Citizen science is an exciting, interactive way to bring members of the general public into the scientific discovery process. Through collaboration and discovery, citizen scientists assist professional scientists and researchers in the discovery and collection of data. And, the best part of being a citizen scientist is that you don’t need a lab coat or a science degree, just a willingness to get involved with an area of science or research that inspires you.
The variety of citizen science projects are as wide as your imagination. Help the environment, work on biological studies, take a deep dive into space exploration, or uncover the past through archaeology and paleontology.
All you need to know about being a citizen scientist is:
ANYONE can participate
Your eyes, ears and observations are an important part of the work
Sharing your finds helps scientists in their data collection and allows them to draw conclusions that will be shared with the scientific community and with the public at large
It’s as easy as:
Finding a project
Joining a project
Participating on a project
As a citizen scientist, you have the ability to be part of a big research project that has the potential to change how people view the world. A perfect example is on a paleontology excavation at the Montana Dinosaur Center. The center was founded after a citizen scientist discovered what turned out to be the first dinosaur nests, eggs, and baby dinosaurs in the western hemisphere. This discovery transformed paleontologists' thoughts on how dinosaurs cared for their offspring.
Today, citizen scientists can be a part of this expedition in Montana and at a host of other paleontology and archaeology excavations in the U.S. and around the world.
The month of April is Citizen Science month and it’s the perfect time to think about getting involved in a real way with the work being done by researchers and scientists today.
Happy discovering!
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