Blog: Citizen Science Projects, People, and Perspectives
By Darlene Cavalier, May 29, 2011
This past winter, we invited you to participate in SnowTweets and simply “measure your snow to help the planet.” SnowTweets is a citizen science project run by cryosphere researchers Richard Kelly (pictured far left) and Raymond Cabrera at the University of Waterloo (Canada), who sent us the following report to share with you! They’d love … Read more “Modern snow-mapping models vs. The People”
Categories: Citizen Science, Climate & Weather
By John Ohab, May 23, 2011
Adolescents diagnosed with chronic illness have a lifelong responsibility to maintain and promote their health. Chronic illness can impact life in a variety of ways: pain, fatigue, inability to take part in physical abilities, and feelings of hopelessness. To help overcome these challenges, adolescents commonly look to counseling, social groups, and similar online activities. What … Read more “Games for Health: Inspiring Adolescents to take Control of their Health”
Categories: Apps, Biology, Computers & Technology, Gaming, Health
By John Ohab, May 11, 2011
It’s spring — time to get outside and contribute to science! The Cloned Plants Project needs citizen scientists to observe the leafing and flowering of cloned plants, like lilacs and dogwoods, and submit their findings to researchers. These observations will help researchers better understand the interaction between the atmosphere (weather and climate) and the biosphere … Read more “The Cloned Plants Project: contribute to climate change research”
Categories: Biology, Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors
By John Ohab, May 09, 2011
Nice shout-out from the Associated Press this weekend: Once restricted mainly to counting birds – most famously, in Audubon’s 111-year-old Christmas Bird Count – citizen science has expanded rapidly in recent years, both in number and variety of projects. Some projects count things – fireflies, ladybugs, frogs, herring. Others record data on water quality, weather, … Read more “Citizen science: Armies of volunteers aid research”
Categories: Citizen Science, In the News
By Elizabeth Walter, May 05, 2011
Up north, in Washington State’s tranquil San Juan Islands, members of the Kwiáht marine research team are hard at work keeping an eye on local sea life and terrestrial critters. Kwiaht, a word in the Coast Salish dialect, refers to a place that is physically healthy and spiritually clean. The group hopes to ensure the … Read more “Citizen scientists make a difference in the San Juans”
Categories: Animals, Bats, Chemistry, Citizen Science, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Ocean & Water
By Elizabeth Walter, May 01, 2011
As a child growing up in New Hampshire, I remember going with my mother to collect Monarch chrysalises for my science classes. We’d park off a nearby roadway, spy a patch of milkweed, and poke around until we found a chrysalis or two. During the next week or so, my classmates and I watched spellbound … Read more “May is the month to monitor Monarchs”
Categories: Animals, Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Insects, Nature & Outdoors, Science Education Standards
By Darlene Cavalier, Apr 28, 2011
This morning, my son spotted a squirrel from our window and said “Mom, hurry, take a picture!” (He’s grown accustomed to spotting and photographing squirrels, birds and insects for various citizen science projects. In this case, it’s for Project Squirrel.) I grabbed my iphone and, using its built in camera, snapped away as the squirrel … Read more “How Project Squirrel saved my dog.”
Categories: Birds, Citizen Science, Nature & Outdoors
By John Ohab, Apr 26, 2011
Changing Planet is a series of three, televised Town Hall meetings, hosted by Tom Brokaw and Anne Thompson of NBC News, on what climate change means. The first event was held at Yale on January 25th and the just-broadcast video of that program is posted above. It first aired this past weekend on the Weather … Read more “Video: Tom Brokaw hosts Changing Planet townhall at Yale”
Categories: Citizen Science
By John Ohab, Apr 22, 2011
Today is Earth Day, a perfect excuse to get out and help the planet! Researchers need YOUR help tracking the presence of American robins, so they can compare your observations with other environmental data, including climate and weather changes. American robins are arriving in the Colorado Rockies 14 days earlier than they did 30 years ago … Read more “It’s Earth Day! Five ways to help the planet”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Birds, Citizen Science, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Geology & Earth Sciences, Insects, Nature & Outdoors, Science Education Standards
By John Ohab, Apr 14, 2011
You’re invited to join Science for Citizens at the Philadelphia Science Festival Carnival on the Ben Franklin Parkway this Saturday, April 16! The festival promises to be an event like no other, with over 80 exhibitors offering non-stop family-friendly experiments, interactive activities, games, and a packed line-up of live entertainment. Best of all, the event … Read more “Join us at the Philadelphia Science Festival this Saturday”
Categories: Animals, Biology, Birds, Climate & Weather, Ecology & Environment, Nature & Outdoors, Science Education Standards