Extension of the PolandAOD network within the scope of the School Climate Research Campaign

Studies of aerosol optical properties within the framework of the PolandAOD network will be extended through the inclusion of students from 20-25 schools from the Student Climate Research Campaign of the GLOBE project. The educational part of the campaign is coordinated by the Environmental Information Center GRID-Warszawa (http://www.gridw.pl/) within the framework of the project financed from National Fund for Natural Protection and Water Management.

School students will carry out the studies using simple sunphotometers, which will be distributed among schools free of charge. Additionally, students will carry out the following measurements: air temperature and humidity, atmospheric pressure, observations of cloud types and cloud coverage, sky color and estimation of visibility. The results will be transferred via a website to the PolandAOD coordinating institution, currently Institute of Geophysics Physics Department of the University of Warsaw. The website will facilitate visualization of the results, comparison of the data among schools, analyses of current meteo situation and air quality over Poland.

Who the project is aimed at?

The project is dedicated mainly to schools which participate in an international educational program GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment). This is due to the fact that students of these schools have already been carrying measurements and atmospheric observations, which will be partly used within the framework of the climate campaign.  However, we do not close the access to schools from the outside of the GLOBE.

Why should you join?

One of the goals of the project is to make science closer to people, activate young peoples’ natural curiosity and utilize their potential to gain knowledge. We also aim at the modification of school programs to make them more attractive through direct contact with real scientific problems. In return we expect ongoing measurements of the natural environment, which will extend the range of our research.

Scientific and educational goals

School students will be involved in scientific research on atmospheric aerosols. Not only they will conduct the measurements but they will also study physical and chemical processes related to aerosols including climate processes.

Project beginning date

The project start is planned for spring 2013.

The end of the project

The official end of the climate campaign will take place in summer 2014. However, the aerosol measurements can be continued for a longer period of time.  

Teacher training

Prior to the launch of the project teacher training session on the measurement techniques, data transfer and data analyses will be conducted by the project scientists.  The project will be co-financed by the National Fund for Natural Protection and Water Management within the framework of the Student Climate Research Campaign. We plan live transmission to the internet and to create a training film for free distribution. 

How to apply to join the project

Schools interested in joining the project should send an application form/formularz zgłoszeniowy to Krzysztof Markowicz: kmark@igf.fuw.edu.pl. 

Criteria for schools to join the project

Due to limited finances and a limited number of trained teachers a number of schools which will receive measurement instruments should not exceed 25. In case of a greater number of applications scientific reasons will be prevailing followed by the school activity in the GLOBE project.

If a school fails to join the project?

If a number of participating schools will significantly exceed 25 all schools which did not qualify will be able to purchase sunphotometers or make their simplified versions themselves. Currently we do not know the exact price of the instrument, since its prototype is being made, however, we estimate the final price at 800 – 1200 Euro. We are preparing a demonstration video for teachers and students on the subject of the studies and the philosophy and technical issues related to the measurements.  

Awards for active participation in the project

Every year the most active students will be awarded a few days onboard the s/y Oceania of the Institute of Oceanology PAS during a routine research cruise in the Baltic Sea.