Reaching (and retaining) Broader Audiences in Citizen Science.

Abstract:

Individuals come to citizen science from different perspectives and preferences, and engage in a wide range of projects from data collection to public policy (Irwin 1995, Bonney et al. 2009a). Many participate exclusively online in crowdsourcing projects such as Galaxy Zoo, Fold-It, and Eyewire. Hundreds of thousands gather data on-the-ground for academic andcommunity research projects led by scientists at universities, government agencies/NGOs, and nonprofits. Untold others initiate their own projects in response to local environmental and health issues. All types of citizen science endeavors face challenges around data access and management, around relationships with scientists and project managers, and around making their scientific accomplishments visible as they accumulate over time. Among the most universal and ongoing challenges for all types of citizen science, however, “is attracting and retaining enough participants to make achievement of project goals possible.” (Crowston and Prestopnik

One known reason for this issue is the reality that individual projects and project types exist in “silos” – as self-segregated groups with particular shared interests (Dickinson et al. 2010). What efforts can be made in digital infrastructures and community building efforts to enable the unprecedented ability to support and retain diverse types of citizen science participation and data exchange between communities? How do we support participation in, and management of, multiple projects; continuity in, and sharing of, a broad and accessible citizen science community; and related social components?

This presentation will provide a brief overview of the known barriers to this "utopia" and a snapshot of efforts underway to address many of these barriers.