NASA Summer Camp Inspires Future Climate Leaders

The Coastal Equity and Resilience (CEAR) Hub partnered with the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant to host a week-long NASA Sea Level Changemakers Summer Camp, introducing 14 rising 7th-8th graders to how coastal areas are changing due to sea level rise. CEAR Hub is a project that joins community organizations, local governments, and educational institutions together to develop the knowledge, tools, and strategies that make our communities more resilient.

Set at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island, the camp offered students hands-on activities and outdoor educational experiences, where they analyzed real data collected by NASA scientists and learned about community adaptations to flooding. 

Students interacted with experts from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the University of Georgia, and the Georgia Institute of Technology, gaining insights into satellite observations, green infrastructure, environmental sensors, and careers related to sea level rise. The camp also included a visit to the Pin Point Heritage Museum, where students engaged with leaders from the historic Gullah Geechee community of Pin Point. The camp concluded with a boat trip to Wassaw Island, where students observed the effects of sea level rise on an undeveloped barrier island and compared these observations with earlier findings from urban environments. Funding from the NASA Science Activation Program ensured that the camp was accessible to all students, eliminating financial barriers for groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields.

Russell Clark, a member of the Georgia Tech's Institute for People and Technology (IPaT), is CEAR Hub's principal investigator 

Article originally posted on CEAR HUB news.