January 2025
Last year, we reached an impressive milestone: the number of publications using NEON topped 1400. These papers come from the Observatory’s high-quality, standardized, free ecological data and samples – resources that can be used to study changing U.S. ecosystems and make informed decisions that affect our lands and public health. On that note, NEON data and assets (such as lidar and hyperspectral data collection, on-the-ground observational collections, Research Support Services, and more) are always available as a source for planning your solicitation proposals. We’re here to answer any questions about how to leverage the Observatory in your next project; just reach out to us and let us know what you are planning!
This week, the NEON Hawaii Domain wrapped up hosting the field course “Experiential Introduction to AI and Ecology,” the first to be taught at a NEON field site. Students and researchers are using data collected at the Pu'u Maka'ala Natural Area Reserve site on beetles, bird calls, and koa trees in combination with AI and machine learning to advance biodiversity studies through pattern analysis and recognition. The course involves over 30 Ph.D. students and 7 instructors led by The Ohio State University’s Dr. Tanya Berger-Wolf, PI of the NSF-funded Imageomics Institute. We’re excited to see what new opportunities arise from using NEON data and integrating cutting-edge, next-generation tools into ecological science.
This week, the NEON Hawaii Domain wrapped up hosting the field course “Experiential Introduction to AI and Ecology,” the first to be taught at a NEON field site. Students and researchers are using data collected at the Pu'u Maka'ala Natural Area Reserve site on beetles, bird calls, and koa trees in combination with AI and machine learning to advance biodiversity studies through pattern analysis and recognition. The course involves over 30 Ph.D. students and 7 instructors led by The Ohio State University’s Dr. Tanya Berger-Wolf, PI of the NSF-funded Imageomics Institute. We’re excited to see what new opportunities arise from using NEON data and integrating cutting-edge, next-generation tools into ecological science.
Pictured: participants in the Hawaii field course set up cameras and equipment to monitor koa tree phenology. Photo credit: Chris Florian.
And lastly, because it is again January, we have a new Data Release! At the close of each year, NEON staff scientists conduct a comprehensive review of processed data and assign a release year and unique DOI to each dataset. This ensures proper citation and facilitates reproducibility of NEON-fueled science, which is critical for gold-standard research. The 2025 Data Release is now available through the Data Portal; we encourage you to explore it and cite these DOIs in your work.
Here’s to another year of advancing ecology with NEON!
Sincerely,
Paula
And lastly, because it is again January, we have a new Data Release! At the close of each year, NEON staff scientists conduct a comprehensive review of processed data and assign a release year and unique DOI to each dataset. This ensures proper citation and facilitates reproducibility of NEON-fueled science, which is critical for gold-standard research. The 2025 Data Release is now available through the Data Portal; we encourage you to explore it and cite these DOIs in your work.
Here’s to another year of advancing ecology with NEON!
Sincerely,
Paula
A Chance for Fire Research and Recovery at a NEON Desert Site
In August 2024, the Sand Stone Fire burned through the NEON aquatic field site at Sycamore Creek (SYCA). This site is part of the fragile Sonoran Desert ecosystem, where fire poses a threat that can drastically alter the landscape and habitat. Data collected from before and after the Sand Stone Fire at SYCA could provide a chance for researchers to delve into the effects of wildfire on this unique ecosystem.
In August 2024, the Sand Stone Fire burned through the NEON aquatic field site at Sycamore Creek (SYCA). This site is part of the fragile Sonoran Desert ecosystem, where fire poses a threat that can drastically alter the landscape and habitat. Data collected from before and after the Sand Stone Fire at SYCA could provide a chance for researchers to delve into the effects of wildfire on this unique ecosystem.
Share Your NEON Paper!
Do you have a recently published paper that uses NEON data, samples, or resources? Let us know - we can share it! Fill out our webform to get started.
Do you have a recently published paper that uses NEON data, samples, or resources? Let us know - we can share it! Fill out our webform to get started.
BLOGS
Women in Ecology – Ceara TalbotFor our latest Women in Ecology interview, we spoke with Dr. Ceara Talbot, a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Science. Once interested in the veterinary sciences, she enrolled in a college elective that changed her trajectory. Here, Talbot shares her career journey, what keeps her motivated in the field, how NEON can drive important research, and the challenges of being an ecologist.
NEON Spotlight: The Best of 2024
2024 was yet another impressive year for NEON in terms of both the breadth and scale of research that it has enabled. As we turn the calendar to 2025, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting research and news involving the NEON program last year.
2024 in Photos: A Look Back Across the Observatory
The NEON Program is tasked with collecting and providing high-quality, open-access environmental data from across the U.S. that can be used to characterize and understand our nation's ecosystems. A key component is the people who make this endeavor possible, no matter the season. As 2024 draws to a close, here’s a look back at science in action (plus a little fun!) across the Observatory.
Battelle NEON at Premier International Research Infrastructure Meeting
Dr. Paula Mabee and other NEON leaders attended and presented at the International Conference on Research Infrastructures in Australia. During the visit, they engaged with Australia’s Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), a fellow member of the Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructure (GERI).
IN MEDIA
National Parks Traveler, Jan 12, 2025
New Study Outlines Fire Danger Of Dead Standing Trees In Yellowstone
Gizmodo, Jan 9, 2025
Yellowstone’s Standing Dead Trees Are a Wildfire Disaster Waiting to Happen, Scientists Warn
EurekAlert, Jan 8, 2025
Yellowstone's standing dead trees pose growing wildfire danger
OSU.edu, Jan 7, 2025
Beetles, Birds, and Biodiversity: Researchers Travel to Dive into Hawaiian Ecosystems
Hatch Utah, Jan 4, 2025
Adrienne Rodriguez: A Love Of Technology And Environmental Science
Hiring seasonal field positions for 2025!
Each year, NEON hires hundreds of seasonal (temporary) field technicians (TFTs) to assist with observational sampling. NEON field sites are located in some of the nation's most pristine and wild areas. These seasonal opportunities are perfect for scientists who want to explore fieldwork and gain experience collecting data for a continental-scale ecology program.
These positions start in spring and end in autumn. Exact dates are based on sampling schedules in each Domain and vary by location. Learn more.
Featured Position:
Environmental Scientist III
The Imaging Spectrometer Calibration Scientist position will exist within the Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) team. As a member of the AOP Team, the position will primarily be responsible for maintenance, repair, upgrade (MRU), and calibration of NEON’s airborne and field imaging spectrometers.
The Imaging Spectrometer Calibration Scientist position will exist within the Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) team. As a member of the AOP Team, the position will primarily be responsible for maintenance, repair, upgrade (MRU), and calibration of NEON’s airborne and field imaging spectrometers.
Other Open Full-Time Positions
Field Ecologist II, Mammalogy, Entomology, and/or Soil - D06 - Manhattan, KSField Ecologist I, Instrumentation - D07 - Oak Ridge, TN
Field Ecologist I, Instrumentation - D16 - Vancouver, WA
CI/CD Engineer - Remote
IT Infrastructure Administrator - Linux Systems and Cloud Administration - Remote
EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
Join A Public NEON Science Seminar!
We have a great lineup of talks and speakers planned through the end of May. Check out our schedule here on the NEON website, and register for any of the events. Here are some upcoming talks:
- February 11: Ecosystem impacts from extreme fire events: Insights from satellite-based fire tracking
- March 11: Making the most of available data: How integrated modeling can expand the usability of individual data sources
The annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science will be held in Boston, MA, Feb 3-15. The theme will be "Science Shaping Tomorrow" - focusing on the projects and collaborations among science, policy, and communication that already exist and promote the infusion of scientific and technical expertise into the public discourse and policymaking. Note that you must complete your registration online ahead of arrival. Learn more on the conference website.
Ecological Forecasting Initiative 2025 Conference | May 22-25
The 3.5-day in-person Ecological Forecasting Initiative 2025 Conference will take place May 19-22, 2025 at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. The conference will include keynote addresses, including NEON Director & Chief Scientist, Paula Mabee, research presentations, a poster session, time for networking, and a field trip into the mountains with the opportunity to visit the Mountain Lake Biological Station (MLBS) NEON site. The half-day on the 22nd will be time for working group activities and training workshops. Registration and the opportunity to submit late-breaking posters will open on February 14. Early-bird registration closes on March 14, and full registration closes on April 14. Learn more on the conference website.
Find NEON Staff at Upcoming Events
NEON staff attend and present at many conferences, meetings, and other events throughout the year. Here are just a few upcoming to check out!
- 2025 MONet Community Science Meeting
- Kansas Natural Resources Conference 2025
- ASB 2025 Annual Meeting
- ASLO 2025 Aquatic Sciences Meeting
FEATURED RESOURCES
NEW: Data Release 2025!
NEON generates data releases annually, which remain stable and accessible throughout the lifetime of the Observatory. NEON's fifth data release, RELEASE-2025, includes167 data products annotated by 134 DOIs. DOI URLs will always resolve back to the dataset, and are thus ideal for citing NEON data in publications and applications. Learn more here about data releases.
NEON Remote Sensing Data Available on Google Earth Engine
NEON has added a subset of the Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) data products to Google Earth Engine (GEE), an optimized cloud-computing platform for conducting remote sensing data analysis. GEE is free for research purposes. Data on GEE will provide another avenue through which researchers can access and work with AOP data; all AOP data products can still be accessed as usual through the NEON Data Portal. Read more with the Data Notification.
Educational Resources for Online Teaching
NEON offers a variety of tools for instructors and faculty moving to online teaching. Resources from NEON are naturally suited for teaching ecological concepts and skills in both synchronous and asynchronous learning situations. Browse NEON's Learning Hub.
More and more researchers are using NEON data! Publications that use NEON data and resources are identified and imported into a public Zotero library, where they are tagged to make them easy to query. You can also explore NEON publications through Dimensions, or see publications tracked by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility!
Learn how to find papers of interest here.
Knowing how NEON’s data, samples, and infrastructure are used in research is important to measure the program’s success. Please report your publications and related projects here and learn how to cite NEON here. If you know of a publication not included in the list, please notify us.
Learn how to find papers of interest here.
Knowing how NEON’s data, samples, and infrastructure are used in research is important to measure the program’s success. Please report your publications and related projects here and learn how to cite NEON here. If you know of a publication not included in the list, please notify us.
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