By Prabhroop Kaur

ABSTRACT

Imagine a world where everyone, no matter their professional background, can drive groundbreaking scientific discoveries. Welcome to the era of Citizen Science (“CS”), where traditional research boundaries expand, inviting everyday individuals to actively participate in the scientific process. In this landscape, passionate amateurs and experts alike contribute valuable insights, data, and observations. By gathering diverse perspectives and collective intelligence, Citizen Science transforms how research is conducted, making science more inclusive and accessible. This article uncovers how citizens can be used for environmental action and social impact.

INTRODUCTION:

‘Citizen Science’ (CS) presents a transformative approach to scientific research by involving volunteers who are not professionally engaged in the field. This creates a win-win situation for those who are conducting research as well as those who are a part of it, by fostering widespread engagement. Like authentic research projects, Citizen Science projects need to define a clear and structured objective as they engage people who might not be familiar with the field of study. The clarity of Citizen Science projects enables effective participation, leading to transparent and responsive research practices within society.  

In CS, “citizens” are referred to as those who participate in experiments and collaborate with scientists across different stages of the scientific process, primarily focusing on data collection, which is most common among CS projects. However, the level of citizen engagement can also vary and is categorized into “contributory/participatory, collaborative, and co-created projects”. When citizens interact with scientists within the bounds of a protocol that is ideally designed for data collection and analysis, it is known as contributory citizen science. Collaborative projects empower participants to adjust protocols, draw conclusions and suggest research directions. The third category of co-created projects has maximum involvement from society wherein participants can engage in all aspects of the scientific process including project design and development.

Understanding what drives citizen engagement in these projects is crucial. Research has shown that people are motivated by the opportunity to contribute to genuine scientific endeavours and solve real-world problems. Additionally, personal interest in specific topics plays a significant role in sustaining involvement.

As we confront complex global challenges, Citizen Science stands out as a tool that not only advances research but also reshapes education. Integrating Citizen Science into the curriculum bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, equipping students for a world where science thrives on collaboration and dynamic problem-solving. Additionally, platforms that merge CS with environmental stewardship are gaining importance, highlighting the significant impact of engaging communities in meaningful scientific and conservation efforts.

CITIZEN SCIENCE IN MODERN EDUCATION 

In today’s constantly changing world, the educational landscape is also bound to change. While our current educational system prepares students with a wealth of knowledge, the question is often raised: to what extent does this translate into actionable solutions to the problems confronting society?

Given this debate, researchers often use the term ‘Education 4.0’, which refers to the impact of the fourth industrial revolution on education. It is viewed as an adaptable system, incorporating advanced technologies and unique teaching methods into the system. Overall, it represents a paradigm shift in education, towards a more democratized learning experience where the teacher and student work together in collaboration to create a valued knowledge system.

Incorporating Citizen Science aligns with this shift toward openness and adaptability. A key benefit is its ability to foster interdisciplinarity and complex thinking skills among students. Given that many of today’s problems are multi-faceted, thinking and collaborating across boundaries is essential. Citizen Science goes beyond simple data collection; it empowers students to actively engage in scientific research, design and develop their own projects, and adopt a collaborative approach. This process not only enhances hands-on learning but also prepares students to address complex challenges in innovative ways

One such effort to integrate Citizen Science into the college curriculum took place in a university, wherein the effectiveness of incorporating the same was studied. Students were told to collect arthropod data for an iNaturalist project (an online portal for biodiversity) in the spring semester. The following semester, they had to analyse the observations or identify plants using the iNaturalist’s Seek app. Pre and Post assignment surveys were used to assess students’ motivation, interest and environmental stewardship. The findings demonstrated significant improvements in learning outcomes and provided a meaningful educational experience. This suggests that, when implemented systematically, Citizen Science has the potential to impact the educational landscape positively.

CITIZEN SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP 

eBird:

eBird is a collaborative platform developed by Cornell Lab. It allows citizens to submit data about birds that are seen anywhere / at any time. The obtained data is recorded every month into a central database at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Volunteers are allowed to submit a variety of information including the location where they spotted the bird and the number of individuals spotted. To ensure the authenticity of the data by managing a team of hundreds of editors around the world, they control the fields that are present in the data and check for accuracy.

Chicago Wildlife Watch:

Aimed at conserving and understanding urban wildlife in the Chicago area, the Chicago Wildlife Watch is another interesting Citizen Science project. The project is a collaboration between Zooniverse and Lincoln Park Zoo. It allows users to upload pictures of urban wildlife found in the backyards of Chicago. The purpose of the project is to help scientists understand which species make their homes in Chicago’s backyards. By engaging the public in such activities, the project also helps spread awareness about the role that urban areas can play in conservation. 

Conker Tree Science Project:

This was another conservation-based citizen science project that was set up to investigate the expanse of the horse chestnut tree in the UK. The tree was under threat from the leaf-mining moth. Thus, the project was designed to engage the public in collecting data about the distribution of the moth. One distinctive feature of the project was the use of real-time data through mobile and smartphone technologies, enhancing its effectiveness and reach.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AIDING CITIZEN SCIENCE:

It is now established that Citizen Science increases data collection by engaging audiences across barriers and longer timeframes. This brings in a variety of new perspectives, spotting patterns that might be missed by the scientific community. Thereby fostering the interest of society, however, CS also faces limitations in the process – at times, the data collected by the participants might have inconsistencies as it is added by people from around the globe. Due to the large volume of data collected, structuring it can sometimes be challenging. This is where Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) tools have the potential to come in – AI tools can analyse complex datasets, and identify patterns that might be missed by ordinary methods. This will not only expedite the process but also allow scientists to focus on the problem rather than technical glitches.  Apart from this, AI can also facilitate participants across various geographical regions by giving them a platform to communicate, collaborate and share progress more systemically.

HOW CAN BUSINESSES LEVERAGE CITIZEN SCIENCE?

Some Multinational companies are also aligning their CSR policies with Citizen Science principles of open-source collaboration. For instance, IBM (International Business Machines) Corporation, a global IT and outsourcing company, launched an initiative named, “Call for Code” that encouraged users to create open-source technology solutions that addressed societal needs. This was remodelled during the COVID-19 wave which resulted in the creation of a chatbot that provided accurate information about the virus and connected volunteers with healthcare professionals.

IBM’s technology-driven corporate social responsibility initiatives have improved the company’s standing as a sustainable and ethical enterprise while also enabling it to tackle urgent societal issues. The organisation’s dedication to using technology to promote positive change has enhanced business performance. This is a prime example of how businesses can leverage Citizen Science to their benefit to strengthen social impact and raise stakeholder participation.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, from the arguments of this essay, we can establish that Citizen Science is a valuable instrument for community participation and scientific inquiry because of its many benefits. The primary benefit is its ability to gather large amounts of data, something that is difficult to accomplish using traditional methods. Additionally, by incorporating people in scientific research and encouraging a sense of empowerment and ownership over scientific information, Citizen Science raises public awareness and educates the public. This inclusive nature of the approach can improve ties within the community and foster a more impactful problem-solving mechanism. Citizen science does, however, have certain restrictions and possible drawbacks. It can be difficult to maintain quality control and data accuracy since participants’ backgrounds, abilities, and procedure compliance can differ. Strong data validation procedures and participant training programmes are necessary to guarantee data validity and reliability. That being said, the overall potential of Citizen Science to enhance scientific research and community engagement makes it a promising approach, provided that challenges are effectively managed and mitigated. 

A part of this article was written during the “community based conservation” course.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Prabhroop Kaur is a third year student originally enrolled as a BScstudent at the Jindal School of Environment and Sustainability.However, is currently on a semester exchange program at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA.  A nature lover by birth, she enjoys creating content and spreading awareness about sustainable development through various channels. Being the proud owner of an upcycling venture, she has been able to cultivate a broad, like minded audience passionate about a sustainable future. 

Image credits: Bridger Teton NF – Flickr