Who we are and what we do:
Citizen Scientists are exactly what they sound like. We are citizens that help scientist collect or analyze data. Citizen Scientists can collect local data on rainfall and snowfall for larger projects that look at how micro-climates to can affect how much rain an area can receive. This was put in place in Colorado after the flooding that occurred in Fort Collins in 1997. The city's weather rain gauges were not receiving much rainfall while there was flooding in other parts of town. Resulting in delayed emergency services and flood warnings. We can also analyze big data that scientists need to sift through, like drone photos analyzing how giraffes are moving through reserves in Kenya or where the plastic in our oceans are conglomerating.
Wanna Join?
When? Tuesday 3:30-4:30 or 5
Where? AHS Biology classroom
What do you need? Depends on the week. You may need anything from river shoes to Pjs. When we analyze online data (drone photos of giraffes or guess that dog breed) we do it all together in our pajamas and snack on popcorn.
Skills? You learn how to collect and analyze data using a variety of protocols and it's fun!
Where? AHS Biology classroom
What do you need? Depends on the week. You may need anything from river shoes to Pjs. When we analyze online data (drone photos of giraffes or guess that dog breed) we do it all together in our pajamas and snack on popcorn.
Skills? You learn how to collect and analyze data using a variety of protocols and it's fun!
What have we done?
Lomas Barbudal Capuchin Project: I initially started working with the capuchin project after graduating from college in 2010 and I have been back to visit and work since then. Recently we started a formal collaboration measuring age specific body size. I collected preliminary data last summer when I visited the project. We are just about to submit a formal grant that will investigate how grandparents affect grandchildren's body size.
Riverwatch: Riverwatch is a long standing volunteer led research project that monitors water quality and other indicators of watershed health and utilize this high quality data to educate citizens and inform decision makers about the condition of Colorado’s waters. Steve Smisth has had a long standing collaboration with Riverwatch and this year I stepped in to collect the microorganisms. The students had so much fun, I turned this into a weekly club to engage in citizen scientists projects.
Mutt Mixes: MuttMix is a non-profit research collaboration between the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. The data collected will tell us a lot about how people perceive breeds and mixes, how different breed mixes affect the appearance of a dog, how well people can guess their canine friends’ ancestries from looks alone, and how that might affect our lives with dogs. We started this project last week and immensely enjoyed trying to determine dog breeds.
Giraffe and Wildlife Count in Kenya: This project seeks to count, identify, and track the giraffes in our conservation field sites, along with the other animals that share the habitat, to better understand the behavior, movements, and population numbers of the wildlife found here. Our job is to help us look through the tens of thousands of photos taken by trail cameras placed in strategic spots throughout the sites. The information we gather from these photos will help us and the local communities develop plans to help save these magnificent animals.
Riverwatch: Riverwatch is a long standing volunteer led research project that monitors water quality and other indicators of watershed health and utilize this high quality data to educate citizens and inform decision makers about the condition of Colorado’s waters. Steve Smisth has had a long standing collaboration with Riverwatch and this year I stepped in to collect the microorganisms. The students had so much fun, I turned this into a weekly club to engage in citizen scientists projects.
Mutt Mixes: MuttMix is a non-profit research collaboration between the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. The data collected will tell us a lot about how people perceive breeds and mixes, how different breed mixes affect the appearance of a dog, how well people can guess their canine friends’ ancestries from looks alone, and how that might affect our lives with dogs. We started this project last week and immensely enjoyed trying to determine dog breeds.
Giraffe and Wildlife Count in Kenya: This project seeks to count, identify, and track the giraffes in our conservation field sites, along with the other animals that share the habitat, to better understand the behavior, movements, and population numbers of the wildlife found here. Our job is to help us look through the tens of thousands of photos taken by trail cameras placed in strategic spots throughout the sites. The information we gather from these photos will help us and the local communities develop plans to help save these magnificent animals.
Future Projects of Interest
Darwin's Dogs: Is a research project that aims to track and understand differences in dog breeds and evolution. This project asks for citizen scientists to fill out surveys on your dogs and send in DNA samples. The aim of this project is to understand how specific genes control the behavior and health of dogs, much more information is needed. Coming Soon: Darwin's Cats!