Tag Archives: Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS)

Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS; formerly the Citizen Science Association) January 2025 newsletter highlights

Here are a few excerpts from the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS; formerly the Citizen Science Association) January 2025 newsletter (received via email),

AI and the Future of Citizen Science: event and special collection

WEBINAR: Thursday, February 6 [2025], 12pm US Eastern Time

A conversation with editors and leaders

In December we announced a new special collection on the Future of Artificial Intelligence and Citizen Science. This open-access special collection of 12 papers explores the potential of AI coupled with citizen science in accelerating data processing, expanding project reach, enhancing data quality, and broadening engagement opportunities.

To help orient you to the themes covered in the special collection, issue editors Lucy Fortson, Kevin Crowston, Laure Kloetzer, and Marisa Ponti will join us for a special conversation with Marc Kuchner, Citizen Science Officer, NASA, February 6, 12pm ET. This event will go beyond a recap of papers presented in the special collection, and invite panelists to share their thoughts and perspectives on ethical considerations, challenges, and future directions. 

>>Register here for this conversation on AI 

Interested in Citizen Science: Theory & Practice

Call for Abstracts (closing soon): Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums

A call for abstracts is open for a forthcoming Special Collection in Citizen Science: Theory and Practice which will explore galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAM) participatory science efforts in order to support and empower the global field of participatory sciences. By sharing innovative practices and advancing theories, this collection will contribute to the continued refinement of best practices in these vital ‘third spaces’ and beyond. Issue overview and submission deadlines and logistics are available on the AAPS website. Abstracts accepted through 28 February 2025.

>> Share this call for papers with the GLAM organizations in your network 

More events from the AAPS-partnered 2025 NASA Cit Sci Leaders Series: 

Artificial Intelligence, Open Data, Funding, and more

The NASA Citizen Science Leaders Series is a professional learning service for those leading, hoping to lead, or wanting to learn more about NASA Citizen Science. The following events are open to the public. 

  • Artificial Intelligence: This event, in collaboration with AAPS, features the issue editors from the new Special Collection sharing their key takeaways and hot takes on the topic.  Register here. [February 6, 2025] Noon ET start.
  • Artificial Intelligence in practice: On February 20 [2025] the Zooniverse’s Dr. Laura Trouille will join us to share new functionality of the Zooniverse platform, including ways that Zooniverse projects are adjusting to work with new Artificial Intelligence/ machine learning tools. Register here. Noon ET start.
  • Open Data Management plans and long-term archives of citizen science project data: On March 6 [2025] Dr. Steven Crawford who leads NASA’s Open Science work will discuss these issues and more. Register here.3 pm ET start.
  • Funding: On March 13 [2025] explore landscape of different NASA proposal calls and hear insights on how solicitations are written, how proposals are reviewed, and how funding is handled. Register here. 3 pm ET start.

Members in AAPS Connect can get instant notices when opportunities are posted, often directly from the source. Interested in direct networking with field leaders and being the first to hear of important jobs, grants, and more?  Become a member of AAPS (tiered pricing costs as little as $0).

Jobs:

  • iNaturalist is hiring a Senior Communications Manager responsible for delivering engaging, visual communications about iNaturalist to reach and engage new audiences. Full details here.
  • Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is hiring an Education coordinator to support activities related to REEF Ocean Explorers and Discovery programming, including K-12 and lifelong learning education and public outreach programs. Full details available here.
  • Cornell Lab of Ornithology is hiring an Extension Associate to as the thought leader and team leader for Youth and Community Engagement for the Lab both nationally and in international settings, with key responsibilities in strategic planning, partnership development, implementation, and evaluation of impact. Full details available here. 

Should you be interested in received AAPS newsletters, visit the organization’s homepage.

2000 year old citizen science and 2024 participatory science (aka, citizen science) news

One story features Aristotle and the other features some of the latest (as of October 2024) in citizen science (participatory science) news.

Ancient citizen science

The story about Aristotle’s scientific endeavours and 2,000 year old citizen science is told in an August 15, 2024 essay by Konstantine Panegyres (McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, researching Greco-Roman antiquity, The University of Melbourne) for The Conversation, Note: Links have been removed,

If we want to research a subject, how do we do it? We could read about it in books or do experiments in a lab. Or another way is to find people who know something about it and ask them.

Collecting information from members of the public has long been a method of scientific research. We call it citizen science. According to National Geographic, this is “the practice of public participation and collaboration in scientific research to increase scientific knowledge”.

Most of us know of Aristotle (384–322 BCE [Before the Common Era]) for his philosophical works, but he was also a great scientist.

Aristotle consulted the general public when undertaking his scientific research projects. He wrote a number of books about animals, the greatest of which was his History of Animals. He also wrote smaller works including Parts of Animals and Generation of Animals. Collectively, these are usually referred to as Aristotle’s biological writings.

The Roman scholar Pliny the Elder (approximately 24–79 CE) has told us about some of Aristotle’s research methods when writing these texts.

According to Pliny, Alexander the Great (356–323 BCE) – who was Aristotle’s student – supported Aristotle’s research on animals by ordering the public to collaborate:

orders were given to some thousands of persons throughout the whole of Asia and Greece, all those who made their living by hunting, fowling, and fishing and those who were in charge of warrens, herds, apiaries, fishponds and aviaries, to obey [Aristotle’s] instructions, so that he might not fail to be informed about any creature born anywhere.

Modern scholars aren’t certain Alexander actually gave this order. Nonetheless, Aristotle’s writings about animals often refer to information he received from others who worked directly with animals, such as hunters, beekeepers, fishermen and herdsmen.

As Panegyres notes in the August 15, 2024 essay, Aristotle applied some of his own thinking and research to citizen observations,

Aristotle was at times also critical of the eyewitness information he received. For instance, in Generation of Animals, he says some people told him fish don’t copulate, because they had not seen fish copulating. But he goes on to say these people are wrong – and that he himself knows fish do indeed copulate:

The fish copulate in the same way as dolphins do, by placing themselves alongside of each other […] The fishermen do not notice this […] and so they join the chorus and repeat the same old stupid tale that fish conceive by swallowing the semen.

Aristotle was right. While most fish don’t have sexual intercourse, some do. Clearly, Aristotle had either asked enough people and/or investigated the issue himself to find the truth.

Sometimes citizen scientists came in with fantastical tales according to Panegyres’s August 15, 2024 essay (h/t phys.org’s August 17, 2024 news item)..

If you are interested in the ancient world Panegyres has a number of articles on The Conversation. Here are a few of the titles,

Why is cancer called cancer? We need to go back to Greco-Roman times for the answer

Did people in Ancient Rome and Greece love the same way we do? Perhaps even more hopelessly

Nude athletes and fights to the death: what really happened at the ancient Olympics

Enjoy!

Citizen Science Association (CSA) is now the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS) + some news

Is the resemblance of the CSA’s new name to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) purely coincidental? That question is not asked nor answered in the group’s April 2, 2024 blog posting by J_Shirk, which announced the name change, Note: A link has been removed,

For more than ten years, this Association has engaged practitioners from many related traditions, including crowdsourced science, volunteer monitoring, amateur astronomy, community-based research, citizen science, and more. Our new name reflects that broad scope, and helps reveal and engage the rich landscape of practices across the many participatory sciences.

What are the Participatory Sciences?

Participatory sciences combine the strengths of scientific inquiry with the knowledge, insights, and observations of members of the public. Some efforts are scientist-driven, with researchers inviting volunteers to submit data, categorize images, or otherwise assist in answering research questions. Others are community-driven, where communities (of place or interest) leverage science processes to compile evidence and address problems. All efforts are borne from seeing common interests, and developing working relationships, between scientists and public groups to answer questions, accelerate discovery, monitor change, or inform decisions.

Participatory science projects and traditions can be found in almost every field of research. Natural history projects come to mind for many, but research collaborations of these kinds advance work in biomedicine, astronomy, environmental health, history, geography, archaeology, and more. In almost all disciplines, these projects depend on breaking down historic barriers between scientific institutions and members of the public. They also depend on building up new relationships, platforms, strategies, and skills to bring together people, information, and knowledge–difficult work made easier when we can learn from others who have done this before.

Here’s some of the latest news from the October 2024 AAPS newsletter (received via email),

This month we are highlighting ways the future of participatory sciences
is looking bright, including: early-career passion and enthusiasm for
this field, a prestigious award for pioneering platform, iNaturalist,
excitement for our upcoming convening in Portland, Oregon, and an
invitation to join us for inspiration and action-oriented discussions at
the AAPS Member Meeting later this month.

You’ll also find announcements about a new online course on project
design, details on an upcoming workshop on the convergence of
computational and citizen science research, and free workshop series on
science community and policy impact from adjacent organizations
supporting this work below.

Read on …

AAPS Member Meeting, October 28th, 2024

1pm ET | 10am PT 

>>Register Here

Join AAPS leaders for an hour of inspiration and action-oriented discussions about how the Associations’ efforts to advance participatory sciences can engage, serve, and support you in your work at the AAPS Member Meeting on October 28th [2024]. 

This event is open to active members and those interested in learning more about the work of the Association. AAPS is the leading organization and go-to resource center for both leaders and learners in this field. Together, we work to inspire new collaborations, address shared challenges, and raise awareness of the value of these projects to pave the way for future successes. Our new strategic plan outlines concrete steps to get us there. AAPS members have always been at the forefront of innovations in the participatory sciences. Let’s work together to build the future of this field.

[2025 Conference for Advancing Participatory Sciences]

Our 2025 conference will be hosted locally by Oregon State University in Portland, Oregon, a city known for its natural beauty and progressive spirit. Core sessions will be held at the Portland State University campus in downtown Portland with special events at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, World Forestry Center, and OSU Portland Center. Attendees can explore the projects and the unique ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest through field trips–look for pikas in Cascades with the Oregon Zoo, explore the coast with COASST, or embark on an urban adventure as part of your conference experience.

Many important details to help you budget and plan for your trip including a schedule overview, registration rates, and estimated attendee costs, are available on the conference event site.

Explore CAPS 2025

The call for individual presentations, including posters, will open later this fall. [2024]

NEW ONLINE COURSE, Citizen and Community Science: Designing Projects for Research & Engagement

The University of New Hampshire has launched a new 6-week, online course focused on designing citizen and community science projects from initial planning to project launch. This course offers hands-on learning, a step-by-step process, and guided coaching for your project design, offered through an asynchronous, 36-hour format for maximum flexibility. You’ll experience the material though videos, recorded presentations, selective readings, interactive discussion boards, hands-on assignments, and optional live Zooms and one-on-one coaching sessions.

Instructors include Malin Ely Clyde and Alyson Eberhardt, who have extensive experience as participatory science practitioners, researchers, and volunteer coordinators with UNH Cooperative Extension and NH Sea Grant. The course runs from Oct. 12 – Nov. 24, 2024. Cost: $999 with some discounts available. Successful completion of the course earns participants a digital badge and a certificate of completion.

>>Learn more and register here

Call for Participation: Grand Challenges for the Convergence of Computational and Citizen Science Research.

The workshop will cover several key focus areas including Human-Computer Teaming, Computational Citizen Science, Citizen Science Data Cyberinfrastructure, the development of affordable sensors for citizen science, and the ethical and social implications of integrating AI with citizen science. The outcomes from this workshop are expected to guide future research agendas and influence government and federal institutions.

The workshop will take place in Washington, DC, from April 8-9 2025 with opening dinner on April 7.

For more information on traveling and application requirements, visit the Open Calls for Participation page. Apply here for the in-person workshop and virtual discussions- deadline October 4, 2025. 

Find out more about this event in this interview with event organizers.

Science Communication & Policy Impact: A Four-Part Virtual Workshop Series

In collaboration with the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology; the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society; and the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) Day One Project, the CITRIS Policy Lab is hosting a four-part Science Communication and Tech Policy Workshop Series that will equip you with the essential skills to effectively communicate your research to the general public, policymakers, and funders. 

 >>FULL DETAILS

Workshop 1: Communicating Scientific Research to the Public

Fri., Oct. 4 | 10 am – 11 am PT | REGISTER FOR WORKSHOP 1

Workshop 2: Leveraging Your Research for Policy Impact – Writing a Day One Policy Memo

Fri., Oct. 11 | 10 am – 11:30 am PT | REGISTER FOR WORKSHOP 2

Workshop 3: Pitching the President – Providing Effective Guidance to Policymakers & Writing Workshop

Fri., Nov. 8 | 10 – 12:00 pm PT | REGISTER FOR WORKSHOP 3

Workshop 4: Engaging with Legislative and Regulatory Processes

Fri., Nov. 15 | 10 – 11 am PT | REGISTER FOR WORKSHOP 4

Should you be interested in the AAPS monthly newsletters and its announcements, you can sign up here.

Exploring biodiversity beyond boundaries and participatory (citizen) science

As this has been confusing to me with the two terms being used interchangeably, I investigated and, based on the findings, believe that ‘participatory sciences’ is a larger classification (subject) term, which includes ‘citizen science’ as a specific subset (type) of participatory science.

Bearing that in mind, here’s more from a May 29, 2024 letter/notice received via email about an upcoming participatory sciences conference,

There are so many areas where participatory sciences are creating a better understanding of the world around us. Sometimes looking at just one of those areas can help us see where there is real strength in these practices–and where combined work across this field can inspire huge change.

Right now, biodiversity is on my mind. 

Last week’s International Day of Biological Diversity invited everyone on the planet to be #PartOfThePlan to protect the systems that sustain us. The Biodiversity Plan calls for scientific collaborations, shared commitments, tracking indicators of progress, and developing transparent communication and engagement around actions by the end of this decade.

Participatory science projects have proven–but underutilized–potential to address spatial and temporal gaps in datasets; engage multiple ways of knowing; inform multilateral environmental agreements; and inspire action and change based on improved understandings of the systems that sustain us.

In this field, we have the the tools, experience, and vision to rise to this global challenge. What would it take to leverage the full power of participatory sciences to inspire and inform wise decisions for people and the planet?

If you are working in, or interested in, the frontiers of participatory sciences to address global challenges like biodiversity, you can be part of driving strategies and solutions at next week’s action-oriented stand on biodiversity at CAPS 2024, [Conference for Advancing the Participatory Sciences] June 3-6. Woven throughout the virtual four-day event are sessions that will both inform and inspire collaborative problem solving to improve how the participatory sciences are leveraged to confront the biodiversity crisis.

There will be opportunities in the program to share your thoughts and experiences, whether or not you are giving a talk.  This event is designed to bring together a diversity of perspectives from across the Americas and beyond.

The strand is a collaboration between AAPS [Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences], the Red Iberoamericana de Cienci A Participativa (the Iberoamerican Network of Participatory Science), iDigBio [Integrated Digitized Biocollections], and Florida State University’s Institute for Digital Information & Scientific Communication.  

CAPS 2024 Biodiversity Elements:

Collaborative Sessions Addressing Biodiversity Knowledge

Each day, multiple sessions will convene global leaders, practitioners, and others to discuss how to advance biodiversity knowledge worldwide. Formats include daily symposia, ideas-to-action conversations, virtual multi-media posters, and lightning talk discussions. Our virtual format provides plenty of opportunities for exchanges. 

Find the full biodiversity strand program here >

Plenary Symposia: Biodiversity Beyond Boundaries

Join global leaders as they share their work to span boundaries to create connected knowledge for biodiversity research and action. 

Learn more about the Plenary Symposia >

Biodiversity-themed Virtual Posters and Live Poster Sessions

Over one-third of the 100+ posters focus specifically on advancing biodiversity-related participatory science. Each day, poster sessions highlight a selection of posters via lightning talks and group discussions.  

Our media-rich virtual poster platform lets you easily scroll through all of the posters and chat with presenters on your own time – even from your phone!

View the full poster presenter list here >

There is still time to register!

Sign up now to ensure a seamless conference experience.

We have tiered registration rates to enable equitable access to the event, and to support delivery of future programming for everyone.

Register Here

This image is from the May 22, 2024 International Day of Biological Diversity,

The unrestricted exploitation of wildlife has led to the disappearance of many animal species at an alarming rate, destroying Earth’s biological diversity and upsetting the ecological balance Photo:Vladimir Wrangel/Adobe Stock