NSF NCAR & UCAR Science Education

08/26/2026

We’re excited to highlight another stop in our Ozone Garden site visits! This time, we visited the South Dakota Discovery Center, where their Ozone Garden is helping connect local observations with a much bigger picture of air quality and our atmosphere. 🌱

Ozone Gardens, like this one, are part of a collaborative project bringing together community science, education, and satellite observations across the country. The project is made possible through our work with NSF NCAR & UCAR, the Center for Astrophysics l Harvard & Smithsonian, the NASA TEMPO satellite, and funding from NASA.

Thank you to all the partners, educators, and communities helping make the Ozone Garden project possible and bringing atmospheric science to life! 🌎🔬

08/11/2026

Attention homeschool families, co-ops, and small groups across the Front Range, you're invited to our Fall Homeschool Day: Career Connections 🧑‍🔬!

Ever wondered what it’s like to be a meteorologist, invent something new, or work with a supercomputer? Come explore the many ways scientists study our powerful planet and discover the exciting STEM careers that make it possible! Join us at the NSF NCAR & UCAR Mesa Lab for a day of free activities, hands-on learning, and fun!

🗓️ Thursday, October 1, 2026
📍 NSF NCAR Mesa Lab

Capacity is limited, so be sure to sign up in advance! For more information and to book tickets, visit the Homeschool Day page on our website: https://scied.ucar.edu/visit/ncar-field-trips/homeschool-day?utm_source=sm

08/07/2026

We are proud to receive the 2026 Advancing Environmental Literacy Award from the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education, recognizing the contributions of our organization and our Director, Becca Hatheway, to environmental literacy in Colorado and beyond.

Through educator professional development, hands-on learning experiences, exhibits, and free online resources, our team works to make Earth and atmospheric science accessible, engaging, and meaningful for learners of all ages. This recognition is a wonderful reflection of the collaborative work of our team and the educators, learners, partners, and communities who help make it possible.

Congratulations to Becca and the entire UCAR SciEd team on this well-deserved recognition! 🎉

08/07/2026

We have an exciting lineup of Explorer Series events this August, including a suite of webinars as well as local events in Colorado! Mark your calendar:
Science in the Spotlight: Air quality, smoke, and the health impacts of wildfire
🗓️Thursday, Aug. 13, 3 - 4 P.M. MT
💻 Online

Science in the Spotlight: Forecasting wildfire behavior
🗓️Tuesday, Aug. 25, 11am - 12pm
💻 Online

Keeping space safe: Understanding the impacts of space weather on satellite orbits
🗓️Wednesday, Aug. 26, 7:30 - 9pm
📍Frasier

From models to forecasts: Tools for better water operations
🗓️Saturday, Aug. 29, 1 - 2:30pm
📍Loveland Museum

More details:
https://edec.ucar.edu/public/ncar-explorer-series/2026

08/05/2026

We were grateful for the opportunity to attend the University-Led Research Institutes (ULRI) Research Symposium this July!

Members of our team enjoyed connecting with colleagues from across the science community, learning from innovative research and outreach efforts, and exchanging ideas about how research and education can work together to drive meaningful change.

Thank you to ULRI for the invitation and for hosting such a wonderful event!

08/03/2026

It's time for the final recap of the 2026 NSF SOARS Program!

Week 10 & 11 Theme: A Fitting Finale

Every summer, the NSF SOARS program culminates in two exciting weeks that celebrate not only the research completed by each Protege, but also the growth, confidence, and community they've built along the way. From final presentation preparations to reflecting on the journey together, Weeks 10 and 11 were a fitting conclusion to an incredible summer.

Week 10 gave Proteges the opportunity to put the finishing touches on their research presentations during a Colloquium Practice Session, where they shared their work with peers and mentors and received valuable feedback ahead of the final presentations. Alongside the busy preparation schedule, Proteges also took time to celebrate the summer together through community events like the UCP Ice Cream Social and the end-of-summer BBQ, making the most of their final days as a cohort.

The final week began with the NSF SOARS Research Colloquium. After weeks of research, learning, and mentorship, each Protege presented their work with confidence, highlighting both their scientific discoveries and the communication skills they strengthened throughout the summer. Proteges also revisited their Individual Development Plans, reflecting on the goals they set at the beginning of the program and the progress they made both personally and professionally.

As the week came to a close, the cohort gathered for NSF SOARS Reflections to celebrate milestones, share memorable moments, and recognize how far they had come. The program officially concluded with the NSF NCAR & UCAR and UCP Summer Student Conference, where Proteges joined fellow researchers to present their project posters and celebrate a summer defined by curiosity, collaboration, and scientific discovery.

Congratulations to the 2026 Proteges on all you've accomplished this summer! We look forward to seeing the impact you'll make as you continue your academic and professional journeys. Your future in STEM is just beginning, and we can't wait to see where it leads!

08/03/2026

07/28/2026

Ever wonder how hailstones grow from tiny droplets of water into chunks of ice that can range from the size of a pea to the size of a grapefruit?

This Animated Atmosphere video takes you and Jeff the yeti inside a thunderstorm to discover the science behind this super cool weather phenomenon! ⛈️

Looking for more fun and digestible atmospheric science videos? Explore the full Animated Atmosphere playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKOf8qv7lwLbPj3Dfp7uIFV53NMH7xp9X&si=9d5MvyCvFNWW0rys?utm_source=sm

🎨: FableVision