LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

NASA, Aquarium of the Pacific, and Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), and NASA Goddard Visitor Center have partnered to create a new program for the public. Our Instrumented Earth is a new exhibit-based program that will debut at each of these institutions in 2013, serving communities in Maryland, California, and Oregon. It will focus on how satellites and other observing systems contribute to our understanding of how Earth is changing and what those changes may mean to humans, said Dr. Jerry Schubel, Aquarium of the Pacific president.

The program celebrates NASAs advances in technology and illuminates how information can be harnessed to increase understanding of Earths systems to enhance human lives and protect our planet. NASA awarded the Aquarium of the Pacific with a $331,000 grant to oversee the creation of the program in conjunction with NASAs Goddard Visitor Center and OMSI. Others involved in developing it include NASA, Jet Propulsion Lab, and University of California, Irvine.

The story of Our Instrumented Earth will be illustrated on a six-foot-diameter global display called NOAAs Science On a Sphere, combining NASA satellite images and multimedia technology. Visitors to the three institutions will be transported into space to see how NASA satellites help us prepare for changes on Earth. Informal education providers are an important part of NASAs education family, said Leland Melvin, associate administrator for NASAs Office of Education in Washington. By using compelling NASA content, they help us stimulate interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, Melvin said.

The NASA visitor center, the Southern California aquarium, and the Oregon museum will reach millions of individuals in diverse communities with science that relates to their everyday lives and can help with adapting to environmental changes. Presentations will be in English and Spanish. Science on a Sphere has been a star attraction since its arrival here, and we are excited to use this platform to tell such a compelling story, said David Perry, OMSI director of museum education.This collaborative project also targets underserved youth to promote STEM learning and increase careers in these fields.

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NASA Awards $331,000 Grant to Create Our Instrumented Earth, Debuting Summer 2013 in California at the Aquarium of the ...