WK 2 - CANCELLED - 3D Naturalists - Broadening Participation in Citizen Science

Monday, August 15, 2022

11:45 AM – 1:15 PM EDT

Location: 513C

Organizer(s)

PH

Philip Halliwell

Research Scientist
Colorado State University
Glenwood Springs, Colorado, United States

Speaker(s)

PH

Philip Halliwell

Research Scientist
Colorado State University
Glenwood Springs, Colorado, United States

Co-organizer(s)

GB

Gillian Bowser

Associate professor and Biodiversity Chapter Author
Colorado State University
fort collins, United States

Speaker(s)

GB

Gillian Bowser

Associate professor and Biodiversity Chapter Author
Colorado State University
fort collins, United States

Co-organizer(s)

DH

Diane Husic

Moravian College, United States

Speaker(s)

DH

Diane Husic

Moravian College, United States

Co-organizer(s)

TM

Teresa M. Mourad

Director, Education & Diversity Programs
Ecological Society of America
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Speaker(s)

TM

Teresa M. Mourad

Director, Education & Diversity Programs
Ecological Society of America
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Co-organizer(s)

JM

John C. Moore, Ph.D.

Professor
Colorado State University, Colorado, United States

Speaker(s)

JM

John C. Moore, Ph.D.

Professor
Colorado State University, Colorado, United States

Co-organizer(s)

AM

Anna Monfils

Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, United States

Speaker(s)

AM

Anna Monfils

Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, United States

Co-organizer(s)

SW

Sarah E. Whipple

Colorado State University
Fort Collins, United States
AS

Alia B. Smith

MS Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Colorado State University, Colorado, United States

Session Description: The use of citizen science for environmental research has grown increasingly common over the last decade. Leveraging the involvement of a community of nature-curious individuals has allowed scientists to explore questions that were previously challenging to address. When projects are designed correctly citizen science can offer great benefit to not only the researchers but also citizen scientists. In addition to the clear educational advantages that involvement offers, citizen science also represents a potential gateway for further scientific study, encourages intellectual curiosity, and can inspire career pursuits. Currently, the breadth of involvement remains narrow and inclusive of a small subset of the US demographic. Expanding involvement to include a larger demographic augments diversity in science initiatives and promotes greater understanding of science at large. Still, considering how a broader audience can be involved in such research is an area ripe for further exploration.

This workshop will share the outcomes of an NSF workshop, 3D Naturalists, that addressed the issue of broader engagement in citizen science. The session explores citizen science uses in higher education, governmental organizations, and non-profits. It highlights the importance and challenges associated with technology, considers participation barriers, reviews learnings from the COVID pandemic, examines elements of place attachment, stewardship, participant engagement, and program model variations to better understand how it can be used to its fullest potential to engage a wide and diverse audience in actionable scientific endeavors. Through a panel and audience discussion, and Q&A, learnings, outcomes, and best practices from this workshop will be shared.