Citizen Science

In February, we explore the romance of citizen science. Through your passion for science you can find not only birds, bugs and stars, but also new friends and just maybe that special someone. Projects mentioned in this podcast include: Budburst https://scistarter.org/budburst The Great Backyard Bird Count https://scistarter.org/the-great-backyard-bird-count Do NASA Science Live https://scistarter.org/nasa-live Mountain Rain or Snow https://scistarter.org/mountain-rain-or-snow Fresh Eyes On Ice https://scistarter.org/fresh-eyes-on-ice GLOBE Observer– Land Cover https://scistarter.org/globe-observer-land-cover Backyard Worlds: Cool Neighbors https://scistarter.org/backyard-worlds-cool-neighbors The SunGrazer Project https://scistarter.org/the-sungrazer-project Message from Kristi Yamaguchi https://youtu.be/GRJbRNzR9-I?si=ft9PB1U9pPt91ZUi Valentine’s Day Dating Advice from Caroline Nickerson https://youtube.com/shorts/QwQWBmyOfeM?si=AH8k1ZA1UoH3bWEv Podcast Theme by Kevin Hartnell ttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_Hartnell/CC_BY-SA_40/Kevin_Hartnell_-_CC_BY-SA_40_-_09_Podcast_Theme/

Squirrels are fun, fascinating and sometimes infuriating, and also the focus of some amazing citizen science. Learn more about them in this episode of SciStarter's Citizen Science Podcast! Projects and Websites mentioned in this podcast are: Squirrel Mapper Project Squirrel Seek iNaturalist Zooniverse Citizen Science Month: One Million Acts of Science Macauley Library’s Best Bird Photos of 2024 HamSCI Project FRESH Air Schools’ Air Quality Monitoring for Health and Education (SAMHE)  AirCasting Drug Sniffing Squirrels video Podcast Theme by Kevin Hartnell

Squirrels are fun, fascinating and sometimes infuriating, and also the focus of some amazing citizen science. Learn more about them in this episode of SciStarter's Citizen Science Podcast!   Projects and Websites mentioned in this podcast are: Squirrel Mapper https://scistarter.org/squirrelmapper Project Squirrel https://scistarter.org/project-squirrel Seek https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app iNaturalist https://www.inaturalist.org/ Zooniverse https://www.zooniverse.org/ Citizen Science Month: One Million Acts of Science https://scistarter.org/citizensciencemonth Macauley Library’s Best Bird Photos of 2024 https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/macaulay-librarys-best-bird-photos-2024/?__hstc=161696355.15fcc8de350a1a8b773b79c5eed9a2d0.1705541103104.1705541103104.1705541103104.1&__hssc=161696355.1.1705541103104&__hsfp=1354570303&_gl=1*1m8wr2z*_ga*MTkzODQ4MDM0Mi4xNzA1MzY3MjIw*_ga_QR4NVXZ8BM*MTcwNTU0MTEwMS4xLjAuMTcwNTU0MTEwMS42MC4wLjA.&_ga=2.11040432.529497690.1705541102-1938480342.1705367220 HamSCI https://hamsci.org/ Project FRESH Air http://www.hollerlab.com/fresh-air.html Schools’ Air Quality Monitoring for Health and Education (SAMHE) https://www.sei.org/projects/samhe/#:~:text=The%20SAMHE%20research%20team%EF%BB%BF,with%20temperature%20and%20relative%20humidity AirCasting https://scistarter.org/aircasting Drug Sniffing Squirrels video https://youtu.be/RY-dyiv5TR0?si=AjcX9ObPV9iCaNwL   Podcast Theme by Kevin Hartnell https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_Hartnell/CC_BY-SA_40/Kevin_Hartnell_-_CC_BY-SA_40_-_09_Podcast_Theme/

You can help researchers find and save endangered trees! In this interview, Ellen Crocker, co-creator of TreeSnap, discusses the purpose and use of this tree locator app. Projects and websites mentioned in this podcast: TreeSnap iNaturalist American Chestnut Foundation Podcast Theme by Kevin Hartnell   Image Credits: American Chestnut Photo Credit: Bob MacInnes, via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/   American Elm Photo Credit: Katya Schulz, via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/     Ash Tree Photo Credit: Ron Mader, via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/   Chinese Chestnut Photo Credit: F.D. Richards, via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/     Chinese Chestnut Tree Photo Credit: F.D. Richards, via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/     Japanese Chestnut Photo Credit: Harum.koh, via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/     Butternut Photo Credit: Cdanna2003, via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/     Pacific Madrone Photo Credit: brewbooks, via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/     Oregon Ash Photo Credit: born1945, via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/     Pinyon Pine Photo Credit: Joshua Tree National Park, via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain     Torreya taxafolia Photo Credit: Malcom Manners, via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/     Torreya taxafolia grove Photo Credit: Malcom Manners, via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

You can help researchers find and save endangered trees! In this interview, Ellen Crocker, co-creator of TreeSnap, discusses the purpose and use of this tree locator app. Projects and websites mentioned in this podcast: TreeSnap  iNaturalist American Chestnut Foundation Podcast Theme by Kevin Hartnell

Help NASA measure Earth's tree canopy with GLOBE Observer: Trees; sleuth out endangered trees for TreeSnap; learn how cleaner fish support reef ecosystems; and see why NASA is sending cat videos through millions of miles of space. All that and more on this episode of Citizen Science: Stories of Science We Can Do Together! Projects featured in this episode: TreeSnap  GLOBE Observer: Trees  Enviro Champs  Genius Dog Challenge  Reef Life Survey  Image Credits: Redwood cover pic via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Jeff Balland Night Trees via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Marcos Lomba Tall Pine, via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Alan Levine Aspen Trees, via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Thepixiesdidit Dragonfly Larva, via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Nyffy Water Strider, via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Andrew Hazen Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse photo Brian Gratwicke via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/ A Giant Moray Eel (Gymnothorax javanicus) with cleanerfish. North Horn, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea Richard Ling https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ Striped Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) cleaning a Potato Cod (Epinephelus tukula). North Horn, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea Richard Ling https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ A pair of Striped Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus). Fly Point, Port Stephens, NSW Richard Ling https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ Taters Video Footage courtesy NASA/JPL Reef video footage courtesy José Ricardo Paula Podcast Theme, by Kevin Hartnell Additional music, via Free Music Archive: Jason Shaw, Glitch  Jangwa, Hurry Hurry  The Joy Drops, Roll Jordan Roll, Bass Bumper  The Joy Drops, Roll Jordan Roll, Trumpet Blast  Gagmesharkoff, The Confluence  Steve Combs, Pharmacy Party  Steve Combs, Mess

Help NASA measure Earth's tree canopy with GLOBE Observer: Trees; sleuth out endangered trees for TreeSnap; learn how cleaner fish support reef ecosystems; and see why NASA is sending cat videos through millions of miles of space. All that and more on this episode of Citizen Science: Stories of Science We Can Do Together! Projects featured in this episode: TreeSnap  GLOBE Observer: Trees  Enviro Champs  Genius Dog Challenge  Reef Life Survey  Image Credits: Redwood cover pic via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Jeff Balland Night Trees via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Marcos Lomba Tall Pine, via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Alan Levine Aspen Trees, via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Thepixiesdidit Dragonfly Larva, via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Nyffy Water Strider, via Flickr Creative Commons Public Domain Andrew Hazen Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse photo Brian Gratwicke via Flickr Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/ A Giant Moray Eel (Gymnothorax javanicus) with cleanerfish. North Horn, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea Richard Ling https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ Striped Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) cleaning a Potato Cod (Epinephelus tukula). North Horn, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea Richard Ling https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ A pair of Striped Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus). Fly Point, Port Stephens, NSW Richard Ling https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ Taters Video Footage courtesy NASA/JPL Reef video footage courtesy José Ricardo Paula Podcast Theme, by Kevin Hartnell Additional music, via Free Music Archive: Jason Shaw, Glitch  Jangwa, Hurry Hurry  The Joy Drops, Roll Jordan Roll, Bass Bumper  The Joy Drops, Roll Jordan Roll, Trumpet Blast  Gagmesharkoff, The Confluence  Steve Combs, Pharmacy Party  Steve Combs, Mess

By donating just a little bit of your time (and maybe some saliva and/or blood), you can make a meaningful contribution to medical research! In this episode, you’ll learn about three participatory research programs that need your help. Projects and websites included in this podcast include: SciStarter Project Page: Outbreaks Near Me Outbreaks Near Me Home Page LUNGevity Participant  Survey LUNGevity Foundation SciStarter Project Page: All of Us All of Us Network of the National Library of Medicine All of Us: NIH Join All of Us SciStarter National Library of Medicine page SciStarter Libraries Page Photo Credit: CDC Music Credit: Podcast Theme, by Kevin Hartnell

By donating just a little bit of your time (and maybe some saliva and/or blood), you can make a meaningful contribution to medical research! In this episode, you’ll learn about three participatory research programs that need your help. Projects and websites included in this podcast include: SciStarter Project Page: Outbreaks Near Me Outbreaks Near Me Home Page LUNGevity Participant  Survey LUNGevity Foundation SciStarter Project Page: All of Us All of Us Network of the National Library of Medicine All of Us: NIH Join All of Us SciStarter National Library of Medicine page SciStarter Libraries Page Photo Credit: CDC Music Credit: Podcast Theme, by Kevin Hartnell

You: There must be lots of cool science events, projects and other opportunities right in my own neighborhood... but how do I find them? Us: With Science Near Me! It's a National Science Foundation-supported project that partners SciStarter with museums, science centers, state-based education councils and other sources of quality science projects and activities to bring science opportunities right to your phone or computer! Learn more about it in this month's video podcast. Projects mentioned in this podcast are: Science Near Me STEM Near Me (Alabama) Alabama STEM Council Dragonfly Swarm Project Music Credit: Podcast Theme, by Keith Hartnell

How do you find science events, projects and other opportunities right in your own neighborhood? With Science Near Me, a National Science Foundation-supported project that partners SciStarter with museums, science centers, state-based education councils and other sources of quality science projects and activities to bring science opportunities right to your phone or computer. Projects mentioned in this podcast are: Science Near Me STEM Near Me (Alabama) Alabama STEM Council Dragonfly Swarm Project Music Credit: Podcast Theme, by Keith Hartnell

The sun is now entering the “solar maximum,” the time during its 11-year solar cycle when it’s most active, producing sunspots and solar flares. There are also two solar eclipses coming up over a six-month period. Not coincidentally, we’re also now beginning the Heliophysics Big Year, when solar science researchers are most active, and there are a variety of citizen science opportunities to bring the public along for the ride. Links mentioned in this podcast include: Short Film To Scale: The Solar System SciStarter NASA Page SciStarter Eclipse Page NASA Heliophysics Big Year Citizen CATE   Eclipse Soundscapes Data Collector Eclipse Soundscapes Observer NASA Heliophysics Big Year Zines NASA Eclipse Map Media Credits: All video simulations Credit: NASA Orrery with wood base, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Image Credit Karen_O’D Brass Orrery, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Image Credit: Raneko Solar System graphic (planets at an angle), via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Image Credit: NASA Eclipse and Mountains, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) Credit: NASA/ Bill Ingalls Apollo on the Clouds Artwork (1688-1698), via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) Artist: Johan Teyler (original from The Rijksmuseum); Digitally enhanced by rawpixel Photo of Apollo golden relief via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0); Photo Credit: Chris Waits Solar System, side view, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0; Image Credit: This is Yu Music Credit: Podcast Theme, by Keith Hartnell

The sun is now entering the “solar maximum,” the time during its 11-year solar cycle when it’s most active, producing sunspots and solar flares. There are also two solar eclipses coming up over a six-month period. Not coincidentally, we’re also now beginning the Heliophysics Big Year, when solar science researchers are most active, and there are a variety of citizen science opportunities to bring the public along for the ride. Links mentioned in this podcast include: www.Scistarter.org/nasa www.SciStarter.org/eclipse NASA Heliophysics Big Year Citizen CATE Eclipse Soundscapes Data Collector   Eclipse Soundscapes Observer NASA Heliophysics Big Year Zines NASA Eclipse Map

Are you curious about how your dog or cat compares to others? And/or would you like to contribute to science research that could benefit pets and people? Then you should consider participating in C-BARQ (for dogs) and Fe-BARQ (for cats). Learn more about these projects from the scientist who created them. Links mentioned in this podcast include: C-BARQ and Fe-BARQ Darwin’s Ark Dog Lineage graphic credit: Emily V. Dutrow and MSJONESNYC; Source: “Domestic Dog Lineages Reveal Genetic Drivers of Behavioral Diversification,” by Emily V. Dutrow, James A. Serpell and Elaine A. Ostrander, in Cell, Vol. 185; December 8, 2022 (reference) Dog Video Credits: Dog in polka dot bed: Credit: Edward Everidge https://pixabay.com/videos/animal-dog-pet-play-home-house-111252/ Poodle with nose out window: Credit: Coverr Free Footage https://pixabay.com/videos/dog-poodle-car-window-wind-storm-104/ Dog Looking Uncertain: Credit: Edward Everidge https://pixabay.com/videos/dog-puppy-canine-pet-animal-cute-109613/ Two dogs, grumpy and vigilant: Credit: 11327359 https://pixabay.com/videos/dogs-australian-shepard-growl-snarl-133959/ Dog Biting Waves: Credit: Andy Faeth https://pixabay.com/videos/dog-belgian-shepherd-dog-dog-water-22558/ Two Dogs Play Fighting: Credit: Coverr-Free-Footage https://pixabay.com/videos/dogs-playing-two-pets-canine-10820/ Dog Rolling on Beach: Credit: VMonte13 https://pixabay.com/videos/dog-river-dog-playing-nature-water-38992/ Dog being brushed: Credit: Marsel Sharipov  https://pixabay.com/videos/dog-animal-wool-house-friend-122604/ SciStarter Podcast Theme Music: Podcast Theme by Kevin Hartnell Cover Image: Shiba Inu dog: Credit: Picography, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Picography-curious-dog-animal-pet-house-home-sm-1.jpg

Are you curious about how your dog or cat compares to others? And/or would you like to contribute to science research that could benefit pets and people? Then you should consider participating in C-BARQ (for dogs) and Fe-BARQ (for cats). Learn more about these projects from the scientist who created them. Links mentioned in this podcast include: C-BARQ and Fe-BARQ Darwin’s Ark SciStarter Podcast Theme Music: Podcast Theme by Kevin Hartnell

Did you know that one of the major players in the field of citizen science is NASA? At the 2023 annual conference of the Citizen Science Association, NASA held a full day of workshops for project leaders working on their many citizen science projects. In this podcast, we learn about three of them, and also hear from NASA Citizen Science Officer Marc Kuchner. Projects and programs mentioned in this podcast include: Do NASA Science Live! SciStarter.org/NASA Citizen Science Association C*Sci 23 Citizen CATE Aurorasaurus Are We Alone In The Universe? SciStarter Podcast Theme Music: Podcast Theme by Kevin Hartnell Title Image Credit: UCLA SETI and Yuri Beletsky Orange Annular Eclipse Credit: NASA Blue total eclipse, Flickr Public Domain, Credit: Jamie Kohns Aurora video and still image: Flickr Public Domain, Credit: Paul Stewart

Did you know that one of the major players in the field of citizen science is NASA? At the 2023 annual conference of the Citizen Science Association, NASA held a full day of workshops for project leaders working on their many citizen science projects. In this podcast, we learn about three of them, and also hear from NASA Citizen Science Officer Marc Kuchner. Projects and programs mentioned in this podcast include: Do NASA Science Live! SciStarter.org/NASA Citizen Science Association C*Sci 23 Citizen CATE Aurorasaurus Are We Alone In The Universe? SciStarter Podcast Theme Music: Podcast Theme by Kevin Hartnell Title Image Credit: UCLA SETI and Yuri Beletsky

In this special presentation, join All of Us Wisconsin and SciStarter to discuss diseases that impact our community and how you can help with the research. Researchers need your help to change the future of medicine. The All of Us Research Program is inviting one million people across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history. They welcome participants from all backgrounds, and researchers will use the data to learn how our biology, lifestyle, and environment affect health. This can help researchers find ways to treat and prevent disease. All of Us promises to take personal data from a diverse cross-section of volunteers and turn it into groundbreaking insights about the complex roles our genes, lifestyles and environments play in our health. Learn more and sign up to join this important effort today! https://www.joinallofus.org/nlm-csm2023

Únase a SciStarter, Globe Observer: CLOUDS y al programa de investigación All of Us para un evento en línea en español que celebra El Día del Idioma. El 23 de abril. fue establecido por el Departamento de Información Pública de la ONU en 2010, con el objetivo de "celebrar el multilingüismo y la diversidad cultural, así como promover el uso igualitario de los seis idiomas oficiales de trabajo en toda la organización"este día Fue determinado para celebrar El Día de el Idioma Español. SOBRE LOS SOCIOS DEL EVENTO SciStarter ayuda a reunir a millones de personas curiosas que están preocupadas en el mundo por cambios significativos ofreciendo miles de oportunidades para participar en preguntas de investigación del mundo real en colaboración con investigadores, comunidades, organizaciones, empresas; que proveen recursos, productos y servicios permitiendo a las personas realizar y disfrutar estas actividades mientras aprenden y aceleran investigaciones importantes. Juntos, podemos ayudar a responder preguntas que no pueden responderse solos. https://SciStarter.org/NLM GLOBE Observer es una iniciativa internacional de ciencia ciudadana para comprender nuestro entorno global. Sus observaciones ayudan a los científicos a rastrear los cambios en las nubes y con el apoyo de la investigación climática. Los científicos también usan sus datos para verificar datos satelitales de la NASA. Cuando envían sus investigaciones, puede ayudar a estudiantes de todas las edades a realizar más investigaciones científicas reales como parte del Programa GLOBE. https://scistarter.org/globe-observer... El futuro de la medicina individualizada puede depender de un ejército de aproximadamente un millón de voluntarios. Los científicos quieren que tu también te involucres en el Programa de Investigación “All of Us" Que es una parte clave del Mes de la Ciencia Ciudadana. https://www.joinallofus.org/nlm-csm2023

With any pursuit, there are casual dabblers and there are hardcore enthusiasts, and citizen science is no different. In this episode, we'll meet some serious citsci volunteers, some of whom have gone on to pursue full-time careers in science. Projects and websites mentioned in this episode are: Disk Detective Zooniverse Nature's Notebook National Phenology Network (NPN) USA American River Conservancy Journey North I See Change BOINC (Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing) AirCasting, from HabitatMap Citizen Science Association conference Sun/cloud image credit: FurbyChan, via Flickr, Creative Commons license by/nc/2.0/

With any pursuit, there are casual dabblers and there are hardcore enthusiasts, and citizen science is no different. In this episode, we'll meet some serious citsci volunteers, some of whom have gone on to pursue full-time careers in science. Projects and websites mentioned in this episode are: Disk Detective Zooniverse Nature's Notebook National Phenology Network (NPN) USA American River Conservancy Journey North I See Change BOINC (Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing) AirCasting, from HabitatMap Citizen Science Association conference Sun/cloud image credit: FurbyChan, via Flickr, Creative Commons license by/nc/2.0/

The All of Us Research Program is inviting one million people across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history. They welcome participants from all backgrounds, and researchers will use the data to learn how our biology, lifestyle, and environment affect health. This can help researchers find ways to treat and prevent disease. In this podcast, we re-broadcast SciStarter's own Caroline Nickerson discussing All of Us Wisconsin on the radio show Men Making Health a Priority on Wisconsin radio station 101.7 The Truth. Projects and Websites mentioned in this podcast include: SciStarter The Future of Health Research With All of Us Wisconsin (live event is April 18, 2023)

Amphibians all over the world are fighting for survival. Fortunately, citizen scientists like you can help them, especially if you live near streams and vernal pools where they breed each spring. Join conservation biologist Brian Gratwicke in reporting your amphibian sightings on the iNaturalist project The Global Amphibian Bioblitz. Also in this special podcast, learn how you can make your own vernal pool to provide breeding habitat to frogs and salamanders that lay eggs only in small, temporary, fishless pools. Projects and websites mentioned in this episode are: iNaturalist The Global Amphibian Bioblitz Amphibian Ark SciStarter Citizen Science Month

Amphibians all over the world are fighting for survival. Fortunately, citizen scientists like you can help them, especially if you live near streams and vernal pools where they breed each spring. Join conservation biologist Brian Gratwicke in reporting your amphibian sightings on the iNaturalist project The Global Amphibian Bioblitz. Also in this special podcast, learn how you can make your own vernal pool to provide breeding habitat to frogs and salamanders that lay eggs only in small, temporary, fishless pools. Projects and websites mentioned in this episode are: iNaturalist The Global Amphibian Bioblitz Amphibian Ark SciStarter Citizen Science Month

Amphibians all over the world are fighting for survival. Fortunately, citizen scientists like you can help them, especially if you live near streams and vernal pools where they breed each spring. (Photo: Brett Amy Thelen) (Correction: We incorrectly referred to Brett Amy Thelen as a herpetologist; she is a conservation biologist with expertise in amphibian conservation.) Projects and websites mentioned in this episode are: Salamander Crossing Brigades Harris Center for Conservation Education Herp Mapper What The Herp? SciStarter Citizen Science Month

Amphibians all over the world are fighting for survival. Fortunately, citizen scientists like you can help them, especially if you live near streams and vernal pools where they breed each spring. (Photo: Brett Amy Thelen) (Correction: We incorrectly referred to Brett Amy Thelen as a herpetologist; she is a conservation biologist with expertise in amphibian conservation.) Projects and websites mentioned in this episode are: Salamander Crossing Brigades Harris Center for Conservation Education Herp Mapper What The Herp? SciStarter Citizen Science Month

In this episode, we explore the romance of citizen science: how through citsci you can not only find birds, bugs, plants, and stars but also new friends and just maybe that special someone.

In this episode, we explore the romance of citizen science: how through citsci you can not only find birds, bugs, plants, and stars but also new friends and just maybe that special someone. Projects and websites mentioned in this podcast are: Globe At Night iNaturalist Library Telescope Project Science Near Me Never Home Alone Budburst Stall Catchers Health eHeart Great Backyard Bird Count

Whenever you're out frolicking in a winter wonderland, why not take a frolicking break every now and then to measure snow depth for your friends at the Community Snow Observations project? Your observations will help them verify data obtained from satellites and other remote sensing tools, and also fill in both spatial and temporal gaps in their datasets. Having a good handle on snow depth over space and time helps climate researchers, hydrologists, foresters and also specialists who track avalanche and flood threats. Then you can resume frolicking, now with the satisfaction that comes from having done your part to contribute to important science research. Projects and apps mentioned in this podcast include: Community Snow Observations project Snow Scope SnowPilot CitSci.org regObs Image credit: David Hill, Oregon State University

Join host Bob Hirshon, SciStarter founder Darlene Cavalier, Arizona State University's Deron Ash, Henry Reges from the weather watching project CoCoRaHS, and children's book author Susan Edwards Richmond for a special holiday podcast, featuring over a dozen great gift ideas for citizen science lovers! (Image: The crew of Expedition 46 decorated the International Space Station's Cupola module, a 360-degree series of windows that provides a stunning view of Earth for observations. Wikimedia, Public Domain.) Links to projects and websites mentioned in this podcast: Globe at Night AirCasting Raven CleanAir Map CO2 Monitor Review in New York Times Wirecutter iNaturalist CoCoRaHS Susan Edwards Richmond Links to Gift Ideas: Books! The Field Guide to Citizen Science by Darlene Cavalier BioBlitz! & BirdCount by Susan Edwards Richmond Citizen Science Tools! Airbeam 3 Sky Quality Meter (SQM-L) Discount Code: GAN-USE Aranet 4 Home (Email Dr. Freimark @ Freimark@saftehnika.com to request a discount) CoCoRaHS Rain Gauge and The Year-End Fundraiser For more ideas, visit our Library Build-A-Kit Page to find supplemental supplies to participate in specific citizen science projects Recommendation by a LIVE attendee: Foldscopes (Great gift for teachers!)

Thousands of mycophiles took to the forest in October to document as many mushrooms as they could, as part of the first annual Great North American FungiQuest. In this podcast, we spoke with Robert Courteau, project creator and also founder of the non-profit group Think Fungi. Projects and other links relevant to this podcast are: The Great North American Fungi Quest ThinkFungi Mushroom Observer

With forests being wiped out worldwide by climate change, deforestation, pests and plagues, trees need all the help they can get. Pitch in by learning about citizen forestry and joining the citizen science projects featured in this episode. Girl Scout Tree Promise NASA GLOBE Observer: Trees TreeSnap Trees Please! Help the Girl Scouts and NASA/GLOBE Protect the Planet (Video)

This month we're heading back to school to see how teachers and even college professors are making citizen science a part of their classroom instruction. Projects and Websites mentioned in this podcast include: SciStarter Education Page Seek Education Project Squirrel iNaturalist GLOBE Observer: Trees Journey North Globe at Night Undergraduate Student Experiences with Citizen Science Network (USECitSci)

In this podcast episode, we celebrate National Dog Day (August 26th) with some canine citizen science. Scientists would like to learn about dog personalities and genetics; what traits help them perform well as service animals; and how environmental factors could affect their health. If you have a canine companion, you have the perfect lab partner! Projects featured in the podcast include: C-BARQ https://scistarter.org/c-barq-and-fe-barq Darwin's Ark https://scistarter.org/darwins-ark Also, check out this study from Darwin's Ark, published in the journal Science, based on data provided by citizen scientists! https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639

Beat the summer heat by taking a refreshing dip into an ocean of marine citizen science activities, including swimming with sharks, chatting with manatees and sleuthing out sea dragons. Projects featured in the podcast include: eShark (on the eOcean platform) Wildbook for Whale Sharks (from Wild.me) Manatee Chat

It's summer and there's a whole lot of pollinating going on. Learn about scientists' efforts to monitor important pollinators like bumblebees, monarch butterflies and hummingbirds, and how you can help. Projects featured in this podcast are: Bumble Bee Watch Journey North Monarch Larva Monitoring Project

Summertime blues? Not on our watch! In this Summer Fun podcast, learn how you can plate and serve an ant picnic fit for a queen; use spider webs as air quality monitors; and help make cities around the world more accessible by strolling their sidewalks (virtually), looking for cracks, potholes, and missing curb cuts that could stop a wheelchair, stroller or walker in its tracks. Projects and websites featured in this podcast are: Ant Picnic Discover Ants Project Sidewalk Spidey Senser

Yes, Benjamin Franklin was a founding father of the United States, helped draft the Declaration of Independence and was the first Postmaster General. But he was also an energetic citizen scientist (even though the word "scientist" didn't yet exist). He studied electricity, the Gulf Stream, refrigeration and meteorology, and he published his research. He even conducted experiments on using electricity to cook turkeys! Michael Madeja is Director of Education at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia, a society founded by Franklin himself. In this special "minisode" of the SciStarter podcast, Madeja discusses some of Franklin's achievements and corrects some misconceptions about one of America's founding "citizen scientists."

It's spring, and the birds are back in town, so we're dedicating this episode of the SciStarter podcast to our avian neighbors. Get a peak into the secret world of woodpeckers, monitor the effects of climate change on birds, and learn how even city-dwellers can participate in bird research. Projects and websites featured in this podcast are: Woodpecker Cavity Cam Audubon's Climate Watch Celebrate Urban Birds

Burst out of your winter hibernation and into some exciting springtime citizen science fun with this special, pre-Citizen Science Month podcast. Learn about Nature's Notebook and ISeeChange, and get the latest on CitSci library kits that you and your family can borrow. Projects and websites featured in this podcast are: SciStarter Library Network SciStarter Event Calendar Foundations of Citizen Science Learning Module SciStarter Citizen Science Month Globe at Night Nature's Notebook ISeeChange

By donating your time, energy and, for one project, a saliva and blood sample, you can help researchers make life-saving medical discoveries. In this episode, we focus on three of the many health-related citizen science projects in the SciStarter database. Projects and websites featured in this podcast are: National Library of Medicine/ All of Us Mobile Health and Movement Assessment Outbreaks Near Me (formerly, COVID Near You)

In this episode of Citizen Science, we learn about citizen science projects sponsored by NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. We speak with NOAA staff in charge of sharing their vast data sets with the public, managing meteorological data, and running their program on earth magnetism.   Projects featured in this podcast are: CoCoRaHS CrowdMag Find citizen science projects supported by your local science center or museum at SciStarter.org/NOAA

In this episode of Citizen Science, we share stories from citizen science volunteers about how they share citizen science with others, and about how they got involved in citizen science themselves. We speak with a school teacher in Texas, an astrophysics graduate student in India, a Girl Scout troop leader in Virginia and a college professor in Upstate New York.   Projects discussed in this podcast:   iNaturalist Ant Picnic Globe at Night Disk Detective Clean Water Hub   Download a transcript of the episode.

As a citizen scientist, you can help researchers explore the causes, effects and potential responses to global climate change and other environmental issues. And you can do it from home or out in the field! In this episode of Citizen Science: Stories of Science We Can Do Together, we explore six projects coming at the issue from six very different angles.  Discover these and many other climate change-focused and environment-related citizen science volunteer opportunities through the SciStarter Project Finder! Projects featured in this podcast episode include: Caroline Nickerson’s Miss Louisiana Earth featured projects Climate Change in Scripted Media OSDG Community Platform Climate History Australia Urban Buzz Ghosts of the Coast Ripple Effects via the Citizen Science, Civics and Resilient Communities program supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Find other NOAA-supported citizen science pages hosted by science centers and museums on SciStarter. The article by Max Cawley (of the Museum of Life + Science in Durham, North Carolina) that Caroline mentions in the episode intro is on the SciStarter Blog. Transcript for this episode coming soon on the SciStarter Podcast page.

NASA offers an entire universe of citizen science projects, and at CitSciCon – the first-of-its-kind online event series that was hosted by the Citizen Science Association and SciStarter in May of 2021 – project leaders and volunteers from dozens of those projects shared their stories. Check out this podcast to hear some of those stories, and if you'd like to learn more and participate in the featured projects, visit SciStarter's NASA CitSciCon webpage (https://SciStarter.org/NASA). You'll find links to the original livestreamed events, and project pages for all of these exciting citizen science volunteer opportunities!   Projects mentioned in this podcast include:   Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 Disk Detective GLOBE Observer: Trees Fjord Phyto iNaturalist NASA NeMO-Net Coral Classification GLOBE Observer: Landcover Snapshot Wisconsin   Access a transcript of the episode.

Citizen Science Month is an opportunity to showcase the entire panoply of citizen science projects all over the world, and we try to capture it all in this roundup episode. Which isn't possible. But we do hope this show gives you a taste of what the month had to offer. If you want to go deeper, you can learn more at CitizenScienceMonth.org. Video of some of the webinars described in this podcast can be found at SciStarter.org/Citizen-Science-Videos   Projects mentioned in this podcast include:   SciQuest Caterpillars Count Public Editor Demo Watch Fjord Phyto GLOBE Observer: Clouds Happywhale OpenStreetMap Globe at Night Stall Catchers GLOBE Observer: Mosquito Habitat Mapper Safecast iNaturalist Marine Debris Tracker  All of Us   Access a transcript.

Public libraries are playing an increasingly important role in citizen science, running educational programs – both in-person and online – and loaning out kits with citizen science instruments, material and other resources. And they are very involved with Citizen Science Month. In this podcast episode, Caroline and Bob speak with library-based partners implementing ambitious plans for Citizen Science Month and beyond. Guests include Robin Salthouse, formerly of the Southeast Regional Library in Gilbert, Arizona and now an advisor to the SciStarter team; Alynda Smithey a Children’s/Youth Services Librarian from the Riverside Regional Library in Missouri; Don Ficken, President of International Dark Sky Association - Missouri Chapter; and Vivienne Byrd, Librarian III - Lead on STEM/STEAM & Citizen Science Initiatives at the Los Angeles Public Library. All of them have planned events for you to discover throughout April on CitizenScienceMonth.org!    Projects mentioned in this podcast include:   Globe at Night Stall Catchers GLOBE Observer: Mosquito Habitat Mapper GLOBE Observer: Clouds ISeeChange iNaturalist Marine Debris Tracker   Access a transcript of this episode as a PDF.

To kick off Season 2 of the Citizen Science podcast, new host Bob Hirshon and citizen science enthusiast Caroline Nickerson take a virtual trip around the world – and even into intergalactic space – to learn about some exciting new citizen science projects, including CrowdWater, Spiral Graph and Land Loss Lookout. In addition, they preview upcoming Citizen Science Month events coming this April.    Projects mentioned in this episode:   CrowdWater   Spiral Graph   Land Loss Lookout   Theme music is Podcast Theme by Keith Hartnell used under Creative Commons license.   A complete transcript of this episode can be found as a PDF.

This episode, our second that looks at community and citizen science in cultural heritage institutions, explores how natural history museums use crowdsourcing to unlock the potential of biodiversity collections for research and education. Justin Schell talks to researchers and volunteers involved in the Notes From Nature project, which is one of the largest crowdsourcing projects focused on natural history information.  Projects mentioned in this episode: Notes From Nature WeDigBio (October 15-18, 2020) Zooniverse   Other transcription platforms to visit: Smithsonian Digital Volunteers Transcription Center Library of Congress - By the People DigiVol (Australia) Les herbanoutes (Paris Herbarium)   A complete transcript of this episode can be found here.

North Carolina State University -- typically referred to as NCSU, NC State, or just State -- is a public research university in Raleigh, North Carolina and a leader in public engagement in science. In this episode, Caren Cooper, professor at NCSU, and student citizen science leader, Brianna Johns, discuss all the different components of a citizen science campus: the Citizen Science Club, the SciStarter Educational Portal, themed citizen science programs, researchers with important projects that need citizen scientists’ help, and more.    Resources: Citizen Science Campus Website Webinar about SciStarter Education How to Start a Citizen Science Club (Blog by Brianna Johns) Citizen Science Research at NCSU  Professor Caren Cooper's Website   Projects mentioned in the episode: Crowd the Tap Never Home Alone   Music for this episode is from Blue Dot Sessions, used under a Creative Commons license. A transcript is available here.

This is the first of two episodes that will focus on how citizen science can be done by and within cultural heritage institutions, including libraries, archives, and museums. In this episode, we’ll focus on how natural history museums and public libraries have involved members of their communities in projects that can contribute to local, national, and global understandings of scientific questions.    We speak with Richard Smart, one of the managers of the Community Science program at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County; Sara Medina, a volunteer community scientists at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles; Dan Stanton, a librarian at Arizona State University who supports the School for the Future of Innovation in Society; and Robin Salthouse,  the Adult Services Supervisor Librarian at the Southeast Regional library in Gilbert, Arizona. Listen to learn how the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County studies urban biodiversity with the help of community scientists, how Arizona State University and local public libraries collaborate to create citizen science kits for library patrons to check out and more!  Music for this episode is from Blue Dot Sessions, used under a Creative Commons license. A transcript is available here. Resources for Natural History Museums Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County - Community Science https://nhm.org/community-science-nhm NHM Community Science Projects SuperProject SLIME RASCals BioSCAN Resources for Libraries SciStarter IMLS Grant: Libraries as Community Hubs for Citizen Science Librarian's Guide to Citizen Science Maricopa County Library System Maricopa County Citizen Science Webinar Arizona State University Library Guide on Citizen Science NASA's GLOBE project GLOBE - SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) Measuring Light in the Night Kit Globe at Night Exploring Biodversity Library Kit Zombee Hunting Library Kit

iNaturalist allows anyone, anywhere to contribute to a global record of biodiversity by uploading pictures of plants and animals with their smartphone or computer. In this episode, co-host Justin Schell talks with Dr. Carrie Seltzer, the Stakeholder Engagement Strategist for iNaturalist, about how the platform works, the iNaturalist community, and how iNaturalist advances scientific research. Featured in this episode is the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), the oldest outdoor group in the United States. The AMC runs multiple citizen science projects, and in this episode, Georgia Murray, a staff scientist at AMC; Annie Evankow, a Research Assistant with AMC; and Alina Michelewicz, a volunteer with a number of AMC projects speak about their citizen science work with iNaturalist — how they have been able to supplement the core data fields on iNaturalist with some specific to their project, as well as how they have approached citizen science and research with the Northeast Alpine Flower Watch project.  Music for this episode is from MWD, used under a Creative Commons license from the Free Music Archive. Special thanks to Jill Nugent for conducting the interview with the AMC team. A transcript is available here.  For those of you who have accounts on SciStarter, add your iNaturalist username to your SciStarter dashboard, and you’ll get credit for your contributions.   Links: iNaturalist Appalachian Mountain Club Seek  Global Biodiversity Information Facility National Phenology Network Toilet weasel publication  Justin's (Mistaken) Coyote Identification

With thousands of projects listed on SciStarter, a main challenge can be finding the right project, one that really suits your needs and your interests. After meeting at workshop on the Open Science of Learning hosting by the Center for Research and Interdisciplinarity, Kobi Gal, a leading expert in human-centered artificial intelligence, and Darlene Cavalier, the founder of SciStarter, collaborated, with support from NESTA, a UK-based innovation foundation, to create a smart recommendation system to help SciStarter users find the right project. Kobi and Na'ama Dayan, another team member working on this project, sit down with Caroline Nickerson from the SciStarter team to talk about the new system and how YOU can help us test it. A transcript is available here. Music in this episode is by Discount Fireworks, used under a Creative Commons license via the Free Music Archive.

The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (or COASST, for short) project is a network of citizen scientists that monitor marine resources and ecosystem health at over 400 beaches across northern California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. COASST works to translate long-term monitoring into effective marine conservation solutions. Co-host Caroline Nickerson chats with Dee Richie, a citizen scientist who volunteers with COASST, and Hillary Burgess, the science coordinator for COASST, about how to get involved with COASST and citizen science focused on marine ecosystem health. A transcript can be accessed here.  Music in this episode: “Smile for Me, Sun” from Adam & Alma, used under a Creative Commons license via the Free Music Archive.   Other resources mentioned in this episode: BeachCOMBERS Beach Watch NOAA Marine Debris Program Mussel Watch Marine Mammal Stranding Network SEANET Great Lakes Monitoring Program

NASA-funded Community Snow Observations (CSO) project recruits citizen scientists to help collect snow depth observations – anytime and anywhere, and then they can submit their observations via the mobile-sharing platform Mountain Hub. Co-host Caroline Nickerson chats with one of the project leaders, David Hill, and one of CSO’s volunteers, Katie O’Connell, talk about the importance of collecting snow depth data around the world--how that informs both local knowledge of things like avalanches and water availability, to how data contributed by everyday hikers can better inform global models of snow availability and its relationship to the water cycle. You can find a transcript here.

This episode spotlights EarthEcho International and one of the organization’s signature programs, the EarthEcho Water Challenge. Kicking off in March each year on World Water Day, EarthEcho encourages participation in the Water Challenge year-round. Founded by the grandchildren of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, EarthEcho's mission is to inspire young people throughout the world to take action for a more sustainable future. Caroline Nickerson talks with Sean Russel, the Manager for EarthEcho's Water Challenge program, and Katelyn Higgins, a student leader in EarthEcho and member of the group's Youth Leadership Council. They discuss what it means to incorporate youth voices at every level of the organization, how to explain water chemistry to kids, how water monitoring can turn into water action, and how you can get involved in the science to better understand and protect the waters where you live. A transcript is available here.

This episode is all about trees and how users of the Curio can map and monitor urban and community trees globally. Terrence Pickles is the founder of Exeter Trees, which attempts to document and preserve every tree in Exeter, in the UK, using both YouTube and the Curio app, which was developed by our second guest, Paul Hickey. Co-host Caroline Nickerson talks to Terrence and Paul about their motivations for doing the work they do, the kinds of results they’ve had so far, and how you can get started using Curio to better see and understand the whole of the world, or at least the trees you walk by every day. A transcript can be accessed here.   Music: Discount Fireworks, "Dots 1" and "Five," used under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 US license.

This episode features a conversation between Samantha Harrington, ISeeChange's Digital Community Manager, and Amber Kleinman, a volunteer who uses ISeeChange to document weather events in Paonia, a small town in western Colorado. ISeeChange is a platform to help users and their communities document weather in their own backyards, bringing greater visibility to effects of climate change through multimedia storytelling. Samantha and Amber chat with Caroline, Citizen Science's co-host, about how they got started with ISeeChange, the work that they do, and their recommendations for others to get started documenting changes in weather and climate. A transcript can be accessed here.

This episode features a conversation between Kyle Copas, Communications Manager at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, which is known as GBIF, and John Turnbull, the Sydney, Australian coordinator for Reef Life Survey. The focus of this conversation is citizen science data: how it’s collected, what happens to it, and what is the process from collection by citizen scientists to the transformation and processing that brings the data into GBIF’s index. A transcript can be accessed here.

Our first "mini-sode" is an interview with Dr. Jessica Wardlaw at the University of Nottingham’s Rights Lab talking about the Slavery From Space project, which allows allows users to contribute to the antislavery movement by mapping the locations of activities in which people are frequently found to be enslaved. A transcript of the episode can be accessed here.

Our first episode features a conversation about Stall Catchers, a game that asks volunteers to examine stalled blood vessels in videos of mice brains to advance the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease. We talk with Pietro Michelucci, director of the Human Computation Institute, and Guy Caulkins, a “Super Catcher” who not only helps catch these vessels, but has also utilized his marketing experience to plan the Stall Catchers Megathon on April 13th. A transcript can be accessed here.