PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Adrien Treuille, Computer Scientist
DATES: Ongoing
What Is Citizen Science?
Research often involves teams of scientists collaborating across continents. Now, using the power of the Internet, non-specialists are participating, too. Citizen Science falls into many categories. A pioneering project was SETI@Home, which has harnessed the idle computing time of millions of participants in the search for extraterrestrial life. Citizen scientists also act as volunteer classifiers of heavenly objects, such as in Galaxy Zoo. They make observations of the natural world, as in The Great Sunflower Project. And they even solve puzzles to design proteins, such as FoldIt. We'll add projects regularly—and please tell us about others you like as well.
Projects
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Technology
Wildlife Tracker
Help scientists study the impacts of habitat fragmentation on wild animals by tagging photos taken by motion-detecting cameras
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Yiwei Wang, PhD candidate DATES: Ongoing -
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LifeScanner
Discover the diversity of living organisms around you and contribute to a global knowledge base on biological diversity
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Sujeevan Ratnasingham, Director of Informatics DATES: Ongoing -
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New England Basking Shark and Ocean Sunfish Project
Help researchers learn about the biology and ecology of the second-largest living fish
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: N/A DATES: Ongoing -
Health
Beach Environmental Assessment, Communication and Health (BEACH) Program
Help monitor the health of Washington State beaches
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Debby Sargeant, BEACH Program Manager DATES: Ongoing -
Space
Globe at Night 2014
Citizen scientists observe and report evidence of light pollution
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: N/A DATES: Ongoing -
Technology
Zooniverse: Operation War Diary
Researchers need help transcribing regimental diaries describing events in the lives of British soldiers during the First World War
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Luke Smith, Digital Lead, First World War Centenary Program DATES: Ongoing -
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National Moth Week 2014
National Moth Week 2014 kicks off July 19 worldwide and offers dozens of opportunities for Citizen Scientists
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: David Moskowitz and Liti Haramaty DATES: Saturday, July 19, 2014 - Sunday, July 27, 2014 -
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iCoast: Did the Coast Change?
Help U.S. Geological Survey scientists study storm aftermaths and coastal changes
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Sophia Liu DATES: Ongoing -
Space
Zooniverse: Sunspotter
Help organize sunspot images in order of complexity to better understand and predict how the Sun's magnetic activity affects the Earth
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Paul Higgins DATES: Ongoing -
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New York Horseshoe Monitoring Network
Help researchers collect data and to acquire biological information on horseshoe crabs in New York’s Marine District
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Matthew Sclafani/John Maniscalo DATES: Ongoing -
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iSeahorse
A tool for improving scientists’ understanding of seahorses and protecting them from overfishing and other threats
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Amanda Vincent DATES: Ongoing -
Technology
Update: EyeWire
Help researchers make the scientific leaps necessary to understand the brain’s higher functions
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Sebastian Seung, professor of computer science DATES: Ongoing -
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Ocean Sampling Day (OSD)
Help marine scientists worldwide study ocean samples taken during the 2014 summer solstice
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Julia Schnetzer, Ph.D. student DATES: Saturday, June 21, 2014 - Saturday, June 21, 2014 -
Energy & Sustainability
Zooniverse: Cyclone Center
Help scientists analyze more than 30 years of tropical cyclone satellite imagery
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: N/A DATES: Ongoing -
Energy & Sustainability
Nerds for Nature: Mt. Diablo Morgan Fire
Citizen scientists help document the recovery of charred Mt. Diablo
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: N/A DATES: Ongoing -
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MySwan (Australia)
Australians can help scientists study black swans living at Albert Park Lake, in the urban heart of Melbourne
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Raoul Mulder, Associate Professor DATES: Ongoing -
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Where's the Elderberry Longhorn Beetle?
Help an evolutionary biologist and entomologist track the declining population of Elderberry Longhorn Beetle
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Dan Duran, Assistant Teaching Professor DATES: Ongoing -
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Mountain Watch
Hikers, families, school groups and conservationists can help scientists make observations along the U.S.’s Eastern Appalachian mountains and other northeast areas
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: Georgia Murray, Staff Scientist DATES: Ongoing -
Technology
Zooniverse Condor Watch
Help researchers better understand the social dynamic of condors by identifying them in photos taken all across California
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PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST: N/A DATES: Ongoing