Sciences and Exploration Directorate

Agnes P Conaty

(SCIENCE LEAD)

Agnes P Conaty's Contact Card & Information.
Email: agnes.p.conaty@nasa.gov
Org Code: 610
Address:
NASA/GSFC
 Mail Code 610
 Greenbelt, MD 20771
Employer: SCIENCE SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS INC

Brief Bio

Dr. Agnes Pasco Conaty, PhD is a Senior Research Scientist and Science Lead at the NASA GLOBE Observer Program, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. She is a NASA Contractor with the Science Systems & Applications, Inc. (SSAI). 


She is also a college mathematics professor at Marymount University, Montgomery College, Howard Community College, and Trinity Washington University. She has a doctorate degree in Environmental Science, master's and bachelor's degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of the Philippines. She has a Certificate in Secondary Teaching (Physics) from the American University.


As Earth Science Researcher at Challenger Center for Space Science Education, she co-wrote an Earth Science system module, with scientific background, activities, and hands-on workshops for teachers, including beta-testing at DC public schools as part of the package.


She has worked full time as an earth science researcher at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, looking at several decades of ocean color satellite data sets from the SeaWiFS Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) and sea-surface temperature from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) for their seasonal and inter-annual variabilities along the western Pacific Ocean and South China Sea areas. She has used MATLAB and IDL softwares, learned UNIX and C programming language, and presented scientific papers at American Geophysical Union (AGU) conferences. Currently, she is working on Jupyter Notebook (iPython) to analyze citizen science data thru the GLOBE Observer app for data quality flags.


Agnes is also an artist (paintings, photographs, cartoons) exhibiting her art at establishments in the Greenbelt and Laurel areas. She is a columnist (The Laurel Inner Space) and cartoonist (Laurel Squirrel) for The Laurel Independent newspaper.

Research Interests

Enhancing the Environmental Science Curriculum with Citizen Science and Art: Experiences with GLOBE Observer Program and Nature Journaling

Earth Science: Analysis

In my first semester of teaching of Environmental Science to the Early College Academy Program of Trinity Washington University in Washington, DC, I sought to enrich the existing higher education curriculum by integrating citizen science and art. In particular, along with discussions on environmental concepts and issues in the lecture, I added activities and observations using the GLOBE Observer Program, nature journaling, and field trips in the lab, making the entire course fun, engaging, and informative.

 The presentation focuses on the experiences and challenges of one semester of teaching, along with students’ work and reflections and areas of improvement for succeeding semesters.

 

Tapping Citizen Science Data from the GLOBE Program for Data Science Education

Earth Science: Analysis

NASA's GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) Program, which started on Earth Day 1994, offers about 27 years of data collected by students, teachers, the citizen science community from 127 member countries all over the world. By following science protocols and undergoing rigorous training, participants in the data collection contribute valuable ground-based observations that help track the state of the Earth's environment on a global scale and facilitate the calibration and validation of remote sensing satellites from space. In 2016, the GLOBE Observer app was added as a tool to fill in the spatio-temporal gaps in the data set. This makes it possible for anyone with the cell phone app to participate in the data collection process.

Dr. Agnes Conaty, PhD, Senior Research Scientist and Science Lead of the NASA GLOBE Program and adjunct mathematics professor at Montgomery College, offers insights on how to tap this vast collection of data sets for learning and research.

Jupyter Notebook (iPython) Code for Quality Assurance/Quality Control of GLOBE Observer Data

Earth Science: Analysis

Data coming from citizen science with GLOBE Program’s GLOBE Observer app needs quality flags to provide datasets suitable for research and education. This presentation discusses the process of “cleaning” the data by doing quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) and the challenges we encountered.


I have two poster presentations: The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) 2024, Pittsburgh, PA, November 6-9, 2024 & The American Geophysical Union (AGU) 24, Washington, DC, December 9-13, 2024.



Current Projects

Citizen Science for Families: Building STEM Interest through the GLOBE Program

Earth

Using state park campfire talks, library lectures, university and nature center presentations, I am bringing the GLOBE Program to families through the use of the GLOBE Observer app. The aim is to cultivate interest in STEM among the young members of the family with the involvement of the older members. It is my belief that we could have better chances of success in getting younger people in STEM careers if there is a strong and sustained support in the family.

Positions/Employment

Senior Research Scientist & Science Lead, GLOBE Observer Program

Science Systems and Applications Inc. (SSAI) / NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD

June 2022 - Present

Science Lead and Data Analyst for the GLOBE Observer team, focusing on data quality, data promotion and usage by the academic community. Agnes promotes family citizen science and GLOBE awareness to communities and local colleges.

Teaching Experience

Adjunct Professor, Environmental Science & College Mathematics, Trinity Washington University, Washington, DC.


Adjunct Professor, College Mathematics, Marymount University, Arlington, VA.


Adjunct Professor, College Mathematics, Montgomery College, Rockville, MD.


Adjunct Professor, College Mathematics, Howard Community College, Columbia, MD.

Education

Doctoral Degree, PhD Environmental Science, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.


Masteral Degree, MS Civil Engineering Major in Structural Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.


Bachelor's Degree, BS Civil Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.


Certificate in Teaching (Physics), American University, Washington, DC.

Professional Societies

American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Regular Member

2022 - Present

North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)

Regular Member

2023 - Present

Awards

The 2024 Robert H. Goddard Honor Award - Exceptional Achievement for Outreach: Goddard Eclipse Engagement Partnership, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, September 2024.


The 2024 Robert H. Goddard Honor Award - Exceptional Achievement for Outreach: The GLOBE Observer Program, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, September 2024.


American Geophysical Union (AGU) Thriving Earth Exchange Community Science Fellowship 2024 (May 2024 Cohort), Washington, DC.


Scholarship Recipient, Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Educator Program, Online.

Other Professional Information

NASA Transform to Open Science: Open Science 101 Badge Earned in February 2024, Virtual Cohort on February 12 & 19, 2024. (Badge emailed on July 12, 2024)


Published Book: Agnes, Austin & Joseph Conaty, "Wicker Baskets: Family Vignettes & Poetry," Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, 2024. ISBN: 979-8329038637 (ebook, paperback & hardcover).

Special Experience

Zero Gravity Experience, Northrop Grumman's "Weightless Flight of Discovery" Program.

Talks, Presentations and Posters

Invited

"GLOBE Observer Program and Citizen Science: Bridging Gaps in Open Science Data Challenges"

The American Geophysical Union 2024 (AGU24) Poster Presentation, Washington, DC, December 9-13, 2024.

11, 2024

The Global Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024, has been a cornerstone in monitoring Earth's biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and pedosphere. With 127 member countries and over 150,000 participants, GLOBE has amassed millions of data points, freely available for research and education. In 2016, the GLOBE Observer Program was introduced to enhance data collection through a mobile app, enabling citizen scientists to contribute data on clouds, mosquito habitats, land cover, and tree heights. This presentation explores the quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) processes applied to GLOBE Observer data, highlighting the challenges and solutions in ensuring data reliability for scientific research.

GLOBE Observer Program and Citizen Science: Bridging Gaps in Open Science Data Challenges

NAAEE 2024 Poster Presentation, Pittsburgh, PA, November 6-9, 2024

December 7, 2024

In 2024, the Global Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program celebrates thirty years of monitoring the Earth’s four spheres: biosphere (plant and animal life), atmosphere (air at different layers of the Earth), hydrosphere (water covering various parts of the Earth), and pedosphere (Earth’s soil layer). The international education and research program has 127 member countries, more than 150,000 participants, 50+ scientific protocols, and several millions of data collected and freely available at www.globe.gov.

In 2016, GLOBE added the GLOBE Observer Program (observer.globe.gov) to broaden the data collection thru a cell phone app. Currently, the app has four tools to collect data from clouds, mosquito habitat mapper, land cover, and tree heights. Occasionally, a solar eclipse tool is added to take air temperature and cloud observations during solar eclipse events in 2017, 2023 and 2024.

This paper explains how the GLOBE Observer Program makes its citizen science data more open and more robust by documenting the process of data collection, implementing data quality flags, and explaining the challenges we encountered.

Citizen Science & the NASA GLOBE Program: Discussion on Girl Scouts of the Philippines STEM Badge

November 30, 2023

This is a virtual presentation for girl scout leaders on citizen science and GLOBE Observer Program to brainstorm ideas for the STEM badge of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines.

Enriching the Environmental Science Curriculum through Citizen Science & Art

November 17, 2023

This on-demand presentation shows how teaching environmental science may be enhanced by using the NASA GLOBE Observer activities and observations, field trips and nature journaling along with environmental concepts and issues as read in the news. This makes learning about the environment more engaging, fun, and informative.

Citizen Science and the NASA GLOBE Program at Robinson Nature Center

October 27, 2023

In-person presentation on citizen science and GLOBE Program for the Robinson Nature Center's environmental educators with hands-on activity.

"Citizen Science and the GLOBE Program"

August 18, 2023

A virtual presentation for a high school summer camp in Nashville, TN as part of a NASA MUREP Grant for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

"Citizen Science for Families through the GLOBE Program"

May 9, 2023

This was a Greenbelt Park Campfire Talk at the Greenbelt Park, Greenbelt, MD.

"Tapping Citizen Science Data and the GLOBE Program"

December 17, 2022

This was a virtual Data Science Speaker Series event of the Montgomery College Data Science Program. I introduced the vast amount of data available from the GLOBE Program repository, the GLOBE Observer app, and how to tap the research and data science research and education.

Other

Selected Public Outreach

JPL/Solar System Ambassadors Program

February 2013 - Present

Dr. Agnes Conaty has been a JPL/Solar System Ambassador since 2013, engaging families through star parties, model rocket build and launch, talks on the space program, NASA missions, solar eclipses, planets, and supporting STEM library programs.



Google's Women Techmakers Ambassador Program

September 2023 - Present

As part of the Google's Women Techmakers Ambassador Program, Dr. Agnes Conaty has an important role in supporting women to thrive in the technical world by giving presentations, sharing expertise, and mentoring in the academe and the community.

Education & Public Outreach Events

July 2022 - Present


2022 Activities


Tabling Event, NASA Day, Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2023, Smithsonian Mall, July 2, 2022.


Tabling Event, Baltimore County African American Cultural Festival 2022, Towson, MD, September 17, 2022.


Tabling Event, “Girls, Gigabytes & Gadgets,” National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women, MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill, MD, October 5, 2022.


Virtual Presentation, “Citizen Science Data with the GLOBE Program,” Data Science Speaker Series #2, Montgomery College, Rockville, MD, November 16, 2022.


Tabling Event, AGU Fall 2022 Meeting, Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL, December 14, 2022.


Tabling Event, AGU Fall 2022 Meeting, McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago, IL, December 10-16, 2022.


2023 Activities 


Tabling Event, AAAS Conference 2023, Walter Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC, March 2-5, 2023.


Greenbelt Park Campfire Talk, “Citizen Science & GLOBE Program,”Greenbelt, MD, April 8, 2023.


Tabling Event, Third Sunday Experiment: The GLOBE Program,” NASA/Goddard Visitor Center, Greenbelt, MD, April 16, 2023.


Tabling Event, NASA Earth Day 2023, Union Station, Washington, DC, April 20-22, 2023.


Tabling Event, Maryland Day 2023, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, April 29, 2023.


Tabling Event, “Cosmic Cycles,” National Philharmonic Orchestra, The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda, MD, Thursday, May 13, 2023.


Tabling Event, Goddard on the Green 2023, Goddard Mall, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, June 13, 2023.


Professional Development Talk, “Citizen Science with the GLOBE Program,” Robinson Nature Center, Columbia, MD, September 28, 2023.


Tabling Event, International Observe the Moon Night 2023, NASA/Goddard Visitor Center, Greenbelt, MD, October 21, 2023.


Annular Solar Eclipse Presentations, Trinity Washington University, Washington, DC, October 13, 2023.


Virtual Presentation on Demand, North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE 2023) 52nd Annual Virtual Conference, “Enhancing the Environmental Science Curriculum through Citizen Science & Art,” NAAEE.org, October 18-20, 2023.


Virtual Presentation for the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, “Citizen Science & STEM Badging for the Girl Scouts of the Philippines,” November 6, 2023.


Host for Group Tour of Robinson Nature Center Educators, NASA/Goddard Visitor Center, Greenbelt, MD, December 6, 2023.


2024 Activities 


Virtual Presentation, Exploring By The Seat Of Your Pants, “Go Outside: Citizen Science & The GLOBE Program,” NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, January 17, 2024.


Tabling Event, "Magic of the Maple," Maple Syrup Festival 2024, Robinson Nature Center, Columbia, MD, February 11, 2024.


Tabling Event, "HerStory: Women at Goddard," A Women's History Month Kickoff Event, NASA/Goddard Visitor Center, Greenbelt, MD, March 2, 2024.


Tabling Event & Panel Discussion, "Out of This World: Women in Space," An International Women's Day Event, Robinson Nature Center, Columbia, MD, March 8, 2024.


In-Person Presentations on Preparing for the Solar Eclipse 2024, Trinity Washington University, Washington, DC, April 4, 2024.


Tabling Event, Solar Eclipse 2024 at Building 8 & Goddard Mall, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. April 8, 2024.


Tabling Event, Earth Day 2024, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC, April 19, 2024.


Tabling Event, Third Sunday Experiment: GLOBE Observer Program, NASA Goddard Visitor Center, Greenbelt, MD, April 21, 2024.


Tabling Event, Maryland Day 2024, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, April 27, 2024.


In-Person Presentation, "Be Part of Something Big: Citizen Science & The GLOBE Observer Program, Greenbelt Astronomical Society, Greenbelt, MD, May 30, 2024.


Tabling Event, Goddard on the Green 2024, Goddard Mall, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, May 30, 2024.


Virtual Presentation, Code 600 NASA Summer Intern Informational Interview, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, July 12, 2024.


Tabling Event, Bowie Baysox STEM Game, Bowie Baysox Stadium, Bowie, MD, July 31, 2024.


Tabling Event, Eisenhower Under the Stars 2024, Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial, Washington, DC, September 13, 2024.


Tabling Event, International Observe the Moon Night 2024, NASA Goddard Visitor Center, Greenbelt, MD, September 14, 2024.


Tabling Event, STEM Unbound, Rita Rossi Colwell Center, Baltimore, MD, October 24, 2024.


Tabling Event, Math and Citizen Science: Observing Nature's Symmetry, Beauty & Proportion with GLOBE Observer Program," Maryland STEM Festival 2024, Montgomery College Science Center, Rockville, MD, November 9, 2024.


2025 Activities


Tabling Event, National Science Bowl 2025 Regional (MD & DC) High School Competition, Montgomery College Science Center, Rockville, MD, January 18, 2025.


In-Person Presentations, Goddard Child Development Center, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, January 22, 2025.


Tabling Event, Washington Wizards Pre-Game STEM Event, Capital One Arena, Washington, DC, February 24, 2025.


Tabling Event & Q&A Panel Discussion, "Out of This World: Girls Night in Space," Robinson Nature Center, Columbia, MD, March 8, 2025.

Columnist & Editorial Cartoonist

February 2024 - Present

Columnist, "Laurel Inner Space" and Editorial Cartoonist, "Laurel Squirrel" for the City of Laurel, Maryland Community Newspaper, "The Laurel Independent," published by StreetcarSuburbs.news.


Titles of Published Columns in "The Laurel Inner Space":


"Be part of something big: The joy of citizen science," The Laurel Independent Newspaper, February 2024, print and online.


"A Corner of NASA: A space for little girls (and boys) with big dreams," The Laurel Independent Newspaper, March 2024, online.


"Rest on your Laurel: Priceless family weekends on the cheap," The Laurel Independent Newspaper, April 2024, print and online.


"Nature journaling: The art of slowing down in a frenzied-up world," May 2024, print and online.


"Look up with us: Family stargazing over the Laurel skies," June 2024, print and online.


"No luggage necessary: A Laurel summer staycation," July 2024, print and online.


"Campfire talks: Why family stories matter," August 2024, print and online.


"Lifelong learning in Laurel and beyond," September 2024, print and online.


"Written in stone: Geology in our region," October 2024, print and online.


"Seeing math in the world around us," November 2024, print and online.


"Our Christmas tree's rich family history," December 2024, print and online.


"Celebrating a year of giving," January 2025, print and online.


"Nature's nearby gems," February 2025, print and online.


"Mentoring matters," March 2025, print and online.

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