Citizen Science Association


CitSciVirtual Workshops

Return to CitSciVirtual 2021

Workshops during CitSciVirtual are designed for engaged learning – both on your own time and through optional live sessions. Hosts will share tools, expertise, insights, and experiences with workshop participants, in support of new knowledge, skills and resources for impactful projects.

Every CitSciVirtual registrant will have access to THREE bundles of workshops (up to 16 workshops, all included in your registration!).

One of those bundles is open to all. The other two are of your choice: one from Block A, and one from Block B. A few tips to keep in mind as you choose:

  • each bundle has two, three, or four different workshops
  • workshops within a bundle are scheduled to not conflict with each other
  • bundles with fewer workshops have deeper-dive workshops with multiple live sessions
  • take time to read beyond bundle and workshop titles – don’t assume that the titles fully convey what the workshops are about
  • workshops may be on related or varied content – work in this field requires multi-dimensional skills and this is a chance to broaden your perspectives
  • all workshops include both asynchronous and live content – please feel welcome to choose and engage in the online content and discussions for workshops of interest even if the live sessions do not fit your schedule (we will do our best to make session recordings available)

The Conference Program volunteer team has worked hard with all presenters to make their content broadly applicable and transferable to other contexts – take a chance on trying a cross-disciplinary session to gain new perspectives and connect with new colleagues/potential collaborators!

Bundle Descriptions

Click on the bundle name to see the full selection and description of workshops included.

Bundle 0. Open to All – Foundational Skills and Field-wide Events

All registrants will automatically be given access to the online materials and discussions of the workshops in Bundle 0, and opportunity to attend their live sessions. Topics include funding opportunities, tools for geospatial analysis, anti-racism, evaluation basics, and fostering public engagement.

Block A

Workshops occurring between May 3 and May 12.

Bundle A.1Managing data about projects
Connect to two collaborative efforts (EU and international) looking at metadata standards and analytics to understand and communicate about projects in this field.

Bundle A.2 – Environmental data, local to global
Explore two angles on scaling environmental data, from engaging a global network to comparing local and satellite data on air quality.

Bundle A.3 – Community Leadership for Change
Four perspectives on ways local communities can lead: through data interpretation, through influencing policy, through strategic engagement, and with library partnerships.

A.4 – Open Science and Environmental Monitoring
Open hardware, open coding, open source software, and tools for community-driven and collaborative environmental monitoring.

Bundle A.5 – Creating Projects, Stories, and Learning
Explore GIS for project creation, consider equitable and accessible learning, and co-create comic-style project stories.

Bundle A.6 – Participatory Research and Indigenous Knowledge
Explore models for participatory research through art, participatory project evaluation, and respectful engagement with Indigenous Knowledge Keepers.

Bundle A.7 – Designing for Learning
Learn design strategies to support community learning through monitoring, youth data literacy, and pivoting to video programming for classrooms.

Bundle A.8 – Evaluating (and Sharing) What Works
Learn the basics of project evaluation, help develop criteria for evaluating project credibility, and gain lessons learned by exploring emerging projects.

Bundle A.9 – Online Tools for Classification and Transcription
Explore platforms that offer new ways of transcribing words, sounds, and images, and learn how to build your own crowdsourced project.

Block B

Workshops occurring between May 18 and May 26.

Bundle B.10 – Observing, experiencing, and learning together
Three different perspectives: engage your own observational skills, understand more about your volunteers’ observational skills, and consider lessons learned (the hard way) from co-created projects.

Bundle B.11 – Communication and Policy
Two angles on effectively communicating for policy change, including skill building and audience targeting.

Bundle B.12 – New Approaches to Data, Technology, and Learning
Four views consider designing technology and managing data with both people and the environment in mind, with a game to guide design for inclusive learning.

Bundle B.13 – Collaborative Design for Reliable Environmental Data
Two perspectives on monitoring air quality and water quality, both for science and for human well-being.

Bundle B.14 – Community Voice for Learning and Sharing
Two perspectives (one deep dive): elevating community knowledge in qualitative research, and supporting learning through storytelling.

Bundle B.15 – Youth Engagement
Three workshops share insights and project models for facilitating youth agency, youth inquiry, and youth environmental action.

Bundle B.16 – Water Monitoring and Participatory Resilience
Collaborate to identify resources in support of equity in water monitoring opportunities, and explore system resilience through environmental monitoring.

Bundle B.17 – Extreme Monitoring, Local to Global
Learn from an award-winning community science program and an innovative expedition team, and think together about research in vulnerable spaces.


Workshop Details

Bundle 0. Open to All

Collaboration and Communication Utilizing ArcGIS Apps

Karen Klinger (Field Museum), Tim Briggs (New Hampshire Sea Grant), Abigail Krump (National Audubon Society), Charmel Menzel (Esri)
Live session: Thursday, May 6, 3-4:30 Eastern
Citizen Science project staff have an enormous challenge in collaborating with volunteers,  partners, supporters, scientists, and the general public.  Learn how the Field Museum’s Monarch Butterfly ArcGIS Hub website enables citizens to be more fully engaged by accessing project resources, submitting data, providing feedback, and signing up to attend events.  Hear how ArcGIS StoryMaps created by New Hampshire Sea Grant and Audubon Society enhance organizational communication activities by weaving the message into a story.  A story can effect change, influence opinion, and create awareness—and maps are an integral part of storytelling.  Open discussion and accessing free training will wrap up this session.

The US National Science Foundation: Funding Opportunities & Experiences Related to Learning and the Science & Practice of Citizen Science

Ellen McCallie (US National Science Foundation), Alicia Santiago Gonzalez (US National Science Foundation), Robert (Bob) Russell (US National Science Foundation), Participating PIs will be determined in Feb/Mar 2021
Live session: Monday, 10 May, 3-4:30 ET
Among other foci, National Science Foundation (NSF) funds Public Participation in STEM Research (i.e. citizen science) that focuses on learning and the science & practice of citizen science. Asynchronous workshop: Through pre-recorded videos and other resources, NSF presents a sampler of projects related to learning and the science & practice of citizen science, highlights NSF funding opportunities in these areas, how to prepare competitive proposals, and how the funding process works. Synchronous workshop: Participants interact directly with NSF program officers and principal investigators who respond to your questions and share their experiences, including with discussing equity and diversity in proposals.

What Does Anti-Racist Community/Citizen Science Look Like?

Lila Higgins (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County), Miguel Ordeñana (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County), Maryam Ghadiri Khanaposhtani (UC Davis, Center for Community & Citizen Science), Ana Benavides (NHM London ), Maiz Connolly (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County)
Two live sessions: Thursday, 6 May, 3:00-4:30pm ET // Thursday, 20 May, 3:00-4:30pm ET
On June 10, 2020 many chose to pause and re-examine their work as part of the #shutdownSTEM action. Following the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd by police brutality and vigilante violence, the ensuing uprisings around the world illuminated the urgency to self-evaluate and take action. As a group of community/citizen science practitioners & researchers working towards making our work explicitly anti-racist we want to open a dialogue with participants to ask and answer these questions: How does applying an anti-racist lens to our projects, programs, and research change the way we work? How have we perpetuated oppression? How can we work towards antidotes? How can we co-create anti-racist community/citizen science?

Citizen Science Location-based Analytics

Austin Rosén (Colorado State University), Kristen Hocutt (Citizen Science Volunteer/Esri), Greg Brunner (Esri)
Live session: Thursday, 18 May, 3:30-5:00pm ET
Are you new to GIS analysis, a Data Scientist, or Researcher desiring to learn the latest in spatial analytics?  Join this discussion with a panel of scientists from various GIS backgrounds including a M.S. Biology Student, a Geologist turned GIS/Remote Sensing Analyst and a Data Scientist.  Each accessed data from iNaturalist or GBIF for their project.  Learn how to utilize Python, Jupyter Notebooks, machine learning techniques and other spatial analysis tools within ArcGIS.  These tools provide the means to identify areas missing data, monitor changes over space and time, and conduct suitability modeling.  Following brief presentations from each panelist, tips on accessing these tools and free learn lessons will be provided, plus the floor will be open to live Q&A.

“Ask Me Anything” Research and Evaluation Working Group: Surveys, Focus Groups, and Interviews

Heather Fischer (Oregon State University), Camellia Sanford-Dolly (Rockman Et al.), Tina Phillips (Cornell University)
Live session: Monday, 17 May, (tentative: 3:00-4:30pm ET)
This workshop is intended to provide attendees with an informal environment to ask members of the Research and Evaluation Working Groups questions and feedback about surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Surveys are a key instrument in program evaluation and can help citizen science practitioners understand their participants and also provide avenues for participants to give feedback to the program.

Reflecting on Citizen Science Month 2021: Events & Fostering Public Engagement in Science

Caroline Nickerson (SciStarter), Vivienne Byrd (Los Angeles Public Library)
Live session:
This will be a hands-on workshop between CitSciMonth leaders (SciStarter, ASU & CSA working group chairs, especially) and a representative sample of facilitators and practitioners who planned events during April 2021 (invitations to come after the Month for folks to join the event) to discuss lessons learned about events, programs & public engagement for citizen science and to strategize about CitSciMonth2022.

Previous Bundle

Bundle A.1: Managing data about projects

CSA Data and Metadata Working Group PPSR Core Project

Charmel Menzel (Esri), Greg Newman (Colorado State University and CitSci.org)
One live session: Tuesday, 4 May, 1:30-3:00pm ET
Learn about the progress of the CSA Data and Metadata Working Group PPSR Core project and how you can get involved. PPSR Core is a set of global, transdisciplinary data and metadata standards for use in Public Participation in Scientific Research (Citizen Science) projects. These standards are united, supported, and underlined by a common framework illustrating how information is structured within the citizen science domain. This allows data to be used across platforms and projects in a consistent manner, furthering the research goals of the scientific community.

Information management, analytics and communication in CS Projects

Sally Reynolds (CS Track (ATiT, Belgium)), Raul Drachman (CS Track (The Mofet Institute, Israel)), Miriam Calvera-Isabal (CS Track (jc.es Miriam Calvera-Isabal, Universidad Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain)), Sven Manske (CS Track (Rhein-Ruhr-Institut für angewandte Systeminnovation (RIAS), Duisburg, Germany)), Alejandro Carbonell-Alcocer (CA Track (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), Madrid, Spain)), Cleo Schulten, CS Track (Rhein-Ruhr-Institut für angewandte Systeminnovation (RIAS), Duisburg, Germany); María Begoña Rivas-Rebaque, CS Track (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), Madrid, Spain); Patricia Santos-Rodiguez, CS Track (Universidad Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain);
Ishari Amarasinghe, CS Track (Universidad Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain)

Three live sessions: Wednesday, 5 May, 12-1:30pm ET // Tuesday, 11 May, 1:30-3pm ET // Wednesday, 12 May, 12-1:30pm ET
This workshop is about exploring tools that can be used to collect, analyse and share information about citizen science projects. It is based on current work in the European CS Track project, which seeks to increase the knowledge on CS using web-based analytics (computational analyses based on projects’ manifestations on the web and social media) and questionnaires, combined in a multi-perspective analysis. Three facets of our work so far will be addressed: (1) development of a database of CS projects and preliminary data analysis; and the approach and methods/tools to use for (2) analytics and (3) communication of results.


Bundle A.2:

Understanding your air quality using available sensor and satellite data

Karmann Mills (RTI International), Prakash Doraiswamy (RTI International), Pawan Gupta (NASA), Brandon Feenstra (South Coast AQMD), Krista Brinchek (Wake County Public Schools; Design for Change Champion), Rob Levy, NASA
Three live sessions: Tuesday, 4 May, 1:30-3:00pm ET // Tuesday, 11 May, 1:30-3pm ET // Wednesday, 12 May, 12-1:30pm ET
This workshop will introduce participants to understanding local, regional, and global air quality using data from ground and space measurements. The workshop leaders will introduce their NASA-funded citizen science project on air quality (https://aqcitizenscience.rti.org), the type of data that are being collected by PurpleAir particle sensors, and how citizen scientists can access, download, and analyze air quality data from sensors and from satellite measurements. All these data are publicly available. Finally, the workshop will end with an educational aspect on how to introduce this content in classrooms and connect to curriculum standards.

Taking Community Science to the Next Level: Collecting High Quality Data at Scale

Jenélle Dowling (Adventure Scientists), Michelle Toshack (Adventure Scientists)
One live session: Wednesday, 5 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Adventure Scientists specializes in the design, build, and execution of data collection projects. By utilizing our global network of volunteers, we are able to collect data at any scale, from almost anywhere on earth. In this workshop participants will explore strategies to bolster community science projects’ quality and scale. Adventure Scientists will share how our process contributes to building trusted partnerships within the scientific community and delivering quality data that can serve to protect natural resources.


Bundle A.3:

CANCELLED: Change the World, Start in Your Backyard! Engaging with Public Policy as a Citizen Scientist

Emily Wright (Colorado Immunity Advocates (CIA)); fka Colorado Parents for Vaccinated Communities (CPVC))
One live session: Tuesday, 4 May, 1:30-3:00pm ET
(CANCELLED DUE TO UNAVOIDABLE CONFLICT): Whether balancing environmental and economic impact of zoning laws, or managing public health during the ongoing pandemic, science touches all our lives in many ways and should be informing policy. Unfortunately, the loudest voices in politics are often not the most scientifically-literate ones. Both politics and science can feel daunting to the layperson, but we laypeople make up the largest voting blocs. We decide the candidates to represent us, the ballot issues that affect us, and we can effectively influence lawmakers’ decisions. This workshop will inspire and inform the citizen scientist to become an active policy changer in their community.

The Library and Community Guide to Citizen Science: How you can leverage libraries to connect your citizen science project to new communities.

Darlene Cavalier (SciStarter/ASU), Dan Stanton (ASU Libraries), Robin Salthouse (Retired from Maricopa County Library District), Vivienne Byrd (Los Angeles City Public Library)
One live session: Wednesday, 5 May, 12-1:30pm ET
This workshop will feature pre-recorded videos, downloadable resources, and a live, 90-min interactive workshop featuring librarians, scientists and PIs from the “Libraries as Community Hubs for Citizen Science” program. Attendees will receive a foundational understanding of partnering with libraries to engage broader and traditionally under-represented audiences in citizen science. A small number of pre-selected project leaders will also receive detailed feedback from focused 15-minute “speed-dating” breakout sessions highlighting common opportunities and limitations inherent in libraries and citizen science projects. Attendee input will be integrated into the next version of the Library and Community Guide to Citizen Science.

Developing and Executing a Grass roots Citizen Science Program

Gary Olson (Thornton Creek Alliance)
One live session: Tuesday, 11 May, 1:30-3pm ET
This workshop will describe the process we have gone through to determine the best areas for citizen scientists to be engaged to support the environmental health of the waterways in our community. It will describe the partnerships formed, how best to engage community, how to engage schools, how to finance the effort and most important how to sustain the effort. It will also present some of the data collected, how it is shared and analyzed and what has been learned.

What is the data saying? Data interpretation

Lisa Martin (CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR), Theresa Baker (CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR), Susan Gertz (Miami Univeristy), Susan Hershberger (Miami University), Melinda Butsch Kovacic (University of Cincinnati, College of Allied Health Sciences)
One live session: Wednesday, 12 May, 12-1:30pm ET
The success of citizen science activities is often judged on the data captured. But, if not interpreted correctly, data may lead to misleading conclusions. For results to be authentic, all voices need to be heard. The goal of this workshop is to educate attendees on the principles of data interpretation and consider ways of sharing data through a lens of stories to gain insights from citizen science participants and practitioners. We will highlight our experiences with We Engage for Health (WE4H, an academic-community partnership) as well as a series of activities to advance knowledge and/or comfort with data interpretation.


Bundle A.4:

Open Tools for Collaborative Science: The Value of Open Hardware in Citizen and Community Science

Anne Bowser (The Wilson Center), Shannon Dosemagen (Open Environmental Data Project), Allie Novak (The Wilson Center)
One live session: Tuesday, 4 May, 1:30-3:00pm ET
There are huge opportunities for bringing open practices more fully into citizen and community science, especially the tools and practices of open science hardware. Open hardware practices can lower barriers, and enhance value – from the cost and accessibility of tools and supplies, to the collective impact of a shared library of accessible and customizable tools. This workshop will introduce participants to open science hardware at both the project and the community level, from a hands-on demo of technologies used, to interactive discussions of the roles of more collaborative communities, and finally, opportunities to collectively identify and navigate barriers.

CitieS-Health Toolkit for citizen engagement

Valeria Righi (Cities-Health EU-project (Ideas for Change organization)), Lucia Errandonea (Cities-Health EU-Project (Ideas for Change organization)), Florence Gignac (Cities-Health EU-Project (ISGlobal organization)), Giovanni Maccani (Cities-Health EU-Project (Ideas for Change organization))
One live session: Wednesday, 5 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Are you planning a citizen science intervention and need fresh new ideas on how to engage citizens? CitieS-Health Toolkit (citizensciencetoolkit.eu) provides a customised and interactive collection of instruments to learn how to engage communities to solve issues of common concerns and deploy actions for making the world a better place to live in. In this workshop, we want to inspire the citizen science community with creative ideas on how to engage citizens and put them at the centre of research. In an interactive session, we will guide practitioners through the process of designing a citizen science project that tackles environmental problems in cities.

SIMILE: Lake Monitoring, tools for crowdsourcing water quality and for assessing the quality of the contributions

Carlo Andrea Biraghi (GEOLab, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano)
One live session: Tuesday, 11 May, 1:30-3pm ET
The workshop presents the SIMILE project (Informative System for the Integrated Monitoring of Insubric Lakes and their Ecosystems) and the two tools that have been developed within its framework to support the Citizen Science activities (an open source mobile cross-platform app and a web app). The possibility to apply these tools at the global scale together with the creation of an open dataset regarding water quality monitoring will be explored with the attendees in a mutual exchange of expertise.

Citizen data science for conservation

Joyeeta Das (Gyana.com), Sascha Hofmann (Gyana.com), David Kell (Gyana.com)
One live session: Wednesday, 12 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Data sciences typically require coding and mathematical knowledge. Therefore the powerful way to open and distribute knowledge has high entry barrier. I will share 3 free tools you can use to advance environmental causes without learning coding.


Bundle A.5

Using GIS to Create and Monitor Citizen Science Projects

Lori Delacruz Lewis (Dallas College), Kelly Albus (University of North Texas), Brittney Beck (California State University, Bakersfield), Michael Jabot (SUNY Fredonia)
Two live sessions: Tuesday, 4 May, 1:30-3:00pm ET // Tuesday, 11 May, 1:30-3pm ET
This collaborative workshop offers a multitude of opportunities for approaching GIS in Citizen Science with several pre-recorded videos, hands-on activities and two live sessions. For instance, create and monitor your own citizen science projects and monitor the results in real time. Design a mobile-ready survey, manage how the data appears and monitor the results in real-time. Then share the resulting data with interactive, multimedia narratives. Learn how to access public data and add to ArcGIS Online, how citizen science contributes to the monitoring of the UN SDGs, how to follow environmental data collection protocols and how to share with students.

The Power of Stories to Engage Citizen Scientists

Melinda Butsch Kovacic (UC/Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center), Susan Gertz (Miami University), Susan Hershberger (Miami University)
One live session: Wednesday, 5 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Cognitive science tells us that stories are powerful tools for engagement, learning, and building relationships. The We Engage for Health (WE4H) program co-creates comic-style stories with community members and uses the stories to engage participants in citizen science. Starting with “3 Big Ideas” to focus story content, this workshop demonstrates how WE4H co-creates and offers stories in various formats. Recorded videos introduce key ideas. Recorded and live sessions offer attendees support to begin their own stories and get feedback. Importantly, attendees receive a “Power of Stories How-To Guide” to help them continue developing stories for their own citizen science projects.

Creating Equitable, Accessible, Authentic Learning Opportunities In and Out of the Classroom with Citizen Science

Amy Lorenz (Teacher Learning Center of Teton Science Schools), Rachael Polmanteer (The Center for Inquiry-Based Learning), Peggy Harte (UC Davis Center for Community and Citizen Science), Kaitlyn Murray (UC Davis Center for Community and Citizen Science)
One live session: Wednesday, 12 May, 12-1:30pm ET
In this session we will explore equitable and accessible approaches to facilitating citizen science with students, families, and educators, promoting authentic learning experiences with a local-to-global context. Participants will engage in a bioblitz, explore resources to use with students in a variety of learning models, look at ways to connect with community partners, and engage in breakout discussions organized by audience. We will highlight ways to address equity and access to citizen science across a spectrum of support in school or home settings. Participants will leave with a collaboratively-developed roadmap to bring authentic learning experiences to their students.


Bundle A.6:

Citizen Artist™ a new participatory science research opportunity

Lee Ann Woolery (Citizen Artist™)
Two live sessions: Tuesday, 4 May, 1:30-3:00pm ET // Tuesday, 11 May, 1:30-3pm ET
Citizen Artist™ is a new participatory science research opportunity that uses art-based research methodologies and a mobile technology platform. It empowers community members who might not otherwise participate in science to get involved, to positively transform our current environmental problems. Citizen Artist™ works with individuals and communities as creative co-collaborators in scientific field research projects to address local environmental issues that are community driven. Citizen Artist™ engages a broad audience, providing an alternative methodology for ecological field research for those individuals and communities who may have been overlooked by conventional science and traditional approaches.

Bringing Indigenous Ways of Knowing into Citizen Science Project Participation and Development

Laura Arndt (Global GreenSTEM), Pte San Win PoorBear (Oglala Lakota, Mother, Indigenous Educator & Knowledge Keeper), RunningHorse Livingston (M.Ed., Lake Superior Chippewa, President of Mathematize, Inc.)
One live session: Wednesday, 5 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Learn from Indigenous Knowledge Keepers how to respectfully create opportunities to integrate Indigenous knowledge and practices into citizen science projects. After viewing their video conversation and demonstrations, create your own project plan for including an acknowledgement of ancestral lands, an offering of gratitude for participant relationships with the land and species being researched, and Native Ways of Knowing that align with the project’s western science focus. Participate in a live virtual conversation with Knowledge Keepers to expand on the video content, and refine your project plan.

Participatory evaluation in citizen science

Katja Mayer (Center for Social Innovation Vienna), Barbara Kieslinger (Center for Social Innovation Vienna), Teresa Schäfer (Center for Social Innovation Vienna), Stefanie Schuerz (Center for Social Innovation Vienna)
One live session: Wednesday, 12 May, 12-1:30pm ET
The workshop starts from the observation that while Citizen Science is highly participatory, evaluation does not live up to this claim. In the workshop we will explore existing approaches to participatory evaluation where participants are involved from the beginning, e.g. in co-designing the evaluation strategy. We will also introduce alternative methods (e.g. open evaluation, peer interviews, diaries, storytelling, etc.) and show how they are applied in different evaluation contexts. In all of this, we will reflect on possible risks and pitfalls based on concrete experiences, and consider which approaches promise success in times of physical distancing and crisis.


Bundle A.7:

Designing Citizen and Community Science Programs and Classroom Participation for Data Literacy Outcomes

Sean O’Connor (BSCS Science Learning), Anne Lewis (South Dakota Discovery Center), Kelly L. O’Donnell (Macaulay Honors College, CUNY), Michael Jabot (State University of New York at Fredonia), Tara Jo Holmberg (Northwestern Connecticut Community College), Sarah Jones (Budburst – a project of the Chicago Botanic Garden), Ryan Collay (Retired Oregon State University Faculty)
One live session: Wednesday, 5 May, 12-1:30pm ET
This workshop is for people interested in increasing students’ data literacy through participation in citizen science programs. It is intended for both program practitioners looking to design opportunities and enhance curricular support for data literacy. It is also for teachers looking to support data literacy outcomes for their students. A range of program exemplars will be presented asynchronously, followed by a live, small-group, workshopping session. Participants will be invited to bring their programs and goals and redesign their affective, cognitive, and skills-based support for data literacy learning outcomes.

Upping the “Edu-tainment” factor: Ways to create dynamic online content to engage kids in citizen science in the world of COVID.

Jenna Kesgen (Creative Coordinator for the ecoEXPLORE initiative of The North Carolina Arboretum), Ana Lindsay (Creative Specialist for ecoEXPLORE, The North Carolina Arboretum), Libbie Dobbs-Alexander (ecoEXPLORE Statewide Coordintor ), Joanna Orozco (ecoEXPLORE and the North Carolina Arboretum)
One live session: Tuesday, 4 May, 1:30-3:00pm ET
In a COVID world, a lot of science educators are having to pivot from in-person to online programming via videos on social media. Unfortunately, what can be successful in-person doesn’t always translate well on video. Learn from the ecoEXPLORE team as they share practical methods that have made their videos successful. We will walk you through the beginning steps of this process, from developing a storyline, storyboarding, and filming techniques. During a live session, the ideas developed within your activities can be shared in small groups, where ecoEXPLORE team members will be available to facilitate and give feedback.

To Frame or Frame Not: Designing Educational Programs Around Data Collection Projects

Sara Ludovise (Crystal Cove Conservancy), Holly Fletcher (Crystal Cove Conservancy), Dr. Jennifer Long (University of California, Irvine)
Two live sessions: Tuesday, 11 May, 1:30-3pm ET // Wednesday, 12 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Community science projects often engage participants in data collection, but how can we design educational programs to support their learning, especially when working with diverse audiences? Crystal Cove Conservancy and UC Irvine share our curriculum model to frame data collection, analysis, and communication. During the first session, you’ll experience our approach in action as you take part in a community science monitoring project within the Crystal Cove SMCA. In the second session, you’ll adapt our model for your own project. All participants will get access to our framework for designing your own educational program based on your data collection project!


Bundle A.8:

Program Evaluation 101: Evaluation basics and logic models

Heather Fischer (Oregon State University), Camellia Sanford-Dolly (Rockman et al. ), Tina Phillips (Cornell University)
Two live sessions: Tuesday, 4 May, 1:30-3:00pm ET // Tuesday, 11 May, 1:30-3pm ET
This workshop is intended to provide attendees with a basic understanding of the evaluation process. These topics will be covered and discussed: What is evaluation and how is it different from research? The usage and planning of your evaluation based on an implementation plan. Additionally, we will describe the use of logic models and theory of change for your project, and offer best practice examples for implementing your evaluation, collecting data, sharing your results and resources for further reading. Attendees will work individually and in small groups for creating a preliminary plan for initiating an evaluation within their own programs.

Learning What Works From Other CS Programs

Linda Silka (University of Maine Mitchell Center)
One live session: Wednesday, 5 May, 12-1:30pm ET
There is so much we can learn from the rapidly emerging citizen science efforts. Fortunately, we do not have to start from scratch but we do need to customize for our topic, our partnership, and our goals. How do we do this? This workshop will assist you in learning how to find and use emerging CS examples. Whether your partnership is just starting out or well on your way, this workshop is for you. Examples will be drawn from diverse CS projects that have made progress in designing CS that works across diverse topics.

A Collaborative Endeavour to Develop Criteria for Citizen Science Platforms

Daniel Dörler (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna), Florian Heigl (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna), Gitte Kragh (Aarhus University), Annelies Duerinckx (Scivil), Cristina Luis (University of Lisbon), Karen Soacha,(Open University of Catalonia, Institute of Marine Sciences), Barcelona; Fredrik Brounéus, VA (Public & Science), Patricia Tiago (University of Lisbon), Darlene Cavalier (SciStarter)
One live session: Wednesday, 12 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Citizen science (cs) platforms have emerged in recent years at regional, national and international level. A current challenge for platform coordinators is to determine which projects to include on their online portals. This requires a transparent evaluation process which ensures the credibility of the platforms as well as the trust in cs in general and should not be restrictive towards new and alternative cs movements. In this workshop, the ECSA working group “Citizen Science Networks” is inviting cs practitioners, participants and researchers to collaborate in a process to develop such criteria together (so-called “ECSA-WG-criteria”).


Bundle A.9:

Build Your Own Crowdsourced Research Site using the Free Zooniverse Project Builder

Laura Trouille (The Adler Planetarium; Zooniverse; Northwestern University), Cliff Johnson (The Adler Planetarium; Zooniverse; Northwestern University), Lucy Fortson (University of Minnesota – Twin Cities; Zooniverse), Grant Miller (University of Oxford; Zooniverse), Chris Lintott (University of Oxford; Zooniverse), Becky Rother (The Adler Planetarium – Zooniverse), Sam Blickhan (The Adler Planetarium – Zooniverse), Sarah Allen (The Adler Planetarium – Zooniverse)
Two live sessions: Tuesday, 4 May, 1:30-3:00pm ET // Tuesday, 11 May, 1:30-3pm ET
This workshop provides an overview of the free, browser-based Zooniverse Project Builder platform for creating online crowdsourcing projects. Hundreds of teams have launched projects using the user-friendly interface; uploading their content, selecting from marking, annotation, and transcription tools, setting up their discussion forum, exporting the classification results, etc. Through this workshop’s downloadable resources and live sessions, we will support teams in using the Project Builder, as well as communicate design principles and best practices to engage participants in their research and education efforts, with the goal of projects that produce quality results as well as a positive experience for volunteers.

CosmoNote-enabled active listening and the transcribing of expressive music structures

Daniel Bedoya (CNRS–UMR9912/STMS (IRCAM)), Lawrence Fyfe (CNRS–UMR9912/STMS (IRCAM)), Corentin Guichaoua (CNRS–UMR9912/STMS (IRCAM)), Elaine Chew (CNRS–UMR9912/STMS (IRCAM)
One live session: Wednesday, 5 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Active listening promotes appreciation for music and the work of musicians, invaluable cultural artefacts. CosmoNote is a citizen science interface for marking musical structures created in performance. The workshop will describe the conception and design of the CosmoNote interface, demonstrate how users can use its visualization and annotation tools to identify and mark the communicated structures, learn about music performance, engage in real-time annotation of performances, and see a live analysis of their collective annotations. Interactions with the investigators will provide opportunities to learn about and discuss the use of citizen science for research on music performance and music cognition.

Cursive to Data: Collaborative Transcription and Natural History

Ben Brumfield (FromThePage), Sara Brumfield (FromThePage)
One live session: Wednesday, 12 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Participants will explore crowdsourced transcription approaches in the natural sciences, by working together to transcribe and tag natural history documents, then setting up their own project on FromThePage.


Bundle B.10

Identifying and Articulating Hidden and Critical Observational Subskills in Your Citizen Science Project

Veronica Del Bianco (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (AL)), Cathlyn Stylinski (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (AL)), Tina Phillips (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology), Karen Peterman (Karen Peterman Consulting, Co.), Rachel Becker-Klein (Two Roads Consulting), Andrea Grover (University of Nebraska at Omaha)
Two live sessions: Tuesday, 18 May, 1:30-3pm ET // Tuesday, 25 May, 1:30-3pm ET
Whether identifying species or tabulating astronomic noise, observation is a key skill that many citizen science projects expect volunteers to perform. But what are the specific subskills necessary to make accurate observations? Not clearly articulating these subskills and the assumptions made about volunteers’ subskill proficiency can lead to frustrated volunteers, erroneous data, and poor alignment with education and science goals. In this workshop, you will work with other attendees to reveal hidden and critical subskills embedded in your project’s overarching observation skill, and examine how those subskills are (or are not) reflected in your protocols, training, evaluation, and reporting.

Peatlands, sense of self & the natural world

Poppy Bagwell (RE-PEAT), Bethany Copsey (RE-PEAT)
One live session: Wednesday, 19 May, 12-1:30pm ET
In this session, we’ll give an introduction to peatlands and their importance. We will use them as the basis for people to gain a greater appreciation of the natural world and their place within it. The workshop will include multiple interactive mediums, such as making your own ‘peat’ ball, reading and reflection questions, photography, virtual field-trips and water-content experiments. Sensory experience will be a focus of the entire session, including touch, sound, sight, vestibular and proprioception. We believe knowledge and understanding of these elements is a vital first step towards engaging in citizen science.

Lessons learned from co-created projects – what not to do

Sarah West (SEI York, University of York), Rachel Pateman (SEI York, University of York), Diane Archer (SEI Asia), Cassilde Muhoza (SEI Africa), Alison Dyke (SEI York, University of York)
One live session: Wednesday, 26 May, 12-1:30pm ET
This is a space to share experiences of doing co-created projects, prompting honest conversations about what has worked and what hasn’t. The facilitators will draw on our experiences in different countries (UK, Thailand and Kenya), in both online and in-person projects and covering a range of topics (including environmental and health related issues). We hope that those new to running co-created projects and those more experienced will be able to learn from each other.


Bundle B.11

Effective Communication for Policy Impact

George Wyeth (Environmental Law Institute), Shaun Goho (Harvard Law School Environmental Law Clinic), Lea Shanley (International Computer Science Institute), Amy Johnson (Attorney, Portland OR)
Two live sessions: Tuesday, 18 May, 1:30-3pm ET // Tuesday, 25 May, 1:30-3pm ET
Citizen science can be a powerful tool for influencing government decisions and actions. This workshop will build skills for communicating effectively on issues of public concern, with government officials in a variety of scenarios – from filing public comments on rules or policies, briefing public officials and testifying at public hearings on matters such as permits, zoning and siting. It will include training on how to communicate complex scientific information to more general audiences, and on how to design citizen science research to be impactful. The program will include a mix of training, discussion of personal experiences and interactive sessions in which participants can practice the skills that have been discussed.

NEWSERA, the science of communication in citizen science projects

Rosa Arias (Science for Change), Cristina Luis (FC.ID)
One live session: Wednesday, 19 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Most citizen science projects want to primarily reach citizens, however, many are also aimed at different stakeholders. But do the communication actions used in citizen science projects correctly address their target(s)? Do citizen science practitioners understand and use the appropriate channels to get to the different stakeholders? Can citizen science be a way to build a more active and critical scientific communication? In this workshop you will experience and discover what a NEWSERA #CitSciComm Lab is! Through these labs, run under NEWSERA project, communication strategies are co-designed to obtain a greater impact and reach more effectively the target audiences of citizen science projects.


Bundle B.12

Test Hackathon: Tackling challenges together for Citizen Observatories

Karen Soacha (Institute of Marine Sciences, Spanish Research Council, ICM-CSIC Open University of Catalonia), Jaume Piera (Institute of Marine Sciences, Spanish Research Council, ICM-CSIC), Sonia Liñán (Institute of Marine Sciences, Spanish Research Council, ICM-CSIC), Ángela Bustamante (Ecological and Forestry Applications Research Centre), Silvina Frucella (Science for Change), The technological team of Cos4Cloud will be supporting the event, more information in: https://cos4cloud-eosc.eu/
One live session: Tuesday, 18 May, 1:30-3pm ET
Citizen observatories (COs) have become a hub for managing citizen science knowledge. At various scales -local, regional, global- and in multiple disciplines from environmental monitoring to public health conditions, COs support the collection, storage, opening and use of data and information. As technological platforms, COs face multiple challenges and demands from the user community who expect functional and advanced technological development. We invited citizen science practitioners, researchers, developers, amateurs, and the whole community involved in citizen observatories to actively participate in a hackathon to test technological improvements for citizen observatories that are being developed by the Cos4Cloud project.

Get it together: data collaborations from singular to systems

Peder Nelson (Oregon State University), Heather Fischer (Oregon State University), Michael Jabot (State University of New York at Fredonia)
One live session: Wednesday, 19 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Citizen Science projects range in topics from human health, species observations, earth systems, atmosphere, and space. With these myriad programs, citizen science data has become prevalent. This workshop aims to leverage the vast and varied data collected from citizen science programs to foster data sharing and transfer collaborations between a diverse group of citizen science data managers and practitioners. Sharing and combining individual datasets facilitates more complex system-level research questions to be addressed through citizen science. This workshop guides you through best practices for stewardship of your own data and also effectively engaging other complimentary citizen science datasets and projects.

Game-based Workshop: Enhancing the Educational Quality of CS Activities with Learning Design

Elisha Anne Teo (Aalborg University and The INOS Project), Evangelia Triantafyllou (Aalborg University and The INOS Project)
One live session: Tuesday, 25 May, 1:30-3pm ET
Many Citizen Science (CS) activities aim to be educational for citizens, but this outcome is often more challenging than expected. How are educational CS activities designed? This game-based workshop takes participants through important pedagogical decisions, phase by phase when organising CS. With dice, participants build a unique CS activity scenario consisting of challenges that are prevalent and overlooked in CS. The aim is to develop an activity that is educational, impactful and inclusive. Through this workshop by The INOS Project, participants learn key principles in CS learning design, practice applying this knowledge, and explore strategies for challenges in CS learning.

How can you find optimal synergies between humans and technology in citizen science projects?

Janet Rafner (ScienceAtHome, Centre for Hybrid Intelligence, Aarhus University ), Jacob Sherson (ScienceAtHome, Center for Hybrid Intelligence, Aarhus University), Gitte Kragh (ScienceAtHome, Center for Hybrid Intelligence, Aarhus University ), Mirek Gajdacz (ScienceAtHome, Center for Hybrid Intelligence, Aarhus University)
One live session: Wednesday, 26 May, 12pm-1:30pm ET
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on the rise in all areas of life, including in citizen science (CS) where it can help to solve a problem and/or influence participant behavior. But how do you integrate AI into a CS project while valuing both scientific productivity and human agency? In this workshop we discuss the factors to consider when evaluating how to optimally leverage technology in a CS project, give examples of how AI and other cutting edge technology is used in some prominent projects and provide guidelines for technological solutions in projects of interest.


Bundle B.13

“How clean’s the air here compared to there?” Citizens analysing air quality

Tom Cole-Hunter (Visiting Fellow, International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH); Advisor, Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health (World Health Organisation)), Lidia Morawska (Director and Professor, ILAQH (World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre)), Vicki Clifton (Professor, Mater Research and Translational Research Institute (MRI)), Kym Rae (Associate Professor and Principal Research Fellow, Indigenous Health (MRI)), Gunther Paul (Ergonomist and Principal Research Fellow, Occupational Health and Safety, Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine)
One live session: Wednesday, 19 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Our workshop introduces examples of data, tools and theory to participate (collaborate) in scientific research on air quality, with the aim to increase citizen scientific skillsets. This workshop is timely as recent bushfires and COVID-19 have both substantially affected air quality, and provoked a strong interest in climate change, health and inequality issues, on a global scale. We can take advantage of the current public and political will for change, through initiatives addressing these inter-related challenges. Our workshop is for anyone interested in how air quality affects our health, lifestyles and wellbeing; and conversely, how our lifestyles affect air quality.

Designing Community Science Projects with Data Reliability in Mind

Margaret Gaddis (University of Colorado – Colorado Springs)
Three live sessions: Tuesday, 18 May, 1:30-3pm ET // Tuesday, 25 May, 1:30-3pm ET // Wednesday, 26 May, 12pm-1:30pm ET
This workshop will describe the ways in which organizations and individuals can engage in scientific monitoring that educates the participants and provides reliable data for use in scientific publication. We will map out the steps for authentic scientific engagements in the realms of ecological and water monitoring. In these times, it is the responsibility of all people to monitor the health and safety of environments and waterways. Growing grassroots programming requires consensus building from the start and backwards design throughout project ideation. At the end of the session, participants will leave with a solid plan for enacting their monitoring plans involving qualitative and/or quantitative data collection.


Bundle B.14:

Community Coding: a Different Approach to Research Evaluation Through Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Luna Castelli (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), Yao A. Foli, Karen Kitchen, Jay Williams, Ernest Dixon, José Miguel Hernandez, Phyllis Turner, Jared Bailey, Owen Sullian, Mira Kudva, Nandi Ndoro, Alycia Basquiat, Marilú López Fretts, Karen Purcell (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Three live sessions: Tuesday, 18 May, 1:30-3pm ET // Tuesday, 25 May, 1:30-3pm ET // Wednesday, 26 May, 12pm-1:30pm ET
It is our belief that science is better when community wisdom and voices are included at every step of the research process. This workshop will highlight how our project has carried out qualitative coding within an equitable framework that includes diverse voices from underrepresented groups in the sciences. Our interview data speaks to the challenges, barriers, and opportunities for equitable collaborations between science institutions and community organizations. Our team will present on the value of community perspectives in the coding process of this data, share our co-created community coding process, and present the preliminary findings of AISL NSF funded research.

Broadening Participation in Citizen and Community Science through a Storytelling-based Learning Cycle

Katie Spellman (University of Alaska Fairbanks), Christine Villano (CV Education), Elena Sparrow (University of Alaska Fairbanks), Douglas Cost (University of Alaska Fairbanks)
One live session: Wednesday, 19 May, 12pm-1:30pm ET
The use of storytelling in science education has been promoted as a way to increase enthusiasm, interest, knowledge retention and cultural relevance. This hands-on workshop will engage participants in classroom and community learning activities for embedding citizen and community science in a storytelling-based learning cycle model. We share results on how it is impacting learning and engagement across diverse participants in Alaska in our berry-focused project. You will leave this workshop with experience and lesson plans for community story landscapes, story-boarding science experiences, and scenarios storytelling with data that can be adapted to any age level or environmental science project.


Bundle B.15

Using Phenomenon-Based Bundles Through The GLOBE Program To Facilitate Student Research Projects

Kevin Czajkowski (University of Toledo), Christi Buffington (University of Alaska – Fairbanks), David Padgett (Tennessee State University), David Bydlowski (Wayne Regional Education Service Agency), Jennifer Bourgeault (US GLOBE Office)
One live session: Tuesday, 18 May, 1:30-3pm ET
In this workshop, participants will be introduced to GLOBE phenomenon bundles showcasing the Question Formulation Technique that guides educators and students through the development of a good research question. The GLOBE Program, an well established, international program, has organized its protocols into nine phenomenon-based bundles including: urban, ENSO, water quality and mosquitos. Phenomenon bundles are a way to organize content to facilitate citizen science research. Environmental justice linking local community members, K-12 teachers and students to do both GLOBE citizen science investigations and environmental stewardship projects on local climate change impacts will also be a focus.

Youth learning and agency: An evidence-led approach to enhancing learning outcomes for young people

Lucy Robinson (Natural History Museum London), Heidi Ballard (University of California, Davis), Lila Higgins (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County), Alison Young (California Academy of Sciences), Christothea Herodotou (Open University, UK), Maryam Ghadiri Khanaposhtani, University of California, Davis; Ana Benavides-Lahnstein, Natural History Museum, London. Live workshop facilitators: Rebecca Johnson, California Academy of Sciences; Annie Miller, California Academy of Sciences; Maria Aristeidou, Open University; Jessica Wardlaw, Natural History Museum London; Grant Miller, University of Oxford UK; Victoria Burton, Natural History Museum London; Nashwa Ismail, Open University.
One live session: Wednesday, 19 May, 12-1:30pm ET
What and how do young people learn when they take part in citizen science? Which design features enhance learning outcomes for youth, and develop youths’ sense of agency that they can take action on environmental issues they care about? What does ‘agency’ look like? This workshop shares the findings and recommendations of the four year LEARN CitSci international research project, exploring online, field-based and event-based citizen science. We share learning theories that will help attendees to understand and study youth participation and learning in their own programs, and our practical evidence-based recommendations for project design to enhance outcomes for youth.

Young People Are Scientists: Youth Voice and Data Collection

Porsche Ray (EarthEcho International), Greyson Graham (EarthEcho Water Challenge Ambassador), Claire Cohenuram (EarthEcho Water Challenge Ambassador), Jacob Apodaca (Lower Colorado River Authority), Jenn Page (Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership)
One live session: Tuesday, 25 May, 1:30-3pm ET
The EarthEcho Water Challenge is designed to equip participants with the tools need to tackle the global water crisis starting in their local communities. Through the program, participants test their local water quality, share their data in the global EarthEcho Water Challenge online database, and use this data to influence and inform actions to protect their local water resources. The goal of this workshop is to identify ways to better engage youth, support them with data collection, and action projects. Participants will be able to talk with expert panelist to discuss water quality issues or solutions, complete a data analysis activity in breakout rooms, and lastly learn more about the EarthEcho Water Challenge Program.


Bundle B.16

From surveillance monitoring to participatory community science

Peter Donovan (Soil Carbon Coalition)
Two live sessions: Tuesday, 18 May, 1:30-3pm ET // Tuesday, 25 May, 1:30-3pm ET
“What we observe is not nature in itself,” wrote physicist Werner Heisenberg, “but nature exposed to our method of questioning.” Join Peter Donovan, creator of soilhealth.app, for a tour and discussion of a citizen-science design that enables bigger questions toward a shared, site-specific local intelligence on carbon cycling, water cycling, and economics. This workshop is for those interested in:
– adapting citizen science toward systemic local opportunities: climate resilience,
economic resilience, and watershed function
– empowering diverse participants to ask new questions and make and record
practical, repeatable, site-specific observations and measurements about
system functions

Community Science Catalyst: Increasing diversity, and sharing resources and needs of water resources-related community science programs

Kris Stepenuck (University of Vermont and Lake Champlain Sea Grant), Dani Dilullo (Louisiana Sea Grant), Na’Taki Osborne Jelks (West Atlanta Watershed Alliance), Jay Benforado (US EPA), Nicole Herman-Mercer (USGS), (some will be presenters and some will be conversation facilitators) Edda Mutter, PhD, Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council; Hillary Burgess, NOAA; John McLaughlin, NOAA; Laura Oremland, NOAA; Shari Barash, US EPA; Susan Holdsworth, US EPA; Jennifer Rapp, USGS; Sophia Liu, USGS; Demi Gary, US EPA
One live session: Wednesday, 26 May, 12pm-1:30pm ET
Help EPA, NOAA, and USGS and partners enhance diversity of participation and address water resources-related (e.g., water, aquatic life, habitat) challenges through community science (CS) by participating in interactive conversations to identify:
-existing resources, best practices and efforts to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in CS;
-water-related data needs and barriers to using volunteer-collected data;
databases and apps that collect and store water-related CS data; and
-interest in and training opportunities to share data, resources and best practices. We encourage participation from a diverse suite of knowledge, cultures, races, genders, abilities, ages and geographies.


Bundle B.17

Hearts in the Ice and Resilience Through Extreme Citizen Science: Building Skills With Explorers, Educators, and Scientists to Empower Change in an Uncertain World

Elizabeth MacDonald (Aurorasaurus/NASA), Allison Cusick (FjordPhyto/Scripps Institute of Oceanography), Laura Brandt (Aurorasaurus/NASA/New Mexico Consortium). Full list includes: Kim Holmen or Jon Aars, Norwegian Polar Institute; Arek Saczuk, BCIT, drone imaging; Marile Colon Robles, GLOBE/NASA; Verena Meraldi, Hurtigruten; Joe Grabowski, Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants YouTube educational platform; Sven Sundgaard, meteorologist; Polar Citizen Science Collective representatives
Two live sessions: Tuesday, 18 May, 1:30-3pm ET // Tuesday, 25 May, 1:30-3pm ET
Hilde Fålun Strøm and Sunniva Sorby are world-class explorers and citizen scientists—and the first women to overwinter alone in Svalbard, Norway. Their ongoing initiative, Hearts in the Ice, centers on multiple citizen science projects and climate change awareness. They collect and analyze high-quality data and deliver outreach programs via virtual education platforms and cutting-edge satellite phone connections. Their radically innovative, extreme, place-based work covers subjects ranging from wildlife to auroras to phytoplankton. Strøm’s and Sorby’s lessons for our changing world transcend disciplinary silos. Learn from their story, hear from the scientists involved, and build skills to apply to our own extreme times.

Project Harvest: Building a transdisciplinary, bilingual community science program to advance environmental health in underserved communities

Monica Ramirez-Andreotta (University of Arizona Department of Environmental Science), Shana Sandhaus (University of Arizona Department of Environmental Science), Flor Sandoval (Sonora Environmental Research Institute), Jean McLain (University of Arizona Department of Environmental Science), Aminata Kilungo (University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health), Rob Root (University of Arizona Department of Environmental Science) Leif Abrell (University of Arizona Department of Environmental Science), Sanlyn Buxner (University of Arizona College of Education), Dorsey Kaufmann (University of Arizona Department of Environmental Science), Imelda Cortez (Sonora Environmental Research Institute), Margaret Dewey (University of Arizona Department of Environmental Science), Theresa Foley (Sonora Environmental Research Institute), Palmira Henriquez (Sonora Environmental Research Institute), Miriam Jones (University of Arizona Department of Environmental Science), Lisa Ochoa (University of Arizona Department of Environmental Science)
One live session: Wednesday, 19 May, 12-1:30pm ET
Project Harvest (PH) is an Arizona-based community science program that has evaluated the quality of both harvested rainwater and irrigated soil and plants since 2016. Our primary goals are to improve environmental health, literacy, and decision-making through co-producing environmental quality data and diverse data sharing practices. We will use PH as a case study to highlight how to build transdisciplinary teams and develop bilingual peer education to engage communities in rural and urban areas. We will share our bilingual training and data sharing tools and resources, while discussing our “lessons learned”, governance and communication strategies, and place-based and artistically informed data sharing practices. Presenters will lead interactive and inquiry-based activities using Google Jamboard. Participants will be asked to reflect and develop environmental health mental maps based on their current perceptions and social disposition. Continuing with our virtual hands-on activities using the Google Jamboards, participants will now be prompted to complete sticky notes to explore explore novel ways to engage diverse audiences.The tools and activities presented can be generalizable and used by other community science teams.

Citizen science in fragile contexts

Petra Benyei (Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals – Autonomous University of Barcelona), Artemis Skarlatidou (University College, London), Dimitris Argyriou (Forest and Peoples Organization), Rick Hall (Ignite! – Nottingham UK), Nerea Turreira-Garcia, IFRO-University of Copenhagen; Ida Theilade, IFRO – University of Copenhagen (), Artemis Skarlatidou (University College London), Dimitris Argyriou (Forest & Peoples Organization), Rick Hall (Ignite! – Nottingham UK), Nerea Turreira-García (IFRO – University of Copenhagen), Ida Theilade (IFRO – University of Copenhagen)
One live session: Wednesday, 26 May, 12pm-1:30pm ET
In this workshop we are trying to uncover and discuss the characteristics of citizen science in “fragile contexts” (as opposed to citizen science projects in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic contexts). Based on pre-identified themes stemming from our dialogue with15 projects (asynchronous materials), workshop participants will discuss the concept/framework, methodologies, impact and challenges of this type of citizen science activities. We aim to gain insights from current/past projects but also to collectively define the idea of fragility in citizen science and share how the discussed themes might apply in workshop participants’ own projects