🏅 EwA Participatory Science: What & Why Intro to EwA Participatory Science » | Massachusetts Program » | Ecological Studies » “Besides democratizing biodiversity science and helping local and global scientists, EwA Citizen Science is also evidence-based activism and Earth citizenry” — C. O’Neill (EwA Founder)

EwA Citizen Science refers to the general public engagement in scientific research activities when citizens actively contribute to science either with their intellectual effort or surrounding knowledge or with their tools and resources.

Participants provide experimental data and facilities for researchers, raise new questions, and co-create a new scientific culture. While adding value, citizen scientists acquire new learning and skills, and a deeper understanding of the scientific work in an appealing way.

As a result of this open, networked and trans-disciplinary scenario, science-society-policy interactions are improved leading to more democratic research based on evidence-informed decision making.

EwA Biodiversity & Climate Citizen Science is all about co-creative conservation using open and global science protocols and tools. That is, our principles and ways of implementing citizen science align with the European Commission’s vision explicated in their 2014 White Paper on Citizen Science. Additionally, we support studies for which data follow protocols that lead to comparable and usable data. Data should be open and transparent to scientists and the public worldwide. Our perspective goes far beyond using the public as a resource to gather data while potentially educating the public. It is inclusive and democratic; it bridges expertizes and domains; it truly values the skills of its citizen scientists and networks, and it enables genuine Open Science.

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So, why join?

We build, develop, and evolve our program together with you−bridging communities, domains, and expertise.

» Because Citizen science is exhilarating and connects us directly with Nature and the communities around us.

» Because Citizen science enables people from all walks of life to advance scientific research while gaining new skills.

» Because recording what we observe helps scientists and resource managers understand when and where organisms occur, how species populations vary in richness and abundance, and how fast or slow natural events happen.

» Because co-creative citizen science democratizes science and makes it less vulnerable to the priorities governed by lobbies and special interest groups, whose interests aren’t always aligned with ecological priorities and public safety.

» Because this way, we gain invaluable knowledge that informs us and helps us influence our communities, our government, and science itself.

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Our projects specifically

Our projects cover Biodiversity mapping; Plant event timing monitoring (Phenology); Ecological community assessment; Pollinator & insect surveys; Bird counting & activity monitoring; And vernal pool documentation and certification.

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