Two students record observations for Project BudBurst--a citizens science group that collects data on the timing of leafing, flowering, and fruiting of plants. Thousands of volunteers from all 50 states have contributed data to Project Budburst. Data on the timing of seasonal events has contributed to our knowledge of the impacts of climate change.

Credit: Dennis Ward, Project BudBurst, National Ecological Observatory Network

Three experts on citizen science discuss the importance and rapidly growing momentum of citizen science with reporters. These experts were 1) David Hanych, an NSF program director who manages many NSF-funded citizen science projects; 2) Sandra Henderson, a senior education specialist at NEON and director of NEON's Project BudBurst, an NSF-funded citizen science group that monitors plants as seasons change; and 3) Henry Reges, national coordinator of a Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network, which receives NSF funding.

This webcast marked the publication of the first journal issue exclusively devoted to citizen science (Citizen Science-New Pathways to Public Involvement in Research) and the first cross-disciplinary conference on citizen science (A Conference on Public Participation in Scientific Research).

Credit: National Science Foundation

Cover of the August, 2012 issue of "Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment"--which is a themed Special Issue on citizen science.

Credit: Central photo: © C Calvin/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. Background photo: © DL Ward/NEON

This will be a cross-disciplinary conference attended by scientists from varied disciplines and people who coordinate, lead, manage, facilitate and use data from citizen science projects.

Credit: 2012 Conference on Public Participation in Scientific Research