[course]: Citizen Ecology
Tired of large classes? Looking for a unique class only offered this spring? The following course can count for the natural science, policy and decision-making, or fieldwork requirements of the Environmental Studies major or minor. Open to all sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Science communication and community outreach are incredibly relevant to PoE and environmental studies in general!
ENVIR 495D, Citizen Ecology
MW 10:30-11:20, W 1:00-2:50
Open to all majors, SLN 13758
- Should ecologists recruit the public to help collect important data to better understand global change—data that is otherwise difficult to get?
- Or is data collected by the public fundamentally flawed?
- How can scientists and non-scientists communicate effectively about ecological ideas?
- Does citizen science change participants’ understanding of ecology and science, or their civic decision-making? Should it?
Citizen science (CS)—or “crowdsourced science”– is an important emerging phenomenon in ecological research. CS is characterized by collaboration between academic scientists and interested participants from the public, who volunteer to collect and share data. This course explores the potential uses and shortcomings of CS research in ecology through labs and readings. We also address science communication and social implications of CS.