2016 AAAS Annual Meeting (February 11-15, 2016)

February 10 - 15, 2016

Citizen Science and Information Technology: Engaging People for a Better Planet

Data gathering on a massive scale is changing science. Remote sensing provides new views of the world, and genomics provides new ways of understanding how organismal phenotypes emerge – but new technologies, in conjunction with massive citizen involvement, can bring the power of the people, multiplying the network of science partners exponentially to solve problems at a scale never before imagined. Consider a world where numerous different citizen groups are participating in science. Not only will they help scientists ask questions at grander scales, but an army of scientific partners can become science champions and more informed decision-makers. By opening science to the masses, we are democratizing science: science by the people, for the people, in pursuit of a better planet. Speakers highlight compelling projects in citizen science with impacts on environmental research, wildlife conservation, poverty mitigation in Africa, assisting people with disabilities, materials discovery, and astronomy. The common theme is citizen involvement with global societal impacts and the computational models, algorithms, and infrastructure needed to leverage citizen-science data. This symposium seeks to inspire fellow scientists to develop other global citizen science efforts.