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by Julie Hecht Hello! Yes, you there! You! Yes you! The one standing there pointing at yourself. Yes, I mean you. I know all about you, well, all three of you: You are a graduate student who has said “YES!” to 5+ years of research. You are strapped for time and honestly surprised you’re even reading this post. Your floor is covered with research papers, Methods sections and draft Introductions. Open on your laptop are edits to a grant application due yesterday to your supervisor. Your plate is getting more full by the minute. You are an undergrad taking a…

by: Arvind Suresh What: A hands-on meet-up where everyone participates in dreaming up AND building creative tools to improve the field of citizen science! Where: Citizen Science 2015 Conference, San Jose, CA Who: The SciStarter team and YOU! Why: To capitalize on the collective wisdom (and desire to act!) at the Citizen Science Association Conference The inaugural conference of the Citizen Science Association will take place February 11-12 in San Jose, California and the SciStarter team is looking forward to soaking up new information during the scheduled sessions and talks! We'll also contribute to these conversations through a few presentations…

We are pleased to announce that Chris Filardi, Director, Pacific Program, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation (CBC) at the American Museum of Natural History, will be the Keynote Speaker at Citizen Science 2015. Here's a sneak preview of what he will be sharing. A Place in the World – Science, Society, and Reframing the Questions We Ask By: Dr. Chris Filardi The interplay between science and broader society is central to modern life. Citizen science is a natural upshot of this reality. From mariner input into early wind charts that revolutionized trans-oceanic travel, to the Christmas Bird Count or crowd-sourcing…

As an ecologist trained in the auspices of academia, I’ve had the great fortune of traveling to magical places for my research. However, one particular field season had a greater impact on my career than any other. It was the year when I left the comfortable bubble of my scientific team and began putting considerable effort into interacting with the community in which we were working – our hosts. What really surprised me was that just about everybody with whom I spoke had a negative image of us – the researchers. There were several reasons, but the overarching theme was…

Gathering so many passionate advocates for citizen science in one place at one time is a major undertaking. But we are moving down the path to CitSci2015 in San Jose because we are all excited to share ideas, insights, best practices, and enthusiasm so that the field can grow! Who is we? It’s more than 60 volunteers participating on various Citizen Science Association committees and conference working groups. This group includes university researchers, citizen science professionals at nonprofit organizations, teachers, and volunteers who contribute their time to citizen science. It’s all of you who have marked February 11 and 12,…

I’m sure you’re already excited about Citizen Science 2015 (CitSci2015) and the opportunities the gathering will offer both you and the wider citizen science community. By registering early, you can maximize these opportunities. Firstly, early registration will ensure your meeting cost remains low. If your attendance is determined by budget, act now. The more people who are at CitSci2015, the more knowledge will be shared. Everybody wants you there! CitSci2015 is a pre-conference of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and by signing up for our conference you will automatically qualify for the…

by Edd Hind Welcome to your blog! As citizen science practitioners, participants and enthusiasts, you’ll be able to read posts here that let you know about all the most important and interesting developments leading up to the inaugural conference of the Citizen Science Association (CSA) in February, 2015. The Citizen Science 2015 blog will be used to keep you up to date with everything you need to know if you are attending this first gathering of our association, Citizen Science 2015. From logistical updates for participants and speakers, to local knowledge about host city San Jose, plenary speaker profiles, and…