Why and how can researchers and institutions incorporate citizen science as a core strategy?

Achieving real outcomes for science and education through citizen science:

Heidi Ballard Professor, Environmental Science Education School of Education Center for Community and Citizen Science University of California – Davis, CA, USA hballard@ucdavis.edu June 17, 2019

Based on a foundation of research excellence, the Center helps scientists, communities, and publics collaborate on science to address environmental problems as a part of civic life. We do this through trainings, workshops, facilitation, evaluation, materials development

Faculty Director Heidi Ballard

Executive Director Ryan Meyer

Collaborators and Student Researchers

Dr. Maryam Ghadiri, Dr. Emily Harris, Dr. Colin Dixon, Erin Bird, Amanda Lindell, Meg Pannkuk, Chris Jadallah

Over 50 Faculty and Researcher Affiliates

Over 30 NGO, agency and teacher partners/ collaborators

CIVIC ACTION

SCIENCE LEARNING

CONSERVATION AND

MANAGEMENT

INNOVATIVE

SCIENCE

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

COMMUNITY and CITIZEN SCIENCE Range of Models, Projects

SCIENCE and CONSERVATION Evidence of outcomes

EDUCATION and LEARNING Evidence of outcomes

LESSONS for IMPLEMENTATION Challenges and Useful Approaches

INSTITUTIONS and SCALE Universities and Research Units

education.ucdavis.edu/ccs @UCDavisCCS 3

OVERVIEW

Community and Citizen Science Making sense of a wide range of models and projects

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HOW to bridge the gap between science and society?

• Wicked environmental problems of the 21st century: climate change, overexploitation, invasive species, land use change, and pollution

• Current distrust of science by public, lack of understanding of ways science is and can be used to solve real-world problems

• Premise: For public research and education institutions a core function should be the work of solving societal problems, serving “public good”

• Transdisciplinary and Participatory approaches: doing science WITH society rather than only doing science FOR society, mutual learning

5 * (Scholz 2018) **(Andersen 2018)

6 Savannah Sparrow Occurrence

Source:http://ebird.org/content/ebird/occurrence/savannah-

sparrow/

7

• status and trends of UK butterfly populations

• started in 1996; 1000 sites

(Slide courtesy of Dr. Julia Parrish,

Univ.of Washington, USA)

Participatory Action Research on ecological impacts of salal harvesting

Salal Harvesters in the Pacific Northwestern U.S.

Environmental Justice – Air Quality Monitoring

Designed and

implemented by:

• Communities

for a Better

Environment

(CBE)

and

• the U.S.

Environmental

Protection

Agency

citizen science

participatory action research

community science

volunteer monitoring

civic science

local and traditional

knowledge public participation in scientific research

Community-based monitoring

What is Community and Citizen Science? • Members of the public collaborate with

professional scientists on scientific research and

monitoring in either scientist-led or community-

led endeavors.

• Often (but not always) includes collecting data.

• May also include designing the research question

and methods, data analysis and interpretation,

and/or disseminating conclusions to research and

decision-maker audiences.

• Specifically includes community-led projects.

12

13

(From Fig. S2, Supplementary Information, Parrish, J. K.,

Jones, T., Burgess, H. K., He, Y., Fortson, L., & Cavalier, D.

(2019). Hoping for optimality or designing for inclusion:

Persistence, learning, and the social network of citizen

science. Proceedings of the National Academy of

Sciences, 116(6), 1894-1901.)

Citizen and Community Science: a Rapidly Growing Field Growth in the number of citizen science

projects on the clearinghouse platform

SciStarter and/or on the online platform

Zooniverse, as a function of project type

(2009-2018)

Hands-on Projects

Entirely online Projects

One-off events (‘Bioblitzes’)

Over 2000

Over 150

Over 600

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Fig 5. from data recorded 2016-08-15. Disciplinary clusters created by authors. Pettibone L, Vohland

K, Ziegler D (2017) Understanding the (inter)disciplinary and institutional diversity of citizen science: A

survey of current practice in Germany and Austria. PLoS ONE 12(6): e0178778.

https://doi.org/10.1371/ journal.pone.0178778

Disciplinary clusters of

German and Austrian

Citizen science Projects

(n=97)

Citizen and Community Science: Rapidly Growing Field

Citizen science: An Expanding Field

• European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) – 2020 Conference in Trieste, Italy 24-26 May, 2020

• Citizen Science: Theory and Practice peer-reviewed journal

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Science and Conservation Evidence of Outcomes

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Contributions to Biodiversity Research

• Theobald et al. 2014 Synthesis of Biodiversity Citizen Science: • 388 citizen science projects focused on biodiversity projects (based on Web

of Science and web databased for CS projects)

• 12% of projects (46) produced 446 peer-reviewed scientific publications despite 33% have verifiable, standardized, accessible data online!

• Conclusions:

• Citizen science movement is likely only realizing a small portion of its potential impact on the scientific research community.

• Strengthening connections between professional and non-professional participants in the scientific process will enable this large data resource to be better harnessed

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Case 1: Marine and Coastal Citizen Science

10 Marine and Coastal Citizen Science Cases

1. Tracking change in seabird populations – Northwestern USA

2. Climate change, mangroves and coastal systems – Kenya

3. Invasive non-native species reporting – UK

4. Impacts of vessel traffic and whale watching – CA, USA

5. Marine litter – International and Chile

6. Citizen science informing marine protected areas – CA, USA

7. Eelgrass monitoring and restoration – Maine, USA

8. Community-based coral reef monitoring – Micronesia

9. Intertidal monitoring by teachers and youth – CA, USA

10.Snorkelers and divers monitor Queen Conch - Belize

By collaborating with citizens,

natural resource management

agencies and environmental

organizations, COASST works

to translate long-term

monitoring into effective marine

conservation solutions.

Example: Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team

10 Marine and Coastal Citizen Science Cases – Evidence for Conservation Outcomes

1. Seabird populations – pubs and policy

2. Climate change, mangroves, coastal systems – pubs, management

3. Invasive non-native species reporting – pubs, management

4. Impacts of vessel traffic and whale watching – management, policy

5. Marine litter – pubs, management

6. Citizen science informing MPAs– management and policy

7. Eelgrass monitoring and restoration – management

8. Coral reef monitoring –management and policy

9. Intertidal monitoring by teachers and youth – management

10.Snorkelers and divers monitor Queen Conch – pubs, management

Example: NHM

London’s citizen

science projects

Examples of

Taxonomists

collaborating

with publics

Case 2: Natural History Museum-led Citizen Science

Conservation outcomes of Citizen Science Across Projects and NHMs (Ballard et al. 2017) • 3 Natural History Museums

• California Academy of Sciences, NHM of Los Angels County, NHM London

• Classified NHM-led Citizen Science Project Types (n=44 projects) • Short-term/event-based Ongoing Monitoring

• Bounded Research Crowdsourcing Digitized Collections

• Conservation outcome evidence (Kapos et al. 2008) • Species Management and Site Management

• Education

• Research

• Policy - Livelihoods

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Kapos, V. et al (2008) Calibrating conservation: new tools for measuring

success. Conservation Letters 1(4): 155-164 doi: 10.1111/j.1755-

263X.2008.00025.x

• Combined programs: have reached 78,000 participants over 20 years, contributed to at least 30 publications, 26 of projects (59%) had evidence of conservation outcomes

• Ongoing Monitoring programs contributed most frequently to conservation outcomes (longer term engagement and ownership).

• Ongoing Monitoring and Bounded Research were most likely to have education outcomes - increased understanding of science and connection to place.

• BioBlitz events yielded more site and species conservation outcomes, possibly because of their frequent collaboration with land owners/ managers.

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Conservation outcomes of Citizen Science Across Projects and NHMs

From Ballard, Robinson et al. 2017

LEARN CitSci: Studying youth learning through NHM-led citizen science

$2.4 million USD from

National Science

Foundation (US),

Wellcome and ESRC (UK),

4 years

Education and Learning

Evidence of Outcomes

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Potential Educational Outcomes of CCS Participation

Science Learning and Engagement

Environmental Stewardship

Civic Engagement

and Leadership

Photo: Pepperwood Preserve

education.ucdavis.edu/ccs @UCDavisCCS

Potential and Evidence of Science Learning Outcomes through CCS

• Science content knowledge***** (project-specific content)

• Science reasoning practices (i.e. Next Generation Science Standards in the US)**

• Science skills** (project-based protocols)

• Understanding of the nature of science* (with explicit instruction)

• Motivations toward science*

• Identity with science***

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Bonney et al. 2015, Brossard et al. 2005, Evans et al. 2005, Crall et al. 2013, Ballard and Belsky 2010, National Research Council 2009, Kountoupes and Oberhauser, 2008, Morrisseau and Voyer, 2014, Trautmann et al. 2012

Identity and agency with respect to science

Identity is...

• how you see yourself, and who you want to be, how you want to be perceived

• With respect to science… o whether you see yourself as someone

who understands, uses, does science, and how others see you*.

• Impacts what you decide to take up, how you interact with the world, how you approach problems, people, school, jobs, family, friends with respect to science.

30 education.ucdavis.edu/ccs @UCDavisCCS

*(Gee, 2001; Carlone and Johnson, 2007; Bell et al., 2009)

Agency with science • Acting upon the world in

personally consequential ways • Using science to act on the world

around you, tools and practices of science, seeing yourself as a community resource, building links btwn scientific and everyday identities

(Holland 1998, Rahm 2010, Roth and Lee 2004, Calabrese-Barton and Tan 2010)

Project Partners

Meta synthesis by Bonney et al. 2009

Contributory

Nestwatch

Monarch Larvae Monitoring

Project

Collaborative

Hudson River Estuary Program

CoCoRaHS

Co-Created

ALLARM

Global Community

Monitors

Scientist Driven

education.ucdavis.edu/ccs @UCDavisCCS

Community Driven

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Examining Engagement and Science Identity through Participation (EESIP) Research Project

NSF DRL-1323058

230 Interviews

with 70 people

over 4 years

across 6

projects

• We found many specific aspects of science identity as a result of participation in citizen science projects…

• Majority of participants: o specifically did not see themselves “as scientists”, but as doing

science, contributing to science, because of CS project…even those who engage at basic level.

o saw themselves as people who understand and do science in their daily lives regardless of CCS participation (the “choir”)

o Value added: identifying as part of the scientific community BECAUSE of CCS participation!

education.ucdavis.edu/ccs @UCDavisCCS 32

(Ballard, Yamashita, et al. In Prep)

Examining Engagement and Science Identity through Participation (EESIP) Research Project

Long term monitoring and

environmental training

program for students

(LiMPETS)

education.ucdavis.edu/ccs @UCDavisCCS 33 (Ballard, Dixon, Harris, 2017)

East Bay

Academy for

Young Scientists

(EBAYS)

Educational outcomes for YOUNG

PEOPLE – Case Studies

BOTH in

and out-

of-school

contexts!

Environmental Science Agency

Research evidence points to importance of identity and agency with science as part of science learning and impacting the world. (Basu and Calabrese-Barton 2009;

Carlone et al. 2014; Holland et al. 1998)

Environmental science agency describes the process by which people use their experiences in environmental science as a foundation for change in their lives, landscapes, and communities. (Ballard, Dixon and Harris 2017)

(Ballard, Dixon and Harris. 2017. Biological Conservation)

education.ucdavis.edu/ccs @UCDavisCCS 35

Example: Lin Understanding of env. sci. content and inquiry • ‘Physical and chemical reactions’

• Importance of reliable data collection

• Developed expertise in WQ tests

Identify own expertise • Taught WQ testing to new

members and adult volunteers • Explained research methods during scientific presentation • Developed own practices for testing

Using CCS as Foundation for Change • Leading in sample collection & analysis Yr 1 led to second year leadership

• Took herself ‘more seriously’ after presenting at conference

• Described how WQ testing would help “to see if we can improve and make the creek healthier.” Restoration work.

Evidence of Environmental Science Agency – Lin from Oakland, CA

Key Practice: Ensuring rigorous

data (Ballard, Dixon, Harris, 2017. Biological Conservation)

Youth Share Findings with Outside Audiences

Youth Interact with Complex Social Ecological Systems

Youth Take Ownership of Data Quality

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Key Practices for Youth-focused CCS Project Design

Cal A

cadem

y o

f Scie

nces

Pepperw

ood P

reserv

e

37

Conservation Outcomes of Youth-focused CCS

Youth contributed directly to conservation through stewardship activities

associated with CCS projects

• riparian restoration – plantings that would improve water quality

• Planting on school campus

Youth contributed indirectly through data collection to conservation

outcomes – i.e. the data was used for research or decision-making

• Data that informs protected area management

• City policies about homelessness and water quality

• Management of waste on school campus

Local and Traditional Ecological

Knowledge and

Experience

Conventional Scientific

Knowledge and Methods

Two-Way Learning…

Learning through Community and Citizen Science

Lessons for Implementation of CCS

Challenges and Useful Approaches

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Ensuring Data Quality • Intensive in-person training of participants before they can

submit data to the project – this is in contrast to many citizen science projects that simply provide resources online

• Train-the-trainer model

• Online guides with video instructions

• Supervision by professional scientists

• Data verification procedures using geo-located, time-stamped photos

• Provide feedback to participants to improve their accuracy

Effective strategies and approaches for CCS Design

Recruiting, retaining, and engaging participants • Address participants’ motivations, interests, and needs

• Reach out to the specific audiences or communities who’ve shown interest in the topic of the project

• Develop deliberate and equitable partnerships between scientists and community-based organizations for long-term commitment to the project

• Communicate HOW participants’ data is being used and making a contribution to conservation goals they care about

Key considerations for designing marine and

coastal citizen science programs:

Effective strategies and approaches

Effective strategies and approaches for CCS Design

Key Roles and Functions Essential for CCS Projects:

● Project coordinating body - either one organization, one staff person, or a team of people across organizations

● Outreach and volunteer recruiting and coordination and communication

● Education and content to support protocols

● Scientific data quality assurance and quality control - ensuring rigor, validity, reliability of methods

● Data management, data repository

● Data analysis and data visualization on websites or in newsletters

● Technology development and maintenance

● “Super” volunteers - participants who become leaders, trainers, participate consistently, become sounding boards for the project leaders/coordinators

Institutions and Scale for CCS Universities and Research Units

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Panel at CSA 2019

Citizen Science and the University:

Institutional innovation, change, and

engagement beyond the ivory tower University-based professionals making explicit efforts to

advance citizen and community science by changing

how things work at our campuses.

Citizen Science at the University

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Partnerships

• Match-making scientists with communities and gov. agencies

• Clearinghouse – clear point of contact for university

• Partner with schools

• Collaborate on grants

Education

• CS in undergrad classes, residences and internships

• K-12 curricula, teacher training, research on learning

• Grad students – training next gen. scientists

Capacity Building

• Training researchers in participatory

• Research on outcomes and best practices for CCS

• Hire and reward faculty/ scientists for CCS

• Project design

• Community of practice

Technology

• Platforms connect data collection to analysis

• Resources for scientists and managers – protocols and data science algorithms

• Optimizing machine learning

Catalyzing Convenings and Workshops

• Examples: • University of California, Davis USA

• Natural History Museum in London, UK

• Goals of One-Day Workshop 1. Build and awareness of community and citizen science already

happening at our own institutions and beyond (hear from colleagues)

2. Generate actionable project ideas for CCS collaborations and projects across the institution (pre-determined working group topics)

3. Deepen conversations about how this work fits with institution mission

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Based on a foundation of research excellence, the Center helps scientists, communities, and publics collaborate on science to address environmental problems as a part of civic life.

Leadership

Heidi Ballard, Ryan Meyer

Graduate Student Researchers and Affiliates

Dr. Maryam Ghadiri, Dr. Emily Harris, Dr. Colin Dixon, Erin Bird, Amanda Lindell, Meg Pannkuk, Chris Jadallah

Over 50 Faculty and Researcher Affiliates

Over 30 NGO, agency and teacher partners/ collaborators

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UC Davis CIVIC ACTION

SCIENCE LEARNING

CONSERVATION AND

MANAGEMENT

INNOVATIVE

SCIENCE

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

48

21st century science: the cutting edge is participation and collaboration that leads to solutions.

EMPOWER COMMUNITIES

IMPROVE SCIENCE EDUCATION

IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

ENHANCE SCIENCE

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

UC Davis Center for Community and Citizen Science

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A Model for 21st century science: the UC Davis Center for Community and Citizen Science

OUTREACH AND COLLABORATION

EDUCATION

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

50

Thank you! hballard@ucdavis.edu

Center for CCS (https://education.ucdavis.edu/community-and-citizen-science)

Youth-focused CCS (yccs.ucdavis.edu)

photo: LANHM