accomplished through symposiums and workshops; larger audiences can be reached through computer-aided distance learning. It is particularly important to begin education and training programs early so that the user community is ready when new types of data become available and the value of the data can be maximized during the life of each space-based sensor. Science educators in the K-12 and university communities need to learn about new observing systems so that they can integrate the information into their curricula to improve the scientific literacy of future scientists, teachers, and the public as a whole. Thus, the committee makes the following recommendation:

Recommendation: NASA, NOAA, and USGS should pursue innovative approaches to educate and train scientists and users of Earth observations and applications. A particularly important role is to assist educators in inspiring and training students in the use of Earth observations and the information derived from them.

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