Citizen Science Society

In 2016, amateur aurora watchers working for the Citizen Science project Aurorasaurus discovered a brand new atmospheric phenomenon know known as "STEVE". And in 2020 amateur astronomers working with NASA's Sungrazers Citizen Science project discovered the 4, 000th comet orbiting our sun! These are only two examples of many exciting discoveries made by amateur scientists and students, made possible by the growing field of Citizen Science. What is Citizen Science, you ask? 

Citizen Science is a wonderful opportunity for young learners on a possible career track in science and technology to actively participate and learn science hands-on! As inventor Elon Musk once said, "teach to the problem, not to the tool". In this twice-weekly, ongoing educational club, students will be introduced to the concept of Citizen Science which is a growing field of opportunity for the wider public (children included) to participate in scientific research. Rapid advancements in computer and internet technologies over the past ten years have given rise to a plethora of opportunities and important websites, platforms, and initiatives in the growing field of citizen science.  

Students will learn the following:
1. a brief history of the field of citizen science; 
2. some of the most exciting and important discoveries made in recent years;
3. the best and most secure platforms/websites/organizations with which to work; and
4. how to locate suitable projects based on age, interests, and impact; 

In addition to the above learning goals, students will be expected to actively work on projects together, in class and outside of class time. Our collective teamwork in class will ensure students understand how the process works and will be able to continue working independently outside of class. 

Finally, we will also discuss how to use the experience gained in furtherance of educational networking, building a resume of extracurricular activities, and how to locate and apply for educational grants and scholarships.  


Due to the variability of projects offered at any time and the interests of particular students the projects that are chosen to focus on will be determined together as a class.

First Week of the Month: 
We will discuss the concept of Citizen Science including a definition, a brief history, and why it is important. We will also look at some of the most exciting discoveries of recent years 

Second Week of the Month: 
In our second week, we will create profiles on various Citizen Science SItes including Zooinverse, National Geographic, Aurorasauras, NASA, and many more. Once everyone is registered, as a group, we will choose from the available projects and work with this project for the next several weeks. 

Third Week of the Month:
We will continue our work from the previous weeks and study our progress and discuss our reactions to the work. This will allow us to better determine the best projects based on our individual class goals and interests. 

Fourth Week of the Month: 
In our final week of the month, we will attempt to finish our projects. We will also discuss our experience, and share what we have learned and discovered. This is also a great time for students to bring forth questions, suggestions, and any Citizen Science project they have discovered on their own that they wish to share with the rest of the group. 

The first week of the Second Month:
We will begin our second month as we did the first but focusing on different details, websites, and discoveries so that both new and old students will be engaged and interested. We will follow the same cycle as the previous month, but with shifting topics depending on what is available in the Citizen Science community.