Milo Climate Action Academy to be held in Puerto Rico
The call for the 12-session program is open, with limited spaces available.
The Milo Climate Action Academy, an international educational program, will be held in Puerto Rico for the first time, resulting from a collaboration between the Milo Space Science Institute at the University of Arizona and the Research Grants Program of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust.
The call for applications is open through Aug. 8. The program is fully funded by the Research Grants Program, so participation is free.
This 12-session program, conducted over 16 weeks, is designed for university students and recent graduates within the last five years who want to learn about the impact of climate change in Puerto Rico and develop innovative solutions to mitigate its effects using satellite data. The sessions, which will be online and interactive and conducted in English, will provide “a unique educational experience,” according to the organizers.
“Programs like the Milo Climate Action Academy are crucial to our mission of developing and empowering local talent in science and technology, while also promoting innovative solutions to the climate challenges Puerto Rico faces,” said Lucy Crespo, the trust’s CEO.
“Our Research Grants Program offers structured, systematic and open funding mechanisms to support the development of research projects in science and technology in Puerto Rico. We continue to drive innovation and empower Puerto Rican scientists and entrepreneurs to elevate Puerto Rico to the highest level of excellence,” said Andreica Maldonado, director of the Research Grants Program at the trust.
The program will train participants to use space scientific data and convert it into practical solutions to enhance Puerto Rico’s resilience to climate change. Teams will develop innovative proposals, using relevant satellite data, and present their projects to a panel of evaluators.
The areas that the Puerto Rico edition of the program will focus on are forest health and restoration, coastal zone management, agricultural sustainability, urban planning and infrastructure resilience, and water resources management
Based on the L’SPACE program sponsored by NASA, the Milo Space Science Institute-Milo Mission Academy has trained thousands of STEM students in the mainland U.S., Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
The news release listed the following participation requirements:
- Be a university student in Puerto Rico or a recent graduate (within 5 years of graduation).
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be able to communicate in English.
- Have access to a computer or tablet with Zoom access.
- Be able to dedicate 6 to 10 hours per week to team projects.
- Attend all live sessions on Mondays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. starting Aug. 19.
- Have a passion for learning and a desire to be an agent of change for Puerto Rico.
