Real science and real engagement: the value of citizen science

Michael Pocock

200220032004200520062007200820092010

50km

Horse-chestnut leaf-miner Cameraria ohridella

1. Hands on – very interactive

2. Working with schools and the media

3. Hypothesis led = involvement in the scientific process

Mission: pest controllers

Is pest control greatest where the

moth has been longest? Parasitoid = ‘Pest controller’

Cameraria ohridella = ‘Alien moth’

Mission: alien mothsIs the level of damage to

trees is greatest where the moth has been longest?

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Website Interactive Easy to develop Not field-based = less accurate & fewer records

2010

2011

Take photo and score damage

GPS gets location

Describe ground cover (hypothesis-led science)

With Dave Kilbey

Funding:

2010

Website Interactive Easy to develop Not field-based = less accurate & fewer records

Photo: Dave Kilbey

More engagement • 18,000+ downloads• Greater participation, new audiences• Newsworthiness

Better science • Greater accuracy• Ease of contributing (6160 uploads from 2450 devices)• Data validation

iTunes No. 1 UK education app

Crowd-sourced validation of uploaded photos

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Results

The level of leaf damage is greatest where the moth has been longest

The level of ‘pest control’ is greatest where the moth has been longest → interesting ecology

The final mission: Can birds save our conker trees?Inspired by the citizen scientists themselves

With Darren Evans

Funded by:

The highlights• Engaged c. 18, 000 people• Reached several million people• Received 10, 000+ data points• Addressed hypotheses about an invasive insect• Discovered new biology about the insect• Real science and good engagement