NOAA Hosts Educators Climate Change Conference Event Features Presentations by Sally Ride, Susan Solomon - July 21, 2008

Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, will join NOAA scientists in Silver Spring July 23-24 to teach K-12 educators how to integrate the science of earth's changing climate into their classroom lesson plans.

Co-Chair of the 2007 Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the discoverer of the cause of the Antarctic ozone hole, NOAA Senior Scientist Susan Solomon will give the conference's major climate address following Ride's opening keynote address Wednesday morning.

"People are learning so much and are fascinated by climate change these days. Teachers are a key to ensuring that tomorrow's citizens will have the information they need to deal with one of the world's great challenges in an informed way," said Dr. Susan Solomon, senior scientist at the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory.

During "Earth Then, Earth Now: Our Changing Climate," participants will investigate the basic science of climate change, as well as global impacts on the atmosphere, ocean, and every continent and ecosystem around the world.

"In 1983, when I looked down on Earth, I could see glaciers in the Himalayas, atolls in the Pacific Ocean, and rain forests in Madagascar. Since then, many glaciers have disappeared, some atolls are underwater, and the rain forests have thinned," said Ride, president and CEO of Sally Ride Science. "Climate change is an ideal interdisciplinary, integrating theme for education. This conference will help teachers provide students with the opportunity to better comprehend the interconnectedness of this important topic, and use this knowledge in their lives and their communities."

The educator conference will include presentations by prominent scientists, hands-on activities, and ideas for facing the climate challenge and creating a healthier planet. Participants will learn about classroom activities and resources for their students. During an educator street fair, participants will have an opportunity to interact with federal agencies and organizations on the front lines of climate change research.

In addition to NOAA and NASA sponsorship, additional support for the conference is provided by the Department of Energy, U.S. Forest Service, Northrop Grumman Corporation, the National Environmental Education Foundation and the National Science Teachers Association.

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