Trained as a geospatial data scientist and policy expert, Dr. Shanley's research has focused on improving government services and empowering communities through open and participatory innovation, new technologies and social media. Previously, she was a Presidential Innovation Fellow at NASA, and founding director of the Commons Lab of the Science and Technology Innovation Program at the Wilson Center. She is one of the chief organizers and co-founders of the Federal Community of Practice on Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science, a groundbreaking effort to enable federal agencies to engage the public in collective problem solving. In 2009, Lea was an AAAS Congressional Science Fellow in the U.S. Senate, crafting legislation on satellite Earth observations, oceans, and hazards. Lea also helped launch the new Citizen Science Association and Wisconsin Geographic Information Coordination Council. She conducted her PhD research in Environmental Monitoring at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and holds an MS in astronomy and BS in physics. - See more at: http://open.nasa.gov/blog/2014/09/15/welcome-nasa-presidential-innovation-fellows/#sthash.AIU5sDg9.dpuf Phone: 202-358-0058 Address: NASA Headquarters
300 E St NW
Washington, DC
This year the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) issued a call for consultation on “Recomm... more This year the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) issued a call for consultation on “Recommendations on electronic information tools,” which is part of the Aarhus Convention process. The Aarhus Convention establishes a set of rights for public access to environmental information, participation in decision making, and access to justice. In the revised recommendations that updates the 2005 version, Citizen science falls within the range of information sources that should be used in monitoring and managing the environment.
Ownership, control of and access to tribal spatial data are long-standing issues for American Ind... more Ownership, control of and access to tribal spatial data are long-standing issues for American Indian tribes in the United States. Federal and state court decisions resulting in the disclosure of tribal information under freedom of information laws, the sophisticated data integration and analysis capacity of GIS, and advances in satellite remote sensing heighten concerns. Fundamental issues are at stake, including tribes' rights and interests in their knowledge and resources, federal agencies' authority and decision-making that affect those resources, and the public's right to know. Within the context of the federal-tribal relationship, this research investigates tribes' concerns regarding unwanted disclosure of tribal spatial data and the circumstances under which disclosure may occur. This study also evaluated mechanisms to mitigate these risks. Sensitive tribal spatial data include sacred sites and cultural resources, information about land parcel status, water rig...
Ownership, control of and access to tribal spatial data are long-standing issues for American Ind... more Ownership, control of and access to tribal spatial data are long-standing issues for American Indian tribes in the United States. Federal and state court decisions resulting in the disclosure of tribal information under freedom of information laws, the sophisticated data integration and analysis capacity of GIS, and advances in satellite remote sensing heighten concerns. Fundamental issues are at stake, including tribes' rights and interests in their knowledge and resources, federal agencies' authority and decision-making that affect those resources, and the public's right to know. Within the context of the federal-tribal relationship, this research investigates tribes' concerns regarding unwanted disclosure of tribal spatial data and the circumstances under which disclosure may occur. This study also evaluated mechanisms to mitigate these risks. Sensitive tribal spatial data include sacred sites and cultural resources, information about land parcel status, water rig...
The Citizen Science Global Partnership is a network-of-networks that seeks to promote and advance... more The Citizen Science Global Partnership is a network-of-networks that seeks to promote and advance citizen science for a sustainable world. Launched in December 2017 at the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment, Citizen Science Global brings together existing networks of citizen science researchers and practitioners with advisory boards representing policy, business, and community-based perspectives. This initiative was founded in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and is also supported by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Find out more at http://citizenscienceglobal.org/index.html
The Citizen Science Global Partnership is a network-of-networks that seeks to promote and advance... more The Citizen Science Global Partnership is a network-of-networks that seeks to promote and advance citizen science for a sustainable world. Launched in December 2017 at the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment, Citizen Science Global brings together existing networks of citizen science researchers and practitioners with advisory boards representing policy, business, and community-based perspectives. This initiative was founded in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and is also supported by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Find out more at http://citizenscienceglobal.org/index.html
"""The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) within the Department of Defe... more """The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) within the Department of Defense has the primary mission of providing timely, relevant, and accurate imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information--collectively known as geospatial intelligence (GEOINT)--in support of national security. In support of its mission, NGA sponsors research that builds the scientific foundation for geospatial intelligence and that reinforces the academic base, thus training the next generation of NGA analysts while developing new approaches to analytical problems. Historically, NGA has supported research in five core areas: (1) photogrammetry and geomatics, (2) remote sensing and imagery science, (3) geodesy and geophysics, (4) cartographic science, and (5) geographic information systems (GIS) and geospatial analysis. Positioning NGA for the future is the responsibility of the InnoVision Directorate, which analyzes intelligence trends, technological advances, and emerging customer and partner concepts to provide cutting-edge technology and process solutions. At the request of InnoVision, the National Research Council (NRC) held a 3-day workshop to explore the evolution of the five core research areas and to identify emerging disciplines that may improve the quality of geospatial intelligence over the next 15 years. This workshop report offers a potential research agenda that would expand NGA's capabilities and improve its effectiveness in providing geospatial intelligence."""
AUTHORS: Jason Young, David Wald, Paul Earle, and Lea Shanley STUDY DIRECTOR: Lea Shanley EDITORS... more AUTHORS: Jason Young, David Wald, Paul Earle, and Lea Shanley STUDY DIRECTOR: Lea Shanley EDITORS: Aaron Lovell and Zack Bastian ABSTRACT: he U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other scientific institutions are using social media and crowdsourcing to learn more about earthquakes, according to a new report. These techniques provide inexpensive and rapid data to augment and extend the capabilities provided by traditional monitoring techniques. The new report, Transforming Earthquake Detection and Science Through Citizen Seismology, released by the Commons Lab at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, outlines these groundbreaking citizen science projects. The report describes how the USGS and others are engaging the public and advancing earthquake monitoring and knowledge of seismic events. The ultimate goal, according to the USGS, is to provide more rapid earthquake detection and generate more real-time hazard and impact information. The efforts discussed in the report include the Tweet Earthquake Dispatch (TED), which uses an algorithm to provide seismologists with initial alerts of earthquakes felt around the globe via Twitter in less than two minutes. The report also examines the Quake Catcher Network, which equips the public with low-cost sensors to collect information on seismic activity, and Did You Feel It? (DYFI), which uses the Internet to survey individuals about their experiences in earthquakes, including location and extent of the damage. Throughout much of the world earthquake sensors are sparse or nonexistent, meaning it can take the USGS up to 20 minutes to issue alerts about an earthquake. These crowd-focused systems – which are seen to complement, rather than replace, current systems – provide agencies like the USGS with a fast and inexpensive way to expand their ability to monitor seismic activity. "Starting with science and having robust databases allows for the most informed decisions, and our research wouldn't be as detailed without the public's help and firsthand accounts through DYFI, TED and other citizen science applications," says Paul Earle, a seismologist with the USGS and a co-author of the report. "With the success of these efforts, scientists will continue to look for additional opportunities to involve the public, incorporate innovative and cutting-edge tools and ultimately extend our reach and monitoring across the landscape." The report also looks at how future efforts could be improved. Successful crowdsourcing projects at the federal level must navigate a web of practical, legal and policy considerations. This report identifies some of these hurdles and provides lessons learned so that others may apply them to their unique missions. "Greater dialogue is needed between scientists and policymakers on issues from privacy to democratic participation," the authors conclude. The initiatives are garnering interest, largely because they produce valuable data with a wide range of applications very quickly and in a cost-effective manner.
As the first webinar in our series, "The Socioeconomic Value of Earth Science Data, Informat... more As the first webinar in our series, "The Socioeconomic Value of Earth Science Data, Information, and Applications", we explore the value and benefits that Earth Science data brings to society, including its contributions to economics and quality of life. The challenges and opportunities for enhancing Earth Science's societal benefits are also broadly addressed. To offer a balanced perspective behind the meaning of "value", our panel represents expertise from economics, earth science, data and informatics, engineering, social sciences, and policy. Panelists provide examples of different techniques and approaches that can be used to enhance socioeconomic value, such as citizen science, and highlight some communities of practice that are currently addressing these issues, such as GEOValue.
Over the last few years, a number of high-resolution commercial remote sensing satellites have be... more Over the last few years, a number of high-resolution commercial remote sensing satellites have been deployed, producing images of objects on the ground as small as two feet (0.6-m) in near real-time. 1 Future satellites will support even higher resolutions. For example, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently granted Space Imaging, Inc. a
This year the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) issued a call for consultation on “Recomm... more This year the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) issued a call for consultation on “Recommendations on electronic information tools,” which is part of the Aarhus Convention process. The Aarhus Convention establishes a set of rights for public access to environmental information, participation in decision making, and access to justice. In the revised recommendations that updates the 2005 version, Citizen science falls within the range of information sources that should be used in monitoring and managing the environment.
Ownership, control of and access to tribal spatial data are long-standing issues for American Ind... more Ownership, control of and access to tribal spatial data are long-standing issues for American Indian tribes in the United States. Federal and state court decisions resulting in the disclosure of tribal information under freedom of information laws, the sophisticated data integration and analysis capacity of GIS, and advances in satellite remote sensing heighten concerns. Fundamental issues are at stake, including tribes' rights and interests in their knowledge and resources, federal agencies' authority and decision-making that affect those resources, and the public's right to know. Within the context of the federal-tribal relationship, this research investigates tribes' concerns regarding unwanted disclosure of tribal spatial data and the circumstances under which disclosure may occur. This study also evaluated mechanisms to mitigate these risks. Sensitive tribal spatial data include sacred sites and cultural resources, information about land parcel status, water rig...
Ownership, control of and access to tribal spatial data are long-standing issues for American Ind... more Ownership, control of and access to tribal spatial data are long-standing issues for American Indian tribes in the United States. Federal and state court decisions resulting in the disclosure of tribal information under freedom of information laws, the sophisticated data integration and analysis capacity of GIS, and advances in satellite remote sensing heighten concerns. Fundamental issues are at stake, including tribes' rights and interests in their knowledge and resources, federal agencies' authority and decision-making that affect those resources, and the public's right to know. Within the context of the federal-tribal relationship, this research investigates tribes' concerns regarding unwanted disclosure of tribal spatial data and the circumstances under which disclosure may occur. This study also evaluated mechanisms to mitigate these risks. Sensitive tribal spatial data include sacred sites and cultural resources, information about land parcel status, water rig...
The Citizen Science Global Partnership is a network-of-networks that seeks to promote and advance... more The Citizen Science Global Partnership is a network-of-networks that seeks to promote and advance citizen science for a sustainable world. Launched in December 2017 at the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment, Citizen Science Global brings together existing networks of citizen science researchers and practitioners with advisory boards representing policy, business, and community-based perspectives. This initiative was founded in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and is also supported by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Find out more at http://citizenscienceglobal.org/index.html
The Citizen Science Global Partnership is a network-of-networks that seeks to promote and advance... more The Citizen Science Global Partnership is a network-of-networks that seeks to promote and advance citizen science for a sustainable world. Launched in December 2017 at the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment, Citizen Science Global brings together existing networks of citizen science researchers and practitioners with advisory boards representing policy, business, and community-based perspectives. This initiative was founded in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and is also supported by United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Find out more at http://citizenscienceglobal.org/index.html
"""The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) within the Department of Defe... more """The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) within the Department of Defense has the primary mission of providing timely, relevant, and accurate imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information--collectively known as geospatial intelligence (GEOINT)--in support of national security. In support of its mission, NGA sponsors research that builds the scientific foundation for geospatial intelligence and that reinforces the academic base, thus training the next generation of NGA analysts while developing new approaches to analytical problems. Historically, NGA has supported research in five core areas: (1) photogrammetry and geomatics, (2) remote sensing and imagery science, (3) geodesy and geophysics, (4) cartographic science, and (5) geographic information systems (GIS) and geospatial analysis. Positioning NGA for the future is the responsibility of the InnoVision Directorate, which analyzes intelligence trends, technological advances, and emerging customer and partner concepts to provide cutting-edge technology and process solutions. At the request of InnoVision, the National Research Council (NRC) held a 3-day workshop to explore the evolution of the five core research areas and to identify emerging disciplines that may improve the quality of geospatial intelligence over the next 15 years. This workshop report offers a potential research agenda that would expand NGA's capabilities and improve its effectiveness in providing geospatial intelligence."""
AUTHORS: Jason Young, David Wald, Paul Earle, and Lea Shanley STUDY DIRECTOR: Lea Shanley EDITORS... more AUTHORS: Jason Young, David Wald, Paul Earle, and Lea Shanley STUDY DIRECTOR: Lea Shanley EDITORS: Aaron Lovell and Zack Bastian ABSTRACT: he U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other scientific institutions are using social media and crowdsourcing to learn more about earthquakes, according to a new report. These techniques provide inexpensive and rapid data to augment and extend the capabilities provided by traditional monitoring techniques. The new report, Transforming Earthquake Detection and Science Through Citizen Seismology, released by the Commons Lab at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, outlines these groundbreaking citizen science projects. The report describes how the USGS and others are engaging the public and advancing earthquake monitoring and knowledge of seismic events. The ultimate goal, according to the USGS, is to provide more rapid earthquake detection and generate more real-time hazard and impact information. The efforts discussed in the report include the Tweet Earthquake Dispatch (TED), which uses an algorithm to provide seismologists with initial alerts of earthquakes felt around the globe via Twitter in less than two minutes. The report also examines the Quake Catcher Network, which equips the public with low-cost sensors to collect information on seismic activity, and Did You Feel It? (DYFI), which uses the Internet to survey individuals about their experiences in earthquakes, including location and extent of the damage. Throughout much of the world earthquake sensors are sparse or nonexistent, meaning it can take the USGS up to 20 minutes to issue alerts about an earthquake. These crowd-focused systems – which are seen to complement, rather than replace, current systems – provide agencies like the USGS with a fast and inexpensive way to expand their ability to monitor seismic activity. "Starting with science and having robust databases allows for the most informed decisions, and our research wouldn't be as detailed without the public's help and firsthand accounts through DYFI, TED and other citizen science applications," says Paul Earle, a seismologist with the USGS and a co-author of the report. "With the success of these efforts, scientists will continue to look for additional opportunities to involve the public, incorporate innovative and cutting-edge tools and ultimately extend our reach and monitoring across the landscape." The report also looks at how future efforts could be improved. Successful crowdsourcing projects at the federal level must navigate a web of practical, legal and policy considerations. This report identifies some of these hurdles and provides lessons learned so that others may apply them to their unique missions. "Greater dialogue is needed between scientists and policymakers on issues from privacy to democratic participation," the authors conclude. The initiatives are garnering interest, largely because they produce valuable data with a wide range of applications very quickly and in a cost-effective manner.
As the first webinar in our series, "The Socioeconomic Value of Earth Science Data, Informat... more As the first webinar in our series, "The Socioeconomic Value of Earth Science Data, Information, and Applications", we explore the value and benefits that Earth Science data brings to society, including its contributions to economics and quality of life. The challenges and opportunities for enhancing Earth Science's societal benefits are also broadly addressed. To offer a balanced perspective behind the meaning of "value", our panel represents expertise from economics, earth science, data and informatics, engineering, social sciences, and policy. Panelists provide examples of different techniques and approaches that can be used to enhance socioeconomic value, such as citizen science, and highlight some communities of practice that are currently addressing these issues, such as GEOValue.
Over the last few years, a number of high-resolution commercial remote sensing satellites have be... more Over the last few years, a number of high-resolution commercial remote sensing satellites have been deployed, producing images of objects on the ground as small as two feet (0.6-m) in near real-time. 1 Future satellites will support even higher resolutions. For example, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently granted Space Imaging, Inc. a
Summary of Commons Lab Workshop "Connecting Grassroots to Government for Disaster Management," Se... more Summary of Commons Lab Workshop "Connecting Grassroots to Government for Disaster Management," September 2012, Washington, DC.
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