David Brooks at the Asia-Pacific GLOBE Learning Expedition, Hua Hin, Thailand, 13-18 November, 2007

In November, David Brooks attended the Asia-Pacific GLOBE Learning Expedition in Hua Hin, Thailand, sponsored by the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST), which manages the GLOBE program in Thailand, and with travel support from the International Centre for Theoretical Physics. He gave a special presentation on student climate change research, and conducted student/teacher workshops on building small solar-powered cars and pyranometers -- instruments for measuring solar energy at Earth's surface.

Solar car presentation with Sattiya translating.Building solar cars. Students were given parts and tools, but few instructions.
Race day! The pieces of white paper blocked sun from the solar cells until the start of the race.Building Pyranometers. All the assembled instruments worked.
Testing pyranometers. Most participants had never used a multimeter.Setting up reflectivity measurements for vegetation at the beach on the Gulf of Thailand.
Explaining surface reflectivity results. Students measured grass, pavement, and along the beach, vegetation, dry, and wet sand. Me at the Grand Palace in Bangkok. This incredible site in Bangkok occupies 60 acres!