Mark your calendars for Citizen Science 2015, the first meeting of the Citizen Science Association (CSA). The meeting will take place on February 11th-12th in San Jose California, a pre-conference to AAAS’s annual meeting. The two-day event will focus on “building connections and exchanging ideas across a wide spectrum of disciplines and experiences”. Anyone interested or involved in citizen science is encouraged to attend. This includes researchers, project organizers, educators, and citizen science participants to name a few. A range of disciplines is expected to be represented.
CSA ‘s mission is to advance “understanding, value and participation in citizen science”. To this end, CSA is working on establishing a global community of citizen science practitioners to help bolster support, awareness and improve the field of citizen science. Citizen Science 2015 will focus on six themes relating to these goals.
The themes as listed on their website:
- Tackling grand challenges and everyday problems with citizen science.
- Broadening engagement to foster diversity and inclusion.
- Making education and lifelong learning connections.
- Digital opportunities and challenges in citizen science.
- Research on evaluation of the citizen science experience.
- Best practices for designing, implementing and managing citizen science projects and programs.
Detailed descriptions of each theme are available on the conference website.
The meeting will include both formal and informal presentations including key note talks, panel discussions, posters, speed talks and story telling sessions. There will be organized networking, mentoring and social gatherings giving attendees ample opportunity to exchange ideas and perspectives, and make valuable connections.
Organizers are accepting proposals for presentations and are eager to have diverse points of views represented. Individuals are limited to one submission for a talk, poster, speed talk or story session and one submission for a symposium or panel discussion. Submission guidelines and the online form are available here. Submissions are due by September 15th.
If you do not have an idea for a presentation, you can help by being a proposal reviewer. Reviewers would need to commit just a few hours from mid to late September to review a selection of the submitted 300-word proposals. Details and contact information are provided here.
As for the conference itself, registration information will be posted on their website or you can join CSA to receive directly conference updates. CSA membership is free and as inaugural members you will have the unique opportunity to shape the priorities and goals of this developing organization.
You can download the official conference flyer here to help spread the word.
CSA is accepting donations to help support the Citizen Science 2015. Make a donation through their website or learn about other ways to support.
