The Association of Zoos and Aquariums annual meeting starts this week. We wanted to share this quick information sheet about how SciStarter can be used with your museum, zoo, aquarium, or science center. Please feel free to share or distribute at the meeting.
What is SciStarter?
SciStarter is a popular online citizen science “hotspot” featuring more than 1500 searchable citizen science projects and events, added by researchers and project owners, and serving over 35,000 citizen scientists. We aim to be a one-stop shop to recruit, train, equip and support participants in a broad spectrum of formal and informal research projects. Projects from our database are regularly featured on Scistarter, DiscoverMagazine.com, the National Science Teachers Association’s websites, on PBS Kids, on the radio via NPR’s WHYY and more.
SciStarter is also building a corresponding database of the tools available for citizen science projects. This database will build upon the SciStarter project database to match people to projects based the tools they need or already have. We are building a network of lending libraries through museums, libraries, and other public learning spaces to increase access to project training and access to these tools.
What resources and services does SciStarter provide?
If your museum, zoo, or aquarium hosts a citizen science project, you can add it to the SciStarter searchable database. It will then be available for promotion with our editorial partners and in bi-monthly campaigns.
SciStarter also creates and develops local and global programs. For example, we are currently working with the GLOBE program to recruit, train, and equip participants for the Soil Moisture Active-Passive Project (SMAP). Learn more about the partnership here.
What connections to Museums, Zoos, and Aquariums does SciStarter already have?
We currently host a SciStarter kiosk at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences where guests can find and join both local and global citizen science projects. We can offer this same kiosk technology to other museums, science centers, or public spaces.
SciStarter’s free APIs enable museums, zoos and aquariums to create their own, online, customized Project Finder, adding dynamic and up-to-date content in minutes. We are piloting curated citizen science programming and related lending libraries of citizen science instruments.
How can I get connected?
To learn more about partnering with SciStarter for citizen science in your science center, museum, zoo, or aquarium, email Darlene Cavalier at info@scistarter.com.
