Feel the need to flex those scientific muscles? There's no better way to do it than working with local groups to learn about and improve your community. Now is a great time to learn about and engage in “citizen science.”
What is “citizen science?”
There is no single definition of citizen science; it generally refers to data gathered at a community level to contribute to a greater whole.
The phrase, initially used by MIT journals to describe their community-based environmental labs, has taken on a new definition in the digital age, with data now able to be uploaded from anywhere for global-scale projects. While citizen science can have a large impact, at its core, it tends to feel small.
What are some benefits of citizen science?
Citizen science expands the capacity for research by an incalculable amount because the number of people can be limitless, and the ability to report findings can now be done instantly; this benefit spans climates and time zones and even language barriers, making efforts for studying things like climate patterns and animal migration a true team effort.
Citizen science also increases public engagement with and interest in science by making research more accessible and allowing participants to feel they are meaningfully contributing to a greater effort.
Do you need to be a scientist?
You do not need a formal science background to participate in or even substantially contribute to scientific efforts.
For example, in the 19th century, the Audubon Society engaged in early citizen science by having volunteers count how often they saw particular bird species to document large-scale immigration patterns. This is a perfect example of how one person and a small effort can shape an entire science when enough people get involved.
How can I get involved locally?
Friends of the Rouge is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the need to clean and maintain the Rouge River. The organization conducts projects to support the actual restoration of the river and also collects data, advocates and educates, providing different opportunities for those aspiring to be involved.
Plymouth Pollinators is a nonprofit dedicated to increasing pollinator habitat in our community. Not only is education and awareness a large part of what they do, but community beautification and planting more native plants in gardens give eager learners a chance to do community work and connect with people.
Increased urban development, pesticide use, and climate change are among the reasons their mission has become so important. Any citizen’s private garden can serve as an official “pollination station”—a habitat for eager or weary pollinators.
Did you know Michigan Audubon has 30 chapters? The collective chapters protect nearly 4,000 acres of bird habitat, including endangered plant species. They additionally educate the public about birds through programming. To aid their conservation efforts, citizen science is employed to gather data on various aspects of ornithology, including breeding, migration patterns, seasonal and population patterns for individual species.
Are there national opportunities?
There are hundreds of nationwide efforts; citizenscience.gov has a catalog of opportunities that can be sorted by criteria including the government agency they’re associated with and by the field of science you’re interested in, including animals, chemistry, geology, physics, and so much more.
Also, be sure to check out their resource library filled with many journal articles about citizen science and crowdsourcing, along with tips and templates for project design.
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