Citizen Science

Citizen Science

The AREN Project is committed to increasing public engagement in citizen science.  Citizen science can be defined as the involvement of the public in scientific research.  The National Science Foundation published an article demonstrating how Citizen Science can change the world.

NASA's Earth Science Mission Directorate provides many opportunities for public involvement in NASA's science and technology programs.  The GLOBE Program also offers many opportunities for public involvement through the use of the GLOBE Observer App.  You can learn more about the GLOBE Observer App, especially the clouds component, by listening to the embedded podcast.

 

"Citizen science has blossomed as a way to engage a broad range of individuals in doing science. Citizen science projects focus on "nonscientists" participating in the processes of scientific research, with the goal of advancing and using scientific knowledge. These projects enlist individuals and communities in a wide range of science-related endeavors, from counting particular species in the environment to monitoring for contaminants in streams to categorizing the structure of galaxies."

Citizen science is uniquely positioned to support participants' learning about science, says Learning Through Citizen Science: Enhancing Opportunities by Design, a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The report identifies ways that citizen science projects can be designed to effectively support learning. The report also recommends areas for research in order to advance understanding and practice.