Citizen science: calling all science-wannabes!

Do you feel useless when it comes to making real change in the world? Have you decided that collecting data and contributing to research isn’t for you because you chose a business degree or an apprenticeship instead of science?

Fortunately with science becoming increasingly important and valued, scientists are calling on you to help them collect data.

Citizen science projects are an opportunity for the general public to coordinate and progress scientific research. No university degree required. Climate change and water quality studies are major areas of research currently applying citizen science due to the incredible scale of data they require.

An example of such research is the Atlas of Living Australia, an online collaborative database which the general public can contribute sightings of plant and animal species to. All contributions are reviewed before being accepted to ensure quality collection, and the data is used by scientists, environmental planners, conservationists, and many other interested parties. They have currently (August, 2019) pooled 85.3 million sightings across the country.

This type of research is particularly exciting as it boosts community engagement in topical issues, and is applicable for all ages and backgrounds. Science is no longer an exclusive club which only qualified scientists can contribute to and discuss.

By participating, we cultivate a curiosity for the world around us which is fundamental for pursuing a sustainable future.

If you’d like to get your hands figuratively (or literally!) dirty and dive into science go here: https://citizenscience.org.au and here: https://www.ala.org.au