Articles & Stories

SERVIR recognized for 'connecting space to village'

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On March 8, 2017, the American Astronautical Society (AAS) presented the 2016 Earth Science and Applications Award to SERVIR for outstanding achievement in Earth or Environmental Sciences. The citation reads as follows:  “For over ten years, SERVIR has provided the best of satellite technology and geospatial data to countries that need it most, empowering them to better monitor risks and respond to pressing environmental issues.

SERVIR, a joint initiative of NASA and USAID, works with regional partners around the world to provide developing countries access to and training in the use of Earth observation satellite images and data for addressing pressing environmental issues such as droughts, floods, agricultural monitoring and management, ecosystems, wildfires, and much more.

Irwin, Searby and Anoubon-Momo
Irwin with NASA’s Nancy Searby and USAID’s Albert Anoubon-Momo  

SERVIR Global Program Manager Dan Irwin accepted the award for SERVIR in Greenbelt, Maryland, at an Honors and Awards Luncheon held in conjunction with the 55th Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium.

“I’m honored and humbled to receive this award on behalf of the entire SERVIR global network,” said Irwin, who conceived, founded, and developed SERVIR. “This is a real testament to the great success of our USAID-NASA collaboration (10 years!) and to the dedication and expertise of our hub partners around the world.”

SERVIR started as a three-person team in 2004 and has since expanded worldwide. It now includes four active centers, or “hubs,” serving 47 countries across the globe by ‘connecting space to village.’ SERVIR enables a growing number of officials and decision-makers tasked with environmental management, food security, weather forecasting, and other functions that protect their populace to access the most cutting-edge space-based technologies the U.S. Government has to offer. 

Founded in 1954, AAS is composed of a network of current and future space professionals dedicated to advancing all space activities. It has long been recognized for the excellence of its national meetings, technical meetings, symposia and publications and for their impact on shaping the U.S. space program. Some of AAS’s goals are to strengthen and grow the space community, increase awareness of and support for space activities, advance and promote research, development and implementation of space capabilities, and influence the development and implementation of space policy.

Note:

SERVIR has regional hubs at the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) in Nairobi, Kenya; the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal; the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) in Bangkok, Thailand; and the Agrometeorology, Hydrology and Meteorology (AGRHYMET) Regional Center in Niamey, Niger.