The GLOBE NY Metro program at Queens College received a grant of over $1 million from Rep. Gregory Meeks.
Photo courtesy of Queens College
Queens College’s Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) NY Metro program has been awarded $1.031 million in federal funding by Rep. Gregory Meeks to help improve STEM education in elementary and secondary schools across New York City and Nassau County.
GLOBE, which is sponsored by NY Metro in southern New York State, is an international science and education program that provides students at K-12 schools and the public with opportunities to engage in the scientific process and data collection. The funding will go towards GLOBE NY Metro’s initiative of running nine three-day GLOBE certification workshops alongside the New York City Department of Education late in the summer of 2026. These workshops will be available to 100 elementary school teachers and 80 secondary school teachers across the New York City metropolitan area.
“We are grateful to Congressman Meeks for this tremendous support and for recognizing the college’s indispensable role in educating teachers in the New York metropolitan area,” Queens College President Frank H. Wu said. “This funding significantly enhances the critically important hands-on science opportunities made possible through the GLOBE NY Metro program, which we are so deeply proud to offer New York City and Long Island students.”
Teachers in New York City Districts 27, 28 and 29 and in Sewanhaka, Lawrence and Valley Stream in Nassau County will be prioritized. Spots that remain open will be allocated to New York City teachers outside these districts.
In addition to receiving the teaching training, participants in the program will also receive books and equipment to enable them to implement the newly acquired strategies and techniques in their home schools.
“STEM skills are critical for today’s career fields, and the Queens College GLOBE NY Metro program will open doors to future careers for students in New York’s 5th District while advancing hands-on learning that connects classrooms to real scientific research,” Meeks said. “The secured federal funding provides teachers with the resources to inspire and spark students’ interest in STEM like never before. I am proud to deliver this investment to help empower the next generation of innovators and problem solvers who will lead us into the future.”
The program, sponsored by NASA and supported by the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will provide participating teachers with seven GLOBE story books developed by NASA that focus on weather, climate and the earth system. They will also receive basic laboratory equipment to aid in the development of student research programs in their schools, as well as a set of classroom equipment to enable an entire class to participate in a research project. The equipment includes infrared thermometers for studying “heat island” effects, drying ovens for preparing soil samples, tools for collecting water samples and test kits.
The program also offers a three-day training session on creating a research-oriented elective course for high school students, four half-day community science workshops for students and parents in the priority districts and 60 days of in-school support. Lessons, demo lessons, close guidance and technical support for implementing the new STEM strategies are also available to teachers, along with other workshop activities. Participating teachers will have the opportunity to show off their students’ works at the STEM Career Expo 2026 this May at the New York Hall of Science.