Brandon University
Applied Quantitative Methods in Geography

Participatory science:
Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

steffilazerte
@steffilazerte@fosstodon.org
steffilazerte.ca

Compiled: 2025-02-06

Participatory Science

Participatory sciences include

  • community science
  • citizen science
  • community-based monitoring
  • volunteer research
  • etc.

Research and monitoring efforts that depend on knowledge, insights, and observations from members of the public.

Virginia Greene

From the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences

Types of projects

D a Researcher Driven b Community Driven a->b It's a continuum

Projects developed by researchers,
people sign up to participate

Projects developed
closely with/by the community

Examples

Christmas Bird Count (Birds Canada)
Woodpecker Cavity Cam (University of Minnesota)
Are we alone in the universe? (NASA)

Steffi LaZerte

Examples

Community Water Monitoring (Keepers of the Water)
Berry Contamination Study (WBEA)

Gertrud Nürnberg

Why Participate?

As a researcher

  • Community engagement
  • Science communication
  • Learn about community needs/interests
  • Give back to community
  • Quantity of data

Considerations

  • Partnerships & Communication (two-way)
  • Avoid extractive science
  • Consider needs of the community
  • Take time to establish trust
  • Remember there is expertise on both sides

Alex Koiter

Why Participate?

As a community member

  • Engage in what’s important to you
  • Turn hobbies into data collection
  • Learn more about scientific processes
  • Help your community
  • Fun activities

Considerations

  • Protocols are not always fun
  • Not always clear how your part
    contributes to the whole
  • May require a minimum time commitment
  • Will this be valuable to you?

Christmas Bird Count Selfie - Steffi LaZerte

Third role

Use data, but not involved in design or collection

Some of the Places You’ll Go!

Examples using data from these kinds of projects

A round hedgehog in a yellow beanie, knitting a teal scarf. Behind them are different outputs from "knitting" documents in R, including PDF, Word, LaTeX, html5, slides, eBooks, dashboards, and websites.

Illustration by Alison Hill and Allison Horst, for RStudio

eBird

Migration and Distribution

Jared Sonnleitner, Steffi LaZerte, Ann McKellar, Nancy Flood, Matt Reudink

Gregory Smith Eastern Bluebirds

Elaine R. Wilson Mountain Bluebirds

Don Faulkner Western Bluebirds

Migration and Distribution

Erik Prytula, Matt Reudink, Steffi LaZerte, Jared Sonnleitner, Ann McKellar

Kat+Sam

See also Birds Canada Swift Watch

Banding Stations

Vulture migration

Don Kramer, Daniel Donnecke, Steffi LaZerte

Daniel Donnecke

Turkey Vulture Migration

Don Kramer, Daniel Donnecke, Steffi LaZerte

Daniel Donnecke

Breeding Bird Survey of Canada

Canadian BBS Routes

bbsBayes2 R package

Adam C. Smith, Brandon Edwards, Steffi LaZerte

  • Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data
  • Spatially explicit models
  • Informs many species at risk assessments

iNaturalist

Seek App

iNaturalist App/Web

iNaturalist

NatureCounts

Includes

  • eBird
  • iNaturalist
  • Breeding Bird Surveys
  • Christmas Bird Count
  • Provincial Atlas Programs
  • Banding station/Observatory counts
  • …

Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas

White-throated Sparrow Song

Ken Otter, Alexandra McKenna, Steffi LaZerte, Scott Ramsey

Inspired a human song!

Sherry Ryan

Not just birds…

Secchi Disk Dip

  • North American Lake Management Society (NALMS)
  • Volunteer monitors record water transparency

Gertrud Nürnberg

NALMS

Find a Project!

Westman Naturalists Hawk Watch 2024

Individual Projects

Collections

Resources

Thank you!