mbe 366 citizen science lecture

citizen science

collection and analysis of data relating to the natural world by members of the general public, typically as part of a collaborative project with professional scientists

purpose of cs

focus on answering specific scientific questions

gathering data that can be used to influence public policy

education

citizen science goals

bring the public and science closer together

consider possibilities for a more active scientific citizenship

involve the public more deeply in dialogue and decision making around issues related to risk and environmental threat

types of cs

data collection

data processing

curriculum based

community science

cs benefits- to the scientists

geographic coverage is increased

cost-effective data collection

scale of observations increased

education

excellent engagement with the community

benefits to citizen scientist

contribute to authentic research

increase engagement in scientific community

develop new skills and insights

raising awareness of environmental/scientific issues

connection to place and community

adapting to different types of learning

fun

cs societal trends

education and qualifications

leisure

sharing economics/ peer production systemt

technological trends

internet access

mobile devices

collaborative web

ecological trends

more complex problems

cs projects in miami

key biscayne’s citizen science project

museum volunteers for the environment

shark research and conservation program

coral reef roles

coastal protection

essential habitat for reef organisms

food for billions

provide jobs- fisheries, tourism, recreation

$8 billion/year in goods and services

coral reef threats

coastal development

overfishing

pollution/disease

changing climate

largely human induced stressors

coral reef restoration

collect small pieces of coral from wild colonies

grow within an underwater nursery

propagate corals to create additional colonies

transplant resultant colonies back to local reef habitats

coral gardening and restoration

establishing robust gene banks

scaling up restoration footprint

identifying thermal tolerance

identifying disease resistance

enhancing sexual reproduction

assisting habitat migration

incorporating new species

improving coral resiliencee

valuating cs project

perceptions

knowledge

behavior

sense of belonging