Winter offers many unique ways to gather and share observations to advance research, even for those in warmer climates.
If you live in a snowy place, get outside and find a skating rink, make a snowball or report on your local waterways. Or stay inside and spy on penguins from anywhere.
Observations like these and more are helping scientists keep up with winters that are rapidly changing all around the world. You can contribute to a better understanding our environment by getting out into it this winter!
Stay warm,
The SciStarter Team
This project uses low-cost equipment (a ruler!), field-based techniques (making a snowball!), interactive mapping tools, and your keen observations to better understand seasonal snow variability and local impacts of climate change.
Location: Global
What’s black and white with red all over? A penguin with a sunburn!
Participate in this project from anywhere. Scientists have been using satellite images to map all of Antarctica’s penguin colonies, but the continent is truly giant and they need your help locating them all.
Using Google Earth, you’ll scan Antarctica’s landscape to find penguin colonies and report back on them.
Location: Online
Become an IceWatch volunteer this winter by observing and reporting on any body of water in your area. All you need to do is provide information on the weather as well as the wildlife activity you see. In as little as ten minutes, your observations help scientists analyze climate change and the state of the environment.
Location: Global
Does it seem extra snowy this year? Warmer or colder than normal?
Turn your observations into climate research with ISeeChange. Snap a photo and post about the weather, then comment on postings near you.
Your observations and block-by-block insights help cities, engineers and local organizations advocate for and create solutions to climate challenges.
Location: Global
Are you into outdoor skating or backyard hockey? Your skating rink can double as an important gauge for tracking climate change.
Participants from across North America have submitted information about skating conditions on more than 1,400 outdoor rinks and ponds. In addition to contributing valuable data to environmental science, RinkWatch has become an online community for people who love making backyard and community rinks.
Location: North America
Events and Opportunities:
Professional Development for Libraries, Part Two: A Deeper Dive into Citizen Science Kits
January 26, 2022
In the second part of our library series, we’ll dig in to the nitty gritty of citizen science kits. RSVP for the free webinar on how to take your community science engagement to the next level!
Make your library a community hub for citizen science!
Professional Development for Libraries, Part Three: Planning for Citizen Science Month
February 10, 2022
RSVP for a free webinar to explore how libraries can prepare for this year’s Citizen Science Month!
New On The Blogs
The Top 21 Citizen Science Projects of 2021 via the SciStarter Blog
Citizen Science Project Leaders: Here’s How and Why To Become a SciStarter Affiliate via the SciStarter Blog
Four People, Four Different Paths Into Citizen Science via the SciStarter Blog
Keep Exploring
Discover more citizen science on the SciStarter calendar. Did you know your SciStarter dashboard helps you track your contributions to projects? Complete your profile to access free tools. Want even more citizen science? Check out SciStarter’s Project Finder! With citizen science projects spanning every field of research, task and age group, there’s something for everyone!
