AS PART OF A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH NASA THROUGH THE GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY (UMBC) WILL ENHANCE THE ABILITY OF NASA TO ATTRACT TRAIN AND EMPLOY THE NEXT GENERATION OF EARTH SCIENTISTS. BUILDING ON THE 15 YEAR RECORD OF EXCELLENCE OF THE JOINT CENTER FOR EARTH SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY UMBC WILL CARRY OUT 25 SPECIFIC RESEARCH TASKS ACROSS THE EARTH SCIENCES DIVISION IN GMAO (610.1) THE LABORATORY FOR ATMOSPHERES (613) AND THE HYDROSPHERIC AND BIOSPHERIC SCIENCES LABORATORY (614). THE CORE STRENGTH OF JCET IS ITS ABILITY TO LINK NASA'S RESEARCH WITH UMBC'S CORE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS IN CHEMISTRY GEOGRAPHY/ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS BY HAVING ITS SCIENTIFICEMPLOYEES AS RESEARCH FACULTY MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY WHERE THEY TEACH AND MENTOR STUDENTS SERVE ON ACADEMIC COMMITTEES AND LEAD AND MENTOR UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATEINTERNSHIP PROGRAMS AT GSFC.