Are you interested in exploring the natural world while contributing to science? If so, consider joining the global community science movement, previously known as citizen science. This initiative emphasizes that science is for everyone, and you do not need formal scientific training to contribute to our knowledge of the natural world. Museum scientists, independent naturalists, and outside organizations have created numerous projects aimed at helping scientists gain a better understanding of our planet.
Curious about how you or your class can participate in community science projects? Or how to use the popular, free website and app iNaturalist? We have plenty of resources (in English and Spanish) to guide you!
Here is the link to many different projects you can participate in.
Anyone with a computer or smartphone can become a “community scientist” and contribute valuable data to conservation projects—by helping to count, identify, and track burrowing owls, giraffes, and other wildlife online. Participants in San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Wildwatch Burrowing Owl and Wildwatch Kenya can help make a difference, viewing and classifying hundreds of wildlife images from remote trail cameras. Here is how to go about it.
Public participation and collaboration support the advancement of scientific research at Scripps by Karissa Duran.
Community scienc
e projects have advanced scientific knowledge since the days of naturalists, and community scientists now collect extensive data about species occurrence and distribution locally and globally. Community science projects involve scientists, land managers, and people who want to learn more about their local nature and experience scientific processes.
The San Diego Community Science Network (SDCSN) is a unique and innovative approach to building a regional collaboration that supports Public Participation in Scientific Research (PPSR). It serves the needs of multiple stakeholders by providing a spectrum of “entry points” into citizen science, and facilitates collaboration by identifying and leveraging existing and potential resources for the region. The San Diego Community Science Network was founded in 2012 and is organized by Shelley Glenn Lee (ScienceBridge at UCSD), Anne Fege (San Diego Children and Nature Network), MaryAnn Hawke (Geodactics), and Meredith Vaughn (San Diego State University).
