This blog post is an edited excerpt from Human Impact, a new publication from Science Connected. Edited by Kate Stone and Shayna Keyles, Human Impact delivers 17 true tales of how humanity has changed the Earth, for better or for worse. This chapter appears in Human Impact as “Act Now: Engaging in Citizen Science,” and includes contributions from Caroline Nickerson, Kristin Butler, and Julia Travers.
Citizen science is a field as broad as science itself. It can encompass advocacy, policy, education – all under-girded by rigorous scientific standards for data collection and inquiry (Cavalier, Darlene & Kennedy, Eric. (2016). The Rightful Place of Science: Citizen Science.). Citizen science is public engagement in scientific research. As Jennifer Shirk, Interim Executive Director of the Citizen Science Association, said, “Citizen science offers the power of science to everyone, and the power of everyone to science.”
Citizen scientists play a game to catch stalled ...
