 63 00:02:45,334 --> 00:02:46,634 AND THAT KIND OF THING, 64 00:02:46,634 --> 00:02:48,200 ALONG WITH OTHER KINDS OF TERRAIN. 65 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:52,801 SO NASA'S VERY INTERESTED IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE EARTH. 66 00:02:52,801 --> 00:02:55,133 NASA'S NOT JUST ABOUT MANNED SPACE FLIGHT. 67 00:02:55,133 --> 00:02:57,133 WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER SCIENCE GOING ON. 68 00:02:57,133 --> 00:03:00,434 >> AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO NASA TO INCLUDE TEACHERS? 69 00:03:00,434 --> 00:03:04,200 HERE'S DR. PETER WASILEWSKI, ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF H.O.W. 70 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,033 >> THE FUTURE OF THE NASA WORKFORCE 71 00:03:08,033 --> 00:03:12,067 DEPENDS ON, YOU KNOW, VERY CLEVER, INNOVATIVE KIDS 72 00:03:12,067 --> 00:03:15,467 GROWING UP INTO FIRST-CLASS SCIENTISTS. 73 00:03:15,467 --> 00:03:17,968 AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE 74 00:03:17,968 --> 00:03:19,167 IN THE NASA ORGANIZATION, 75 00:03:19,167 --> 00:03:21,033 ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN THE STRUCTURE, 76 00:03:21,033 --> 00:03:22,634 THAT LOOK ON-- 77 00:03:22,634 --> 00:03:26,567 AND THERE'S--THEY'RE VERY STRONG EMPHASIS ON S.T.E.M. EDUCATION. 78 00:03:26,567 --> 00:03:29,567 >> WONDER WHAT PETER MEANS WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT S.T.E.M.? 79 00:03:29,567 --> 00:03:31,834 IN THIS CONTEXT, S.T.E.M. IDENTIFIES 80 00:03:31,834 --> 00:03:34,934 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS. 81 00:03:34,934 --> 00:03:37,167 AND NOT JUST THESE TOPICS STANDING ALONE. 82 00:03:37,167 --> 00:03:40,267 IT REALLY LOOKS AT HOW SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, 83 00:03:40,267 --> 00:03:42,167 AND MATHEMATICS RELATE TO EACH OTHER 84 00:03:42,167 --> 00:03:43,968 AND ARE CONNECTED TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. 85 00:03:43,968 --> 00:03:46,534 WITH ALL THE HIGH-TECH EXPLORATION NASA DOES, 86 00:03:46,534 --> 00:03:48,801 IT'S NO WONDER THEY WANT STUDENTS WITH THE BEST IDEAS 87 00:03:48,801 --> 00:03:51,767 AND A GREAT S.T.E.M. BACKGROUND TO COME TO WORK AT NASA. 88 00:03:51,767 --> 00:03:53,400 THE TEACHERS AT H.O.W. ARE TRAINED 89 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:55,167 TO THINK AND ACT LIKE SCIENTISTS. 90 00:03:55,167 --> 00:03:56,901 AND THEN THEY RETURN TO THEIR CLASSROOMS 91 00:03:56,901 --> 00:03:58,834 TO TEACH THEIR STUDENTS TO DO THE SAME. 92 00:03:58,834 --> 00:04:01,400 THESE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS HELP NASA AND OTHERS 93 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,501 LOOK MORE CAREFULLY AT SNOW AND LOG THEIR OBSERVATIONS. 94 00:04:04,501 --> 00:04:06,934 TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND CITIZEN SCIENTISTS 95 00:04:06,934 --> 00:04:08,934 ALL HELP GATHER SETS OF GLOBAL DATA 96 00:04:08,934 --> 00:04:11,067 THAT HELP SCIENTISTS LEARN ABOUT THE DYNAMICS 97 00:04:11,067 --> 00:04:12,200 OF OUR ATMOSPHERE 98 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,033 AND HELP THEM PREDICT CLIMATE CHANGES. 99 00:04:14,033 --> 00:04:16,901 UNIQUE PATTERNS OF SNOWFLAKES CAN ACTUALLY HELP METEOROLOGISTS 100 00:04:16,901 --> 00:04:18,334 TRACK A STORM'S MOVEMENT. 101 00:04:18,334 --> 00:04:20,100 BUT, STUDYING SNOW? 102 00:04:20,100 --> 00:04:21,467 THAT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD. 103 00:04:21,467 --> 00:04:24,200 AT LEAST, IF YOU LIVE IN AN AREA THAT GETS SNOW REGULARLY. 104 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,167 WHAT IF YOU'RE DOWN IN FLORIDA OR NEW ORLEANS OR ARIZONA 105 00:04:27,167 --> 00:04:29,033 OR SOMEWHERE THAT'S NOT FRIGID IN THE WINTER? 106 00:04:29,033 --> 00:04:31,234 WHAT DO YOU CARE ABOUT ALL THE SNOW AND ICE? 107 00:04:31,234 --> 00:04:33,100 >> WE PRACTICE THE HISTORY OF WINTER 108 00:04:33,100 --> 00:04:34,367 IN LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK, 109 00:04:34,367 --> 00:04:37,701 BUT THE SAME PRINCIPLES CAN BE APPLIED TO ANYWHERE. 110 00:04:37,701 --> 00:04:40,033 AND IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER: THE BASIC CONCEPTS, 111 00:04:40,033 --> 00:04:42,667 THE BASIC TOOLS, THE BASIC ATTITUDE, 112 00:04:42,667 --> 00:04:44,133 YOU KNOW, GEOLOGIC HISTORY, 113 00:04:44,133 --> 00:04:46,934 HISTORY OF WINTER, SAME BASIC PRINCIPLES. 114 00:04:46,934 --> 00:04:48,601 ALL WE'RE DOING IS USING DIFFERENT TOOLS 115 00:04:48,601 --> 00:04:50,267 BUT ASKING THE SAME BASIC QUESTIONS. 116 00:04:50,267 --> 00:04:53,734 NOW, THESE SAME BASIC IDEAS AND THE SAME ATTITUDES 117 00:04:53,734 --> 00:04:56,701 CAN BE APPLIED TO SPRING, FALL, SUMMER. 118 00:04:56,701 --> 00:04:58,033 JUST A DIFFERENT APPROACH. 119 00:04:58,033 --> 00:04:59,501 EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A SCIENTIST, 120 00:04:59,501 --> 00:05:03,901 ULTIMATELY, IT MAKES YOU A BETTER DISCERNING CITIZEN, 121 00:05:03,901 --> 00:05:05,834 AND WE NEED A LOT MORE OF THOSE. 122 00:05:05,834 --> 00:05:07,133 >> OKAY, I GET IT. 123 00:05:07,133 --> 00:05:09,934 SCIENTIFIC STUDIES HELP US THINK CRITICALLY. 124 00:05:09,934 --> 00:05:11,968 AND PRACTICING SCIENTIFIC PROCEDURES 125 00:05:11,968 --> 00:05:14,868 HELPS US TO APPLY WHAT WE KNOW IN NEW SITUATIONS. 126 00:05:14,868 --> 00:05:16,567 WHAT WE LEARN ABOUT ICE HERE ON EARTH 127 00:05:16,567 --> 00:05:21,834 COULD BE APPLIED IN ICE ON, SAY, MARS OR ENCELADUS. 128 00:05:21,834 --> 00:05:23,601 AND, HEY, EVEN THOUGH EXPERTS SAY 129 00:05:23,601 --> 00:05:25,400 THAT THE AMOUNT OF NEW TECHNICAL INFORMATION 130 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:27,501 IS NOW DOUBLING EVERY TWO YEARS, 131 00:05:27,501 --> 00:05:29,701 THOSE SCIENTIFIC SKILLS AREN'T. 132 00:05:29,701 --> 00:05:32,734 SO REMEMBER: THAT'S THE HISTORY OF WINTER. 133 00:05:32,734 --> 00:05:34,267 MENTION IT TO YOUR TEACHERS. 134 00:05:34,267 --> 00:05:36,367 IT MIGHT GET THEM OUT OF THE CLASSROOM FOR A WEEK 135 00:05:36,367 --> 00:05:38,167 AND HELP THEM BECOME BETTER TEACHERS 136 00:05:38,167 --> 00:05:40,634 AND HELP MAKE YOU A BETTER STUDENT. 137 00:05:40,634 --> 00:05:42,300 SO IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY. 138 00:05:42,300 --> 00:05:44,334 OH, AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE YOUR TEACHER, 139 00:05:44,334 --> 00:05:46,400 HEY, IT GETS REALLY COLD UP THERE. 140 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:47,634 JUST SAYING. 141 00:05:47,634 --> 00:05:49,734 WELL, THAT'S IT FOR NOW. THANKS FOR WATCHING. 142 00:05:49,734 --> 00:05:51,601 I'M AMBER WHALEN, AND WE'LL CATCH YOU NEXT TIME 143 00:05:51,601 --> 00:05:52,701 ON "NASA LAUNCHPAD."