303 - Incorporating NASA Earth Science Applications to Monitor Infectious Disease Hotspots

Global ecosystems offer a delicate balance of living organisms, where changes in climate, weather or agricultural practices can influence vector habitat suitability and hence disease transmission. Through intersectoral and intrasectoral collaborations coupled with stakeholder engagement, leaders can identify practice gaps, leverage scientific expertise among diverse disciplines, and develop innovative solutions to reduce vector and disease exposure. To complement these activities, Earth-observing satellites collect temporal and special information on environmental parameters that can influence vector habitats, such as humidity, land surface temperature, precipitation, and vegetation. Ultimately, this information can be integrated with on-the-ground mosquito and laboratory data into robust models and algorithms for disease early warning systems. This presentation will highlight selected projects that integrate environmental observations from NASA satellites and sensors and on-the-ground fieldwork data to enhance public health surveillance and reporting measures. It will also share key findings from the AmeriGEO Week 2023, where researchers shared robust vector-borne disease applications to help monitor vector hotspots and risk of disease transmission. Audience members will gain insight on NASA program’s activities and training opportunities, including the Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET), the GEO Health Community of Practice network, and the interagency-supported hybrid Earth Information Center.