Access to reliable and sustainable electricity is essential for meeting the needs of society, such as communications, clean water, healthcare, and heating and cooling, both today and into the future. Shifts in extreme weather and a changing climate are challenging traditional and renewable power grids, as evidenced by widespread outages from events like hurricanes and heat waves, which are increasing in intensity and frequency and have the propensity to harm infrastructure and diminish generation capacity. Understanding the changing climate allows utilities to be more resilient in proactively producing or distributing energy. Earth observations (EOs) provide actionable data for monitoring such change, but better collaboration between scientists and end users is needed to ensure data is accessible and relevant to decision-making. Utilizing a capacity building approach, this NASA-funded initiative aims to promote broader utilization of NASA EOs within the energy sector by transferring knowledge and bridging the gap between scientists and end users. To the untrained user, satellite data can be onerous to find and challenging to apply. To address these concerns, we engaged the U.S. Department of Energy and stakeholders across the sector to solicit input on the greatest challenges and opportunities utilities face relevant to resiliency and the usage of EOs. In response, and through an iterative process with end users, we compiled relevant NASA EOs into a user-friendly Esri StoryMap® and developed the first energy-focused NASA ARSET training, both publicly available, followed by broad outreach. The StoryMap® aims to reduce the burden of accessing and using EOs by including only the most applicable data with a focus on terrestrial variables, such as soil moisture and land surface temperature, along with tutorials and use cases. The ARSET training provides an in-depth look at using NASA products to support a more climate resilient energy sector and presents real-world, illustrative examples of the ways in which EOs can be used to better understand the impact of extreme events. This talk will report on the successes and challenges of this capacity building initiative, highlight components of the StoryMap® and ARSET training, and share lessons learned in facilitating increased uptake and use of EOs by the energy sector.

The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission is NASA’s next great investment in Earth Science, continuing NASA’s legacy of over forty years of satellite ocean color measurements. PACE, expected to launch in 2023, will advance our Earth-observing and monitoring capabilities through hyperspectral imaging and multi-angle polarimetric observations of ocean, atmosphere, and land ecosystems. PACE will give us an unprecedented view of our home planet and will support user-driven environmental applications through research and applied science to address societal challenges and inform decision-making. An integral component of actionable applied science is Design Thinking - an iterative, problem-solving framework that integrates human perspectives, needs, and experiences at every step of process. In this session, we will present the design process, collaborative activities, and outcomes of the 2021 PACE Applications Water Quality community focus session. A Design Thinking methodology was used in event planning as well as during day-of ideation breakout sessions. To foster empathy and better illuminate the goals, concerns, and needs of the diverse PACE user community, eight draft user personas were created to represent a range of water industry users from research to government to the private sector. Attendees worked together to complete the various personas by identifying different user challenges and pain points, ideal data experiences, and realistic, tailored Earth Observation and PACE Mission specific solutions and opportunities to satisfy users’ needs and goals. As a result, the eight archetype personas and co-production of knowledge will help ensure that PACE data are usable and accessible for a variety of possible users, thereby expanding the eventual reach and societal benefit of PACE. Lastly, we will highlight how Design Thinking will inform future stakeholder engagement efforts and actionable science via the PACE Mission.

The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission is NASA’s next great investment in Earth Science, continuing NASA’s legacy of over forty years of satellite ocean color measurements. PACE, expected to launch in 2023, will advance our Earth-observing and monitoring capabilities through hyperspectral imaging and multi-angle polarimetric observations of ocean, atmosphere, and land ecosystems. PACE will give us an unprecedented view of our home planet and will support user-driven environmental applications through research and applied science to address societal challenges and inform decision-making. The PACE Applications program seeks to strengthen the ties between science and decision-making through programming such as the Early Adopter initiative, workshops and focus sessions, and information-sharing and co-production activities. Practical applications of PACE data include waterborne pathogen monitoring and prediction, harmful algal bloom species discrimination and early-detection, support for best-management practices for estuary and watershed health, as well as sustainable fishery and aquaculture practices. Hyperspectral and polarimetric PACE data will provide water resource managers and decision-makers with highly accurate ocean color and atmospheric observations that will directly improve their operational products and applied technologies, ultimately fulfilling real-world needs. This presentation will highlight PACE’s novel hyperspectral and polarimetric capabilities, introduce PACE’s standard and exploratory data products, outline the PACE Applications Program, share real-world coastal applications of PACE data, and summarize the results of the 2021 PACE Applications Water Quality Focus Session and the 2021 PACE Applications Workshop as they relate to community engagement and capacity development. Finally, we will share the revamped PACE Applications Outreach Strategy and how it will be used to promote partnerships within the existing user communities of practice and new user communities of potential for greater societal benefit.