Citizen scientists are ordinary people with an interest in improving our understanding of the world around us. Anyone, from any walk of life, can be a citizen scientist, whether you are 12 or your children have 12 year olds of their own.
What’s to know?
Citizen scientists contribute to a scientific research study. Sometimes it is very difficult to study animals in their environment. For instance, to study what birds are doing in Edmonton, one graduate student might have to sit in hundreds of different yards - which would be time consuming for the student and imposing on the residents of the house! So, by cooperating with people living in the Greater Edmonton Area, researchers at the University of Alberta can improve our understanding of our animal neighbours.
What will you do?
As a citizen scientist, you will collect information (data) about the birds in your little patch of urban habitat. We are in the pilot phase of our project. 2009 is the first year we have created a community-based research project with our Biology 367 students
This year all we are asking you to do is fill out our questionnaire.
Beyond 2010
If a bird strikes your window, try and take a picture, whether it lives or dies. Email us the picture, along with your address and postal code so we know where it comes from.
What’s to know?
Citizen scientists contribute to a scientific research study. Sometimes it is very difficult to study animals in their environment. For instance, to study what birds are doing in Edmonton, one graduate student might have to sit in hundreds of different yards - which would be time consuming for the student and imposing on the residents of the house! So, by cooperating with people living in the Greater Edmonton Area, researchers at the University of Alberta can improve our understanding of our animal neighbours.
What will you do?
As a citizen scientist, you will collect information (data) about the birds in your little patch of urban habitat. We are in the pilot phase of our project. 2009 is the first year we have created a community-based research project with our Biology 367 students
This year all we are asking you to do is fill out our questionnaire.
Beyond 2010
If a bird strikes your window, try and take a picture, whether it lives or dies. Email us the picture, along with your address and postal code so we know where it comes from.
Photos; first Eric Lamb. Others: Michael Rawson Clark