SoylentNews

RandomFactor writes:

A paper published this month in the journal Ecology and Society by a University of Washington lead team of researchers investigates the motivations of people who join and remain active in citizen science projects; the results may help future citizen science projects better engage and motivate volunteers.

Previous research led by the UW has shown that people who join online-based citizen science projects generally try it just once, and fewer than 1 in 10 remain active past one year. The rates for hands-on, in-person efforts are much higher: COASST, for example, has 54% of participants still active one year after joining.

The 'Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team' (COASST) trains beachgoers to monitor for dead birds in their travels.

But what separates those who stay from those who go? Years of responses to surveys from the COASST team's recruitment and engagement efforts provide a unique window on citizen science.

The study provides several insights for organizers of hands-on citizen science efforts:

- Long-term participants tend to be motivated by a project's mission and goals, and successful programs communicate scientific findings back to participants so that they can see their individual contribution as part of the big picture of project results.
- Experienced participants focus on where they conduct their project activities, indicating that sense of place is important to volunteers.
- Both new and long-term participants focused on their social interactions as a central part of project activities, suggesting that successful hands-on, citizen science combines high-quality scientific activity with building and maintaining social relationships.

Maybe it is time to set up that client.

Papers
Julia K. Parrish, Timothy Jones, Hillary K. Burgess, Yurong He, Lucy Fortson, and Darlene Cavalier. PNAS February 5, 2019 116 (6) 1894-1901; first published February 4, 2019 (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1807186115)

He, Y., J. K. Parrish, S. Rowe, and T. Jones. 2019. Evolving interest and sense of self in an environmental citizen science program. Ecology and Society 24(2):33. (DOI: 10.5751/ES-10956-240233)

Original Submission