NASA's wonderful world!!

 

EARTHDATA DISCOVERY OPEN ACCESS FOR OPEN SCIENCE | FEBRUARY 2023                               Empowering Open Science with the Science Discovery Engine (SDE)           NASA’s SDE facilitates search and discovery through almost 1 million NASA documents, datasets, and tools and is a key development to furthering the agency’s open science practices.                   Discover what you can do with NASA data! Use Data                       Open Science Efforts                 ROSES (and Data Management Plans) for Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day means the annual release of NASA’s Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) solicitation. Learn more about this year's ROSES open science and data management requirements.           More GIS data on the way! An agreement between NASA and Esri provides greater access to NASA geographic information system (GIS) data to scientists, emergency responders, and others.           VEDA Goes Open-Source In keeping with NASA’s open science policies, all Visualization, Exploration, and Data Analysis (VEDA) project code repositories and associated documentation are now publicly available and accessible via GitHub.           What Can AI Do for You? NASA and IBM are collaborating to apply new artificial intelligence (AI) technology to NASA Earth science data. This joint work will provide an easier way for researchers to analyze large NASA datasets and learn new things about our home planet.                           ESDS Program           Another Successful Year Along with the Science Discovery Engine, NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) Program had another year of accomplishments making data easier to discover and use. Read more in the annual ESDS Highlights.           High Satisfaction with NASA Earth Science Data Continues Global data users remain highly satisfied with data, products, and services provided by NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS).                     Articles                 Aiding Disaster Response with NASA Near Real-Time Data Near real-time data are a key tool for timely disaster response. Read how Lori Schultz uses data from NASA’s Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) for disaster monitoring and mitigation.           Data to the Rescue! In the wake of Hurricane Ian in September 2022, imagery created from Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 (HLS) data helped aid disaster recovery. From disasters to crop monitoring to forest fire assessment, read about the many uses of HLS.           Calling NASA Worldview Did you know that NASA Worldview is available for use on mobile devices? Learn how you can explore NASA Earth science data on your phone.           Ranking the World’s Environmental Performance The 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks 180 countries on 40 performance indicators that assess progress in reaching international targets for air/water pollution, waste management, biodiversity/habitat protection, and clean energy.           An Unsettled December The December 2022 summary of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) surface temperature and Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) precipitation data indicated unstable weather and rapidly changing conditions.                     New Data           Explore TROPICS Data The provisional release of the Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) dataset is available. TROPICS captures tropical cyclone features with a variety of microwave bands.           Tracking Land Surface Disturbance The Observational Products for End-Users from Remote Sensing Analysis (OPERA) Land Surface Disturbance Alert product tracks global plant loss over time and provides insights into vegetation loss. Check out the provisional release of these data.                     Tutorials, Tour Stories, and Data Recipes           Learn How to Use EMIT Data A new Python tutorial helps familiarize users with the early release of NASA Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) Level 2A Estimated Surface Reflectance data.           A Focus on Flooding NASA’s Global Flood Product provides a daily map of observed flooding. Learn more about this powerful product in a new NASA Worldview Tour Story.           Become a GEDI Master Learn how to discover, access, and use NASA’s Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Aboveground Biomass Density science data products within a Jupyter Notebook, in the Earthdata Cloud, and more!                   Webinars                     Coming Soon: Using SeaDAS with Docker for Ocean Color Data Analysis February 22, 2023           Join us for an introduction to the SeaDAS data application. Along with an overview of features and functionalities, participants will learn how to install and use Docker image capabilities to improve scientific processing on Windows machines.           Register for Webinar                 Watch it Again: Jump-Start SAR Data Analysis in the Cloud with OpenSARLab OpenSARLab makes it easier to work with cloud-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. Learn more about OpenSARLab and watch a demonstration of working with SAR data. View Event Recording                   Connect with NASA Earth Science           Meet the people behind NASA Earth science data at these upcoming events:           American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting Date: March 2-5 Location: Washington, D.C./Virtual           Commodity Classic Date: March 9-11 Location: Orlando, FL           54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) Date: March 13-17 Location: The Woodlands, TX/Virtual           Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) Summit Date: March 22-24 Location: Baltimore, MD           European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2023 Date: April 23-28 Location: Vienna, Austria/Virtual                   Worldview Images of the Week           Bomb Cyclone Approaching the U.S. West Coast A series of powerful atmospheric rivers brought widespread flooding, rapidly rising rivers and creeks, impassable roads, and landslides and mudslides to California.           California Flooding The near real-time Global Flood Product makes it easy to see the impact of torrential rain across California. Flooded areas show up as red, with blue indicating existing surface water.           Lithium Mining in the Salar de Atacama, Chile The element lithium is used in everything from medicine to car batteries. Salar de Atacama in Chile, the third largest salt flat in the world, is the largest and purest active source of lithium.           View more Images of the Week                 NASA's Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) Program oversees the life cycle of NASA’s Earth science data and seeks to maximize the scientific return from missions and experiments.

AHEPA Congratulates Newly Elected President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides

 

AHEPA E-News Volume 17, Issue 7 | Wednesday, February 15, 2023

AHEPA Congratulates Newly Elected President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides

Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas sent a letter this week congratulating former Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides on his election to serve as the Republic of Cyprus’s president.   “The entire AHEPA family, the Daughters of Penelope, Sons of Pericles, and Maids of Athena, wish you the best as you strive to serve the people of Cyprus and to meet the challenges Cyprus faces,” Kokotas wrote. “We look forward to working with you and your government to further strengthen and enhance the bonds of friendship between the United States and Cyprus.”   Kokotas also shared with President-elect Christodoulides AHEPA's excitement about its plans to host the 2024 AHEPA Family Supreme Convention in Cyprus.   Kokotas added he looks forward to congratulating Christodoulides in person when he visits Cyprus in April.

AHEPA Congratulates Former Honoree, Super Bowl Champion George Karlaftis The Order of AHEPA proudly congratulates Super Bowl Champion George Karlaftis of the Kansas City Chiefs! Karlaftis was the 2020 AHEPA William Chirgotis Collegiate Scholar-Athlete Award honoree during his time as a standout defensive end at Purdue University. The AHEPA National Athletics Department has worked for decades to celebrate athletic excellence and promote programs to the community. Annually, the department holds a banquet at the AHEPA Supreme Convention to honor the best of the best in the athletic world, whether they be seasoned athletes, Olympians, broadcasters, or high school seniors winning an athletic scholarship so they can continue to pursue their dreams. The department also hosts golf, basketball, bowling, volleyball, tennis, and other athletic tournaments. Read More

Supreme President Visits Souda Bay, Crete

Supreme President Jimmy Kokotas was in attendance as members of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee visited Crete and toured Souda Bay. Supreme Secretary Savas Tsivikos accompanied him as they met with members of the U.S. congressional delegation. They were hosted by American Ambassador George Tsunis and appreciated the opportunity to meet with the ambassador and several legislators. AHEPA also attended a dinner in support of the delegation, who joined House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rodgers of Alabama, for a visit and briefing at the U.S. Naval Base at Souda Bay. As part of this impromptu visit, Supreme President Kokotas and Supreme Secretary Tsivikos also met with local Ahepans. Kokotas shared a meal with the brothers of Chapter HJ-6 in Chania, Crete and had the opportunity to visit with Supreme Governor Yianni Mitropoulos and District 25 Governor Kostas Varsamis.

Montreal AHEPA Family Raises $58,000 at Annual Saint Valentine's Ball

The Montreal AHEPA Family in collaboration with the AHEPA Charitable Foundation of Canada hosted their 22nd Annual St. Valentine’s Ball on Friday, raising $58,000 for the Habilitas Foundation, which supports organizations working with individuals living with physical disabilities and sensory impairments. The money raised will help equip the Philip E. Layton and Mackay Centre schools with a special playground built to allow wheelchair-bound children to experience the joy and freedom of play alongside their more able-bodied peers. The ball was co-chaired by District 23 Governor James Hutchison and DOP PCP Zambetoula (Betty) Drakontaidis. Vivian Cyriacopoulos, who serves as Honorable Consul of the Republic of Cyprus in Montreal, and Emmanuella Lambropoulos, who serves as a Member of Parliament for Saint-Laurent, served as honorary chairs of the event.  AHEPA family members attended from Canada and the U.S. to celebrate. DOP Grand President Georgette Boulegeris, MOA Grand President Maria Ana Pantelous, AHEPA Supreme Treasurer E. Chris Kaitson, AHEPA Canada President Emmanuel Constas, SOP Supreme Secretary Alex Houvardas, and MOA Grand Secretary Ally Tsenekos, attended.

AHEPA Family Call to Action

As the death toll continues to rise in Türkiye and Syria, AHEPA is looking to our chapters to support the endeavor of our brothers in AHEPA Chapter No. 601 in Constantinople. Since 1922, the Order of AHEPA has been a generous, philanthropic organization who digs down deep to help people in need. Today is such a day. The Supreme President, Jimmy Kokotas, has asked the entire Ahepa family to collect funds and send them to our chapter in Constantinople as we have since we were first made aware of this tragic event. The magnitude and scope of this natural disaster has not been properly conveyed to our chapters and our members. For those of you who wish to make personal donations, please feel free to do so through the AHEPA website by clicking on the charitable foundation link on the donation page. The funds collected during the months of February and March will go to efforts to assist people in need of food, water, blankets, and other necessities. Chapter 601 has visited the effected area, and the region is devastated. As a philanthropic organization, it is our duty to assist if we can. Donate online at ahepa.org/donate or send a check to AHEPA headquarters. God bless the first responders from all over the world who are on site helping save peoples lives.

AHEPA 2023 Supreme Convention - Save the Date!

Book Your Hotel Room Now!

While It Lasts! Get Your AHEPA Centennial Merch

Get it while it lasts! AHEPA centennial commemorative merchandise is available that includes a commemorative coin and stand and decanter set. Years of service and chapter officer pins, award plaques, and AHEPA t-shirts, watches, patches, and more!  Check it all out in the AHEPA Marketplace catalog.

Upcoming Events & Deadlines

February 24 | Greeks in Miami March 31 | AEF Scholarship Application Deadline

Greek American News Digest  Editor's Note: Editorials, commentaries, opinion pieces, and articles are shared for information purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy positions of the Order of AHEPA, its affiliated organizations, and members Earthquake diplomacy: Greek foreign minister visits Turkey AP (Feb. 12) Greek foreign minister Nikos Dendias visited the earthquake-stricken areas of Turkey Sunday, accompanied by his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu. The visit was part of a new round of so-called “earthquake diplomacy” between the two uneasy allies, whose relations have often been frosty, if not downright hostile. Something similar happened in 1999, three years after the two countries almost went to war over two uninhabited islets in the Aegean Sea. read more Cyprus politician Christodoulides wins presidential vote Reuters (Feb. 12) Former Cypriot foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides was elected president on Sunday in a runoff vote, promising a unity government tasked with breaking a deadlock in peace talks with estranged Turkish Cypriots. read more West Lafayette, Purdue football standout George Karlaftis wins Super Bowl with Chiefs Lafayette Journal & Courier (Feb. 13) George Karlaftis always has been driven by the motto "Prove them wrong." He did it in high school, going from a freshman with the West Lafayette Red Devils who barely understood the game to the national defensive player of the year. He did it down the street from his high school at Ross-Ade Stadium, becoming an All-American for the Purdue Boilermakers. read more  Greece Offers British Museum Antiquities Loan for Marbles Return The National Herald (Feb. 14) After rejecting the idea of a loan of other antiquities to the British Museum for the return of the Parthenon Marbles – details not set in stone – Greece has reportedly offered just that. It came as the Parliament controlled by the ruling New Democracy government approved a new law allowing rare treasures to be loaned outside the country and create satellite branches outside of Greece, which drew a backlash from critics. read more 3 Incredible Itineraries for Travelers Heading to Greece This Year Travel & Leisure (Feb. 8) In the past few years, tourism to Greece has boomed. With the summer high season only a few months away, now’s the time to lock in your own plans, whether they call for a tour of the classics or something a little more adventurous. read more Hellenistic Sculpture: Realist Art in Ancient Greece Art & Object (Feb. 9) The ancient Greek body is perhaps one of the most recognizable and influential forms in art history. The idealized and graceful figures crafted by Greek masters during the Classical and Hellenistic periods (ca. 480 – 31 BCE) are instantly recognizable and have influenced centuries of artistic creation from the Romans through the Renaissance and down to the modern day. read more Now Available!