On May 30, 2003, Dr. Barbara Johnson and Mr. Ervin Howard attended the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) conference in Port Ludlow, Washington. The conference consisted of workshops and presentations in support of earth science education.

The Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) is a partnership among universities, colleges, and science education organizations dedicated to improving Earth science education. Led by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and the Center for Educational Technologies® (CET) at Wheeling Jesuit University, ESSEA is supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Earth Science Enterprise (ESE).

ESSEA has created a national professional development program aimed at improving the knowledge, skills, and resources of Earth Systems Science educators. This professional development program offers state-of-the-art, online courses to promote understanding of Earth Systems Science, to encourage communication and cooperation among teachers, and to facilitate the use of exceptional classroom materials.