NASA DEVELOP:

DEVELOP, part of NASA’s Applied Sciences Program, addresses environmental and public policy issues through interdisciplinary research projects that apply the lens of NASA Earth observations to community concerns around the globe. Bridging the gap between NASA Earth Science and society, DEVELOP builds capacity in both participants and partner organizations to better prepare them to address the challenges that face our society and future generations. With the competitive nature and growing societal role of science and technology in today’s global workplace, DEVELOP is fostering an adept corps of tomorrow’s scientists and leaders. The program has 11 locations across the country.

Colorado - Fort Collins DEVELOP Location:

The Colorado location started in 2012 under the direction of Dr. Paul Evangelista and Dr. Catherine Jarnevich and is co-hosted by Colorado State University’s Natural Resource Ecology Lab (NREL) and the USGS Fort Collins Science Center. The Coloradao - Fort Collins location has completed a variety of natural resource management projects, including projects focused on invasive species, forest health, wetlands, ecological conservation, fire severity and recovery, crop wild relatives, and water quality. In the past six years, projects have been completed in 20 states and in Ethiopia. These projects have been with a wide range of partners including the United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State Forest Service, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, National Park Service, United States Geological Survey The Nature Conservancy and other non-profits, and private land and ranch owners.

Interested in participating?

Participants work on 10-week projects, with pay rates based on location and education level. They network with science advisors, project partners and node alumni, build technical and professional skills, and hone their science communication. The Colorado location takes advantage of opportunities to get in-person teams into the field with previous field trips to Rocky Mountain National Park, several National Forests, and local ranches. The Fort Collins area is bikeable and near many recreational opportunities. All ages and experience levels, high school to PhD and everything in between, are welcome to apply! We encourage applicants to have at least an introductory GIS and remote sensing background. Contact Sarah Hettema  (sarah.l.hettema@nasa.gov) for more information or check out this informational flyer for applicants.

Interested in partnering?

With six projects performed at the Colorado location each year, we are always searching for new partnerships and to plan future projects. Projects must 1) use NASA sensors (but can also incorporate other sensors), 2) address management or policy decisions, and 3) be accomplished by a team of four over 10 weeks. DEVELOP partners must be willing to engage with the teams throughout the term. Contact Sarah Hettema (sarah.l.hettema@nasa.gov) or Dr. Tony Vorster (anthony.vorster@colostate.edu) for more information.

• How to become a partner
• Check out past CO Node projects:
  • Video: Minnesota & Texas Agriculture & Food Security Video (Spring 2018)
  • Poster: Black Hills
  • Story Map: Grand Canyon Ecological Forecasting (Spring 2022)
  • Publications
  • • • O’Shea, K., LaRoe, J., Vorster, A., Young, N., Evangelista, P., Mayer, T., ... & Khoury, C. K. (2020). Improved remote sensing methods to detect northern wild rice (zizania palustris l.). Remote Sensing, 12(18), 3023. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12183023 
      • Werner, Z., Choi, C. T. H., Winter, A., Vorster, A. G., Berger, A., O'Shea, K., ... & Woodward, B. (2022). MODIS sensors can monitor spatiotemporal trends in fog and low cloud cover at 1 km spatial resolution along the US Pacific Coast. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 28, 100832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsase.2022.100832