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Project Support Science Applications of GPS Active Tectonics Crustal Deformation Educational Outreach Intraplate Deformation Deep Earth Dynamics Plate Rigidity Polar Studies and Glaciology Plate Boundary Zone Tectonic Geomorphology Volcano Studies Volcano Monitoring 		Science Applications of GPS: Educational Outreach

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Education and Outreach

UNAVCO shares the general commitment by earth scientists to convey better both the content and excitement of our science to students. Students have heard about GPS, and are drawn both to its high-technology aspects - students like the idea of being involved with space technology - and its application to exciting phenomena like earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building. They are also intrigued with learning how GPS is used in activities ranging from pure science to locating cars, boats, and aircraft.

Already, GPS has significantly impacted graduate programs in geoscience. Some outstanding young scientists are being trained as specialists interested primarily in GPS, and a much larger group are learning to use GPS data as an integral part of the diverse datasets for their studies of tectonic processes. In addition, GPS projects form part of undergraduate research projects at many institutions, and undergraduates often participate in field projects.

Figure 16 - A high school student in Alaska measuring the height of a GPS antenna as part of a program to assess earthquake hazards associated with the subduction process (32).

GPS is also appearing in elementary and secondary education, via participation of students in field projects (32) and and a variety of other channels. For example, UNAVCO supplies small hand-held receivers to the Global Learning and Observations Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program, which has trained 8000 U.S. and foreign teachers to use GPS in their courses. The GPS coordinates are used to locate study areas for which GLOBE provides remote sensing images for studies in biology, geology, atmospheric science and hydrology.

[Children in GLOBE Program Learn GPS-Picture]

Figure 17 - Students in the GLOBE program learning to use a GPS receiver.

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Last modified Monday, 26-Nov-2007 16:11:58 MST
 

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