Scientists from the Department of Geographical Sciences at the University of Maryland and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) have a long history of interactions, ranging from individual collaborations to large collaborative projects. This collaboration has been highly successful and has won international recognition, particularly in areas of remote sensing of the Earth System. Following a series of joint UMD-NASA visioning workshops in 2011, and establishment of a Space Act Agreement in 2012, the Joint Global Carbon Cycle Center (JGCCC) was inaugurated in 2013 help formalize the relationship between these two institutions and enable even closer and more profitable collaborations. Since its inception, JGCCC has facilitated important new research, piloted a novel graduate education program, and initiated coordination and outreach activities that would not otherwise occur.