Name: Bridging the Training Divide: A Roundtable on Evolving Earth Science Capacity Building
Start: 2026-07-30T16:00:00-0500
End: 2026-07-30T17:30:00-0500

We are a home for Earth science data and computing professionals. Our sessions bring together the community for hands-on, interdisciplinary deep dives as we explore "Bridging Divides: Data, Technology, Community" this year. Learn more about this theme on the ESIP Meetings page.

Session and plenary recordings will be published on the ESIP YouTube Channel.

Bridging the Training Divide: A Roundtable on Evolving Earth Science Capacity Building

Thursday July 30, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm CDT

Brazos

Collaborative Notes

As Earth science datasets scale in complexity, the methods we use to train the next generation of data users must evolve. From rapid hackathons (like the NOAA Satellites Hackathon) to structured open-source curricula (like NASA ARSET and COMET), organizations employ vastly different capacity-building philosophies that often exist in silos. This working session maps the current landscape of satellite and remote sensing training ecosystems through community roundtable discussion, exploring how different methodologies target college students from diverse educational backgrounds and brainstorming how the Earth science capacity building community can bridge the gap between training programs to recruit these students into the Earth observation workforce pipeline. Participants are invited to reflect on friction points they have encountered when learning to use Earth science datasets for the first time or teaching Earth science data to non-experts.

Audience
Student attendees, Earth science educators, community engagement specialists, and representatives from federal agencies (NASA, NOAA, USGS) interested in capacity building and workforce development

Speakers

Katherine Pitts

Product Quality Scientist, STC for NOAA/NESDIS/GEO Program Science

Hi all! I am a product quality scientist with the NOAA/NESDIS/GEO Program Science team, focusing on product quality and mission success for the GOES-R satellite series. As a fun side quest, I've organized the GOES-R Hackathon 2021, the GOES-R DataJam 2023, and the NOAA Satellites... Read More →