AmericaView (www.AmericaView.org) is a nationwide partnership of remote sensing scientists who support the use of Landsat and other public domain remotely sensed satellite data through applied remote sensing research, K-12 and higher STEM education, workforce development, and technology transfer. Our primary goal is to support the many beneficial uses of remote sensing in service to society.

1. AmericaView
Who we are and what we can do
for you
Carolyn Ownby
ColoradoView Coordinator
USDA UV-B Monitoring and Research Program
Colorado State University

2. Overview
AmericaView is a national, 39-state non-profit
consortium working to promote the understanding
and utilization of remotely sensed data throughout
the United States.
Funding is awarded on an annual basis and is
subject to peer and USGS review.
Teachers gather ground
reference data to check the
accuracy of their land cover
map.
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

3. What does AmericaView do?
•
Serves educational institutions (K–12, community colleges and
universities) through teacher workshops and expanded course
offerings
•
Provides workforce development though local and state workshops
•
Provides state satellite data free of cost and in easily-used formats
•
Supports other (non-USGS) federal agencies (e.g., BLM, BIA, NPS,
USDA, NASA) thus increasing efficiency and effectiveness
•
Has improved response to disasters such as hurricanes, floods and
tornados in member states through networking and cooperative work
•
Undertakes applied research on natural resources, including forests,
grasslands, agricultural systems, and coastal zones
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

4. History
• 1998: Began as a pilot project to overcome
Landsat data access challenges. (Ohio)
• 2000: Congress directed the USGS to expand
nationally.
• 2003: AmericaView was incorporated as a
501(c)(3) non-profit
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

5. Today
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

6. Why Join the Consortium?
• Pooled resources and NETWORKING!
• Place to ask questions, find new lab
material, keep up with research, and get
mentoring.
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

7. Program Areas
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•
•
•
Imagery and Data Resources
Technology
Research
Education and Outreach
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

8. Program Areas: 1 of 4
Imagery and Data Resources
• StateViews provide
– public domain archive links
– state specific data
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

9. Program Areas: 2 of 4
Technology
• Wiki page for idea exchange
• Multi-State delivery project
• REDDnet
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

10. Program Areas: 3 of 4
Research
• Scholarly exchange of insights and experiences;
• Developing and sharing of applied research
expertise and resources;
• Fostering and developing collaborative applied
research and infrastructure projects;
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

11. Program Areas: 4 of 4
Education and Outreach
• Outreach: raising awareness of the uses of remote
sensing technology in service to society
• Education: Committee mission to support
consortia members interested in geospatial
education, training, and professional
development
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

12. AV Education Portal
• Expected by 2014
• Goal: consolidate AV-generated
educational resources into one easily
accessible and useable location.
• 125 Higher Ed Materials
• 76 K-12 Materials
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

13. Mulitspec
•
•
•
•
Tool for analyzing multispectral imagery
Developed by IndianaView
Alternative to Imagine or ENVI
Free
A classification
result in color
thematic map
form.
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

14. AV Online University
• Under Development
• Online Course Platform (like WebCT)
• Intro to Remote Sensing Course
(GeorgiaView & TexasView)
• Courses can be used as is, or
• Copied & adapted for individual needs
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

15. Earth Observation Day
• Earth Observation Day is a STEM
educational outreach event of
AmericaView and our partners.
Celebrated in the Spring, the goal is to
engage students and teachers in
remote sensing as an exciting and
powerful educational tool.
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

16. Landsat in K-12 Education
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) are
the most obvious disciplines for Landsat application,
but images can also be used in geography, social studies, and
history.
Dating back to 1972, the Landsat series of satellites provide the
most continuous and comprehensive record of Earth’s surface
features, allowing students to explore changes occurring in their
local neighborhoods, and around the world.
http://www.americaview.org/

17. Lesson Ideas and Plans
Map Scale
•
•
•
•
(6-12) (CA-View)
Uses Google Earth
15 minutes prep, 30 minutes class time
Fully guided with questions &
examples
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

18. Lesson Plans & Ideas
Land Use and Land Cover
Each student completed a Land Use / Land Cover Map of a
U.S. college or university. Then they compared their results
with other students and discussed how landscapes may
influence students’ decisions to attend a particular school.
Purple
Buildings
Dark green
Trees
Bright green
Grass
Grey
Parking lots
Orange
Stadiums
Black
highways

19. Lesson Ideas and Plans
USGS Tracking Changes Over Time
The objective of the Tracking Change Over Time lesson plan is
to get students excited about studying the changing Earth.
Enhance students’ learning of geography, map reading, earth
science, and problem solving by seeing landscape changes from
space.
Seminole and
Pathfinder
Reservoirs, WY
Normal &
Drought years,
1986 vs. 2002
1986
2002
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

20. Lesson Ideas and Plans
Tutorials
ColoradoView offers several tutorials on
field measurements, remote sensing &
GIS topics, and performing geospatial
modeling. Examples:
• How to calculate vegetation indices
• How to download & decompress
Landsat Data
• Create Euclidean Distance from a
Water Layer
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

21. Lesson Ideas and Plans
Watershed Tutorial
• Provided by MarylandView, covers:
– What is a Watershed, Stream Order, Subwatershed?
– Basin vs. Non-basin Drainage
– Stream Functions and Urbanization
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

22. Lesson Ideas and Plans
Spectral Reflectance
•
Eighth graders measure and analyze the spectral reflection
pattern of live and dead plant leaves
“This hands-on exercise helped me to
understand electromagnetic radiation by
showing me that it is used in everyday life by
a lot of different careers. It was interesting
and showed me science is more than
formulas.”
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

23. Lesson Ideas and Plans
Impervious Surfaces Tutorial
(MarylandView)
• Effects of
Imperviousness
• Water Quality Impact
• Microclimate Impact
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

24. Cost
What’s in it for AmericaView?
We want your success stories!
Your testimonials are critical to USGS funding
Example, WyomingVeiw Intern Claire Hudson:
I recently graduated with a B.S. in biology and am going on to get my M.S. in botany.
My project, funded by WyomingView, used MODIS images to characterize the
relationship between NDVI and ambient temperature in two forest types in the Snowy
Range Mountains, WY, and examined how the relationship changed with bark beetle
attack.
This project was my first experience working with remotely sensed images, and
taught me how large-scale satellite images can be used to determine ecological
relationships at a smaller scale. The skills I acquired working with remotely sensed
images during this project will continue to serve me throughout my graduate studies
and in my future career.
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org

25. Thank you!
Carolyn Ownby
ColoradoView Coordinator
USDA UV-B Monitoring and Research Program
Colorado State University
http://www.americaview.org
http://coloradoview.org
http://uvb.nrel.colostate.edu/UVB
http://www.americaview.org/ http://ColoradoView.org