Citizen Science: What Happens When the Public Engages in Science?

Many have decried the public’s lack of science literacy.  Usually, the concern is about “personal decision making, participation in civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity”, as stated by United States National Center for Education Statistics.  This talk will take the concept beyond literacy to actual engagement.  What if citizens engaged in science, as active leaders and participants?  What if citizens were determining biomedical research agendas and determining the course of studies? 

With the advent of social media and long tail aggregation of data for many disciplines, efforts within the biomedical research community have emerged that give citizens the tools to actively engage in this kind of research.  This talk will examine some of the available tools, and address the impact such involvement might have.