
Improve Your Project Communications by Thinking Like a Scientist
Participatory science project leaders wear a lot of hats. And one of the most underappreciated, and frustrating to some, roles is that of a communicator.
Welcome to the AAPS resource center. This page will help direct you to helpful tools, guidance, and information, whether you are a researcher, facilitator, project leader, educator, practitioner, or participant. Curated resources reflect contributions of AAPS Groups, partners, and collaborators.
Draw from the collective knowledge of the participatory sciences community. These resources were created or curated by field leaders in AAPS Groups or through AAPS partnerships. Enrich your research, grow your subject area expertise, and find connections to others with related interests.
In-depth webinars featuring leading experts in the field are one way the AAPS engages participatory science practitioners. These webinars share tools, tips, and reflections that highlight best practices and emerging issues. Webinars are hosted in conjunction with working groups and organizational members.

Explore resources available for using citizen science in higher education, such as the USE Cit Sci Network and a Higher Education tutorial on SciStarter.

Leaders from multiple federal agencies discuss funding opportunities. Each panelist shares where citizen science fits in their agency’s strategy the supporting agency.

NOAA recently released a Citizen Science Strategy that outlines a path for the agency to engage the public in support of key mission areas.
Comparing ideas before designing a new project? Searching for a project to share with your community or classroom? Want to get involved yourself? Start with a search of the SciStarter Project Finder. This dynamic gateway offers the most comprehensive review of diverse research activities from environmental monitoring to health studies.

Participatory science project leaders wear a lot of hats. And one of the most underappreciated, and frustrating to some, roles is that of a communicator.

We think you’ll likely agree that what we do in our field is exciting and rewarding—informal learning via participatory sciences opens up so many diverse

Note: 2025 has brought unprecedented changes to the US federal funding landscape for scientific research, including participatory sciences. While the information below was accurate at

Back in 2021, we produced a series of events for NASA citizen science project leaders focused on citizen science project design, and more specifically, website

Did you know there are ~30 platforms hosting participatory science projects? A new resource on our website provides a useful table and set of questions to help

Shop CSA’s favorite titles on our Bookshop.org store, a site that provides dividends for independent sellers and non-profits. Curious about this field and want to

by Kasantha Moodley, Manager, Environmental Law Institute Innovation Lab, for the Law and Policy Working Group. Environmental agencies are increasingly transforming their approach to citizen

By Muki Haklay, Lea Shanley, Anna Berti Suman, Sven Schade, Dorte Riemenschneider, Nora Salas Seoane, Rosa Arias, and Simone Reufenacht for the Law and Policy

CSA works to foster connections that sustain the field of citizen science. We created this member interview series as a mini-mentorship opportunity to connect early

Want to make a career of citizen science, but not sure how? Let’s learn from the experiences of those building careers in this dynamic field.

Thinking about adding a citizen science component to your higher ed course? The following videos may help get you started. These events were designed to

Want to make a career of citizen science, but not sure how? Let’s learn from the experience of those who have successfully built a career
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???? Data Ethics – Refers to trustworthy data practices for citizen science.
Get involved » Join the Data Ethics Topic Room on CSA Connect!
???? Publication Ethics – Refers to the best practice in the ethics of scholarly publishing.
Get involved » Join the Publication Ethics Topic Room on CSA Connect!
⚖️ Social Justice Ethics – Refers to fair and just relations between the individual and society as measured by the distribution of wealth, opportunities for personal activity, and social privileges. Social justice also encompasses inclusiveness and diversity.
Get involved » Join the Social Justice Topic Room on CSA Connect!
???? Human Subject Ethics – Refers to rules of conduct in any research involving humans including biomedical research, social studies. Note that this goes beyond human subject ethics regulations as much of what goes on isn’t covered.
Get involved » Join the Human Subject Ethics Topic Room on CSA Connect!
???? Biodiversity & Environmental Ethics – Refers to the improvement of the dynamics between humans and the myriad of species that combine to create the biosphere, which will ultimately benefit both humans and non-humans alike [UNESCO 2011 white paper on Ethics and Biodiversity]. This is a kind of ethics that is advancing rapidly in light of the current global crisis as many stakeholders know how critical biodiversity is to the human species (e.g., public health, women’s rights, social and environmental justice).
⚠ UNESCO also affirms that respect for biological diversity implies respect for societal and cultural diversity, as both elements are intimately interconnected and fundamental to global well-being and peace. (Source).
Get involved » Join the Biodiversity & Environmental Ethics Topic Room on CSA Connect!
???? Community Partnership Ethics – Refers to rules of engagement and respect of community members directly or directly involved or affected by any research study/project.
Get involved » Join the Community Partnership Ethics Topic Room on CSA Connect!
