March Expert Panel: Broadening the Landscape of Citizen Science
Overview Blog Playlist Expert Panel Discussion Resources Synthesis Brief
Download:
• Webinar Chat and Resources Mentioned During Webinar
Recorded: March 8, 2022 at 3:00 PM ET
Description: Citizen science is considered an exceptional mechanism for authentic STEM learning and evidence of the benefits of citizen science for all learners is growing. However, evidence also suggests that citizen science is only reaching a relatively narrow slice of the public, and calls are growing for making citizen science more inclusive as an effective and authentic means to engage the public in the scientific enterprise. This month’s theme focuses on overall engaging a broader audience in citizen science and exploring promising practices for broadening participation in various citizen science projects and more broadly in informal STEM education.
MODERATOR AND PANELIST BIOS
Moderator:
Dr. Heather A. Fischer is a senior researcher at the Oregon State University’s STEM Research Center. Heather’s research interests include data quality of volunteer-collected data, developing citizen science and informal learning programs with diverse groups of participants, evaluating the use of citizen science data for scientific research, and open access to volunteer collected data.
Panelists:
Dr. Trena Ferrell is the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Earth Science Education and Public Outreach Lead. Prior to joining the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Earth Science Division, she was with the Office of Communications and an Education Specialist in Goddard’s Office of Education for over 10 years. She earned her PhD in Environmental Sciences from Oklahoma State University.
Dr. Elena Sparrow is a Research Professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and an expert in teaching and learning, pedagogy and education, professional development, and soil microbiology. She is also the founder and director of GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Alaska. This program focuses on integrating Indigenous knowledge with GLOBE in classrooms became an exemplary practice for teaching and doing science in rural Alaska (Gordon, Stephens, and Sparrow 2005).
Blake McGhghy is Thriving Earth Exchange’s Program Manager for Community Leader Engagement. In this role, Blake leads Thriving Earth’s community application, recruitment, and onboarding processes to ensure that Thriving Earth Exchange continues to encourage and support communities of all types to work with AGU’s science and scientists.
Respondent:
Dr. Martin Storksdieck is the director of Oregon State University’s STEM Research Center, and a professor in OSU’s College of Education. He currently serves as PI of a National Science Foundation -funded project to create an event portal to better find local to national STEM engagement opportunities. Previously, he directed the Board on Science Education and the Roundtable on Climate Change Education at the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS). He has more than 25 years of experience with educational research and evaluation in STEM-related fields and in environmental and sustainability education. He holds Master’s degrees in biology and public policy, and a Ph.D. in education.