Here’s a new report on the Citizen Science Maker Summit, hosted by Arizona State University and SciStarter in October, 2016.
The report, “ASU / SciStarter Citizen Science Maker Summit: Learning Outcomes and Next Steps” [ http://links.asu.edu/ASUCitizenScienceMakerSummitReport ] highlights activities from the Summit, provides links to speakers’ recorded talks [also posted to the http://makersummit.asu.edu website ], and includes recommendations for future areas of inquiry and development.
Arizona State University and SciStarter hosted the “Citizen Science Maker Summit” at the ASU Chandler Innovation Center in Chandler, Arizona, in October 2016. The day-and-a-half event brought together academics, practitioners, educators, citizen scientists and Makers to catalyze and strengthen collaborations between the communities.
Objectives included the following:
– Develop a framework for a public-facing database of common citizen science tools and low-cost sensors to complement
SciStarter’s database of citizen science projects and events;
– Identify real-world case studies including efforts to identify, build or improve low-cost tools for citizen science;
– Address issues of access: how to better reach and support underrepresented communities and educators around citizen science and Making;
– and, explore plans for future citizen science and Making collaborations.
The Summit featured a variety of participants, including:
Heather Fleming, Catapult Design founder, “Make Impact”
Mike Kautz, “How Adventure Scientists can be Citizen Scientists”
David Lang, founder, Open ROV
Trey Lathe, MakerED founder, “How Far Have We Come? What Challenges Lie Ahead?”
Sophia B. Liu, USGS, “Opportunities and Challenges with Citizen Science”
Alison Parker, EPA, “Science Beyond the Public: the Potential of Citizen Science”
Nancy Stoner, Pisces Foundation, “Empowering Citizen Science with Emerging Technologies”
This paper synthesizes some of the above objectives into four learning outcomes identified during the Summit: (1) Successful citizen science and Maker projects require participation from a variety of stakeholders; (2) People (participants and project leaders) want information about, and access to, appropriate and reliable tools to effectively engage in citizen science; (3) Tools designed by or modified by Makers can be used in citizen science projects; (4) Tool and project design are vital for data quality and participant understanding.
Following each learning outcome is research illustrating how SciStarter’s emerging Tools Database could address some of the needs identified during the Summit.
My colleague, Dr. Micah Lande (assistant professor and Tooker Professor at the Polytechnic School in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University), and I welcome your thoughts on the report and the topic in general.
[Recommended citation: Prange, E., Lande, M. & Cavalier, D. (2018). Citizen Science Maker Summit Report: Learning Outcomes and Next Steps. Arizona State University White Paper. Tempe, AZ. Retrieved from http://links.asu.edu/ASUCitizenScienceMakerSummitReport ]