GAINESVILLE — A new initiative is mobilizing libraries, educators, and communities across Florida to explore environmental issues and public health through citizen science and spatial thinking. EMERGE—Engaging Communities in Environmental Research and Geospatial Education—is a NASA-supported program that equips the public with real data tools to investigate mosquito-borne disease, land cover, and environmental challenges.

Launched in May 2025, EMERGE is led by the University of Florida’s Geospatial Digital Informatics (GeoDI) Lab and supported by partners including Florida Community Innovation, SciStarter, Dream in Green, and Broward County Library. The core of the program is the GLOBE Observer app, which empowers communities to map mosquito habitats and land cover, among other protocols.

The program offers a free five-chapter curriculum, $300 mini-grants for local programming, and interactive activities to support public engagement in environmental science, for people of all ages.

“We designed EMERGE to meet people where they are—whether in libraries, community organizations, or classrooms—by offering flexible, free tools to support real-world science learning,” said Caroline Nickerson, EMERGE Communications Lead. “Our goal is to help communities turn data into action.”

Upcoming Opportunities

Kickoff Week Webinars: July 28 – August 1

A week-long series of virtual trainings will introduce the EMERGE curriculum, the GLOBE Observer mobile app, and strategies for hosting community events. Sessions are open to anyone—educators, local government staff, librarians, or interested individuals.
Register at: https://geoemerge.com/events

Mini-Grants for Libraries and Community Organizations
Due July 31. Florida-based organizations, especially those in rural or underserved areas, can apply for $300 mini-grants to host EMERGE events. Funding can support supplies, outreach, and engagement around environmental science topics.

Apply at: https://geoemerge.com/mini-grants-for-libraries-community-based-organizations

EMERGE Hackathon: September 27, 2025

Taking place at the North Lauderdale Saraniero Branch Library (Creation Station), this in-person event will invite youth and community members to work with real data from NASA’s GLOBE Program. Participants will explore mosquito habitat trends and land cover data, with prizes for top contributions and a statewide showcase of selected projects.

Sign up today: https://geoemerge.com/hackathon-data-visualization-contest/

About EMERGE

EMERGE helps Florida communities apply environmental data to local challenges. Through activities like land cover mapping, mosquito habitat tracking, and storytelling with satellite imagery, participants gain STEM skills and support public health resilience. The curriculum is accessible to learners of all ages and experience levels and was co-developed with input from libraries, students, educators, and Extension professionals.

EMERGE is made possible through funding from NASA and is coordinated by the GeoDI Lab at the University of Florida. Key partners include Florida Community Innovation, SciStarter, Dream in Green, and Broward County Library.