Thursday, August 7, 2008: 8:00 AM-11:30 AM
104 B, Midwest Airlines Center
SYMP 18 - Citizen Science in Ecology: The Intersection of Research and Education
The concept of Citizen Science is old as the concept of science itself. Although contemporary explanations of Citizen Science vary slightly, they converge on a definition "of the involvement of citizens from the nonscientific community in academic research." In fact, some of the most renowned scientists and ecologists could be considered citizen scientists (e.g., Darwin, Mayfield, Skutch). However, over time there has been a separation between the citizen scientist and the professional scientist, such that, today, professional scientists have been academically trained and conduct their research through the auspices of a research institution, government agency, non-profit organization, or academic institution. Inevitably, the idea permeated that true science should be kept in the realm of professional scientists. Thus, while citizen-based research is gaining acceptance from academic institutions, government agencies and conservation organizations, the notion remains that citizens cannot be reliably used in academic research and therefore should not be used. Because citizen science has seen a dramatic increase in recent years, our goal is to critically examine the value of citizen scientists in ecology, both in terms of research and education. In addressing this issue we will seek to answer the following questions: (1) Is citizen science a new discipline, sub-discipline, or tool, relative to ecology? (2) Are data collected by citizen scientists valid, and if so, comparable to data collected by professional ecologists? (3) Does citizen science effectively bridge the gap between ecological research and education, both for the public and students? (4) is citizen science different from ecological monitoring or are they the same? (5) Are citizen scientists actively participating in the scientific process as ecologists? Speakers will integrate information and results from citizen-science work spanning a wide range of taxa, geographic locations, scales, approaches, and systems from rural to urban.
Organizer:Christopher Lepczyk, University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Co-organizers:Owen Boyle, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Timothy Vargo, Urban Ecology Center
Moderator:Owen Boyle, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
8:00 AMSYMP 18-1Introduction
Timothy Vargo, Urban Ecology Center, Owen Boyle, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Christopher Lepczyk, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
8:05 AMSYMP 18-2History and evolution of citizen science in academic research
Rick Bonney, Cornell University, Jennifer Shirk, Cornell University
8:20 AMSYMP 18-3Citizen scientists "drive" the North American Breeding Bird Survey
David J. Ziolkowski Jr., USGS, Keith L. Pardieck, USGS
8:35 AMSYMP 18-4The Rothamsted Insect Survey: The role of citizen scientists in collecting long-term biological data
Philip J. L. Gould, Rothamsted Research
8:50 AMSYMP 18-5Great Lakes Worm Watch: How citizen scientists have documented the distributions of exotic earthworms in the western Great Lakes Region
Cynthia Hale, University of Minnesota Duluth
9:05 AM Break
9:15 AMSYMP 18-6"Plants of concern": Citizen scientists monitor rare plants in Chicago wilderness
Susanne Masi, Chicago Botanic Garden, Ann Kelly, Chicago Botanic Garden
9:30 AMSYMP 18-7Citizen science in urban ecology: The changing picture of participation in avian ecological research
William Mueller, Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, Owen Boyle, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Christopher Lepczyk, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Timothy Vargo, Urban Ecology Center
9:45 AMSYMP 18-8Promoting ecological understanding through citizen science: Working within a framework where citizens and scientists benefit
Rebecca Jordan, Rutgers University
10:00 AMSYMP 18-9Swimming in a sea of data: Validating large datasets collected by citizen scientists
David Bonter, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Caren B. Cooper, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
10:15 AMSYMP 18-10Using technology to get people back in touch with nature
Louis Liebenberg, CyberTracker Conservation, Karen M. Dvornich, University of Washington, Tricia Jones, University of Michigan, Cynthia Sims Parr, University of Maryland, Kevin Ravno, NaturalWorld, Justin Steventon, Steventon Consulting
10:30 AMSYMP 18-11Master naturalists and citizen science: Building a well-trained volunteer corps
Michelle Prysby, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
10:45 AMSYMP 18-12Citizen science as an urgently needed means of bridging the gap between science and decision-making
Hague Vaughan, Environment Canada
11:00 AM Panel Discussion

See more of Symposium

See more of The 93rd ESA Annual Meeting (August 3 -- August 8, 2008)