Course Syllabus
Citizen Science on Biodiversity and Climate Change |
| Semester & Location: |
Spring 2023 - DIS Copenhagen |
| Type & Credits: |
Elective Course - 3 credits |
| Major Disciplines: |
Environmental Studies, Sustainability, Biology |
| Prerequisite(s): |
None |
| Faculty Members: |
Astrid M. A. Schmidt [asad@dis.dk] (current students please use the Canvas Inbox) |
| Time & Place: |
Mondays only 11:40-14:35, Classroom: N7-C24 |
Course Description
Biodiversity and Climate Change research are two scientific disciplines where environmental changes are occurring on unprecedented speed. Engaging the public and co-creating Citizen and Community Science (CS) research projects with the aim of monitoring large scale changes are happening on a global level. CS research projects creates not only community engagement but also provides the engaged public with scientific tools for change. Students will explore and design CS projects on biodiversity, climate change and the SDG’s.
Citizen science is rapidly increasing in popularity and providing traditional science projects with public participation to obtain more data and increase awareness on the research topic. The accessibility of social networks, geo tagging app’s, AI and crowdsourcing technologies is fuelling a new crop of scientists receptive to grassroot methods and we are seeing this field grow rapidly.
During this course you will start by gaining an understanding of the historical development of citizen science, community (place based) science and ecological traditional knowledge. Together we discuss the current status of biodiversity loss and climate changes occurring on both a global and local scale.
Students will actively participate in a range of local and global citizen science projects that contribute to research aimed at protecting biodiversity, monitoring climate change or supporting sustainable development within one or more of the SDG’s.
A number of prominent researchers will also be joining us throughout the course to provide insight into their experience of bridging traditional and community/citizen science with traditional science.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand the history behind citizen science
- Describe how applying citizen, community and ecological knowledge in science can both empower and democratize the scientific process
- Contribute and participate in local and global citizen science projects
- Evaluate what makes a citizen science project successful
- Explore how collaboration and co-creation are key to citizen/community science projects with various target groups
- Links of CS research to UN Sustainability Goals
- Design their own citizen science research idea and methods to meet the interests and needs of both the public and the project itself
Faculty
Astrid M. A. Schmidt
Ph.D in Climate change & Ecosystems of the Arctic from University of Copenhagen (Niels Bohr Institute/Natural History Museum of Denmark). M.Sc in population genetics and conservation of African elephants.
Current research interests are within citizen science on biodiversity and climate change. Work experience has involved science outreach, science education focusing on co-creation and community engagement e.g. of urban development with children and locals. With DIS since 2015.
Readings
All textbooks and readings will be provided by DIS. Textbooks are to be retrieved from book pick-up during the arrivals workshop. The readings for each class are listed in the course calendar and come from the required texts.
The Science of Citizen Science; 2021, edited by Katrin Vohland, Anne Land-Zandstra, Luigi Ceccaroni, Rob Lemmens, Josep Perelló, Marisa Ponti, Roeland Samson, Katherin Wagenknecht, Springer Open Access, selected chapters
Citizen Science: Innovation in Open Science, Society and Policy, 2018, edited by Susanne Hecker, Muki Haklay, Anne Bowser, Zen Makuch, Johannes Vogel and Aletta Bonn (selected chapters)
Citizen Science: Public Participation in Environmental Research, 2012, edited by Janis L. Dickinson & Rick Bonney, 1st ed. Cornell University Press (selected chapters)
Citizen Scientist, 2016, Mary Ellen Hannibal (selected chapters)
Citizen science tools for engaging local stakeholders in landscape stewardship. Danielsen, F., Enghoff, M., Magnussen, E., Mustonen, T., Degteva, A. et al. Chapter 5 in Bieling. C. & Plieninger, T. (eds.). The Science and Practice of Landscape Stewardship. UK: Cambridge University Press. (selected chapters).
Other required texts
A new dawn for citizen science. Silvertown, Jonathan (2009). Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 24(9) pp. 467–471. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2009.03.017. You can find a copy of the paper here.
Are you ready for citizen science? An article by Raquel Da Cunha (2015) in the ECSITE (the European network of science museums and centres) magazine
McKinley DC, Miller-Rushing AJ, Ballard HL, Bonney R, Brown H, Cook-Patton SC, Evans DM, French RA, Parrish JK, Phillips TB, Ryan SF. Citizen science can improve conservation science, natural resource management, and environmental protection. Biological Conservation. 2017 Apr 1;208:15-28.
Citizen Science for Observing and Understanding the Earth. Haklay, Mazumdar & Wardlaw (2018) in: P.-P. Mathieu, C. Aubrecht (eds.), Earth Observation Open Science and Innovation, ISSI Scientific Report Series 15, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65633-5_4. You can find a copy here.
Contribution of citizen science towards international biodiversity monitoring. Chandler M, See L, Copas K, Bonde AMZ, López BC, Danielsen F, Legind JK, Masinde S, Miller-Rushing AJ, Newman G, Rosemartin A, Turak E. 2016. Biological Conservation. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.09.004.
The value of indigenous and local knowledge as citizen science. Danielsen, F., Burgess, N.D., Coronado, I.M., Enghoff, M., Holt, S., Jensen, P.M., Poulsen, M.K. & Rueda, R.M. Pg. 110-123 in Citizen Science. London: University College London Press.
Creating synergies between citizen science and Indigenous and local knowledge. Tengö, M., Austin, B., Danielsen, F. & Fernández-Llamazares, Á. BioScience 71(5), 503-518.
Connecting top-down and bottom-up approaches in environmental observing. Eicken, H., Danielsen, F., Sam, J.-M., Fidel, M., Johnson, N., Poulsen, M.K., Lee, O.A., … Enghoff, M. BioScience 71(5), 467-483.
Citizen science and the right to research: building local knowledge of climate change impacts. Albagli, S., Iwama, A.Y. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 9, 39 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01040-8
Mobilizing collective intelligence for adapting to climate change in the Arctic: The case of monitoring Svalbard’s and Greenland’s environment by expedition cruises. Kragh, G., Poulsen, M.K, Iversen, L., Cheeseman, T., & Danielsen, F. In: The Routledge Handbook of Collective Intelligence for Democracy and Governance (Boucher, S., Hallin, C.A. & Paulson, L., eds). Routledge.
Biodiversity redistribution under climate change: impacts on ecosystems and human well-being.Pecl, G., … Danielsen, F. et al. Science 355, 6332.
Course Structure
The plan of topics and assignments is found below, and readings etc. are updated on the Canvas course pages. Assigned readings and other details on the meetings are subject to change but will be updated online with as much notice as possible.
Topics
- Emergence and history of Citizen Science and Community based Science
- Top down versus bottom up approaches to Citizen Science and Community based Science
- Digital Landmarks and applicability of Citizen Science projects across fields from Birdwatching to watching for new Galaxies
- Building bridges between communities, citizens and scientists on conservation of Biodiversity
- Natural Resource Management through community based monitoring with projects from the Arctic and the Tropics
- Monitoring effects of Climate Change through Arctic communities and Arctic tourist Cruises
- The future of Citizen Science and Community Based Science in relation to Sustainable Development
Field Studies
TBD but will include
Natural History Museum of Denmark, learning about their growing portfolio of exciting Citizen Science projects.
Monitoring local biodiversity around Copenhagen and contributing to ongoing Citizen Science projects of birds and plants
Guest Lecturers
TBD
Approach to Teaching
Most class sessions will be a mix of lecture/discussion and time in the field. Lecture will serve primarily to present background information to provide for more in-depth analysis of primary and secondary literature. In addition to learning the central tenets of the field, critical thinking and quantitative reasoning will be stressed through writing, discussion, and presentations.
Expectations of the Students
You attend class.
You be prepared by reading the papers and being ready discuss them in class. Being mentally and physically ready for class is important.
You be intellectually curious about the course.
You be respectful of the ideas and opinions of your classmates.
You be honest with yourself and with me about your performance in the course.
Evaluation
To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all of the assigned work. The overall grade will come from the following:
Grading
30%: 3 field assignments during the semester
In order to expose you to key methods and to give you exposure to options for your research projects, we will do several field excursions during class time in addition to our two field studies days. Most excursions will lead to short assignments that will involve ongoing citizen science projects and/or data visualizations based on citizen science data sets.
15% Midterm assignment
2-3 pages with multiple choice questions and short text questions based on assigned readings, field studies and class discussions. The test will be announced at least a week in advance and completed during ~60 minutes of class time.
20%: Citizen science group report
You will as a group contribute to an actively running citizen science project and write up a short report on the aim, scope and output.
25%: Citizen science project proposal and presentation
More information on the format of the final exam will follow later in the semester.
15%: Participation
We expect and encourage active participation in class discussions and require written feedback via DIS Canvas of each lesson’s assigned reading. Here you will summarize the main points of the readings and pose questions that can be covered as part of the class discussion (see below).
| Assignment |
Percent |
| 3 field assignments during the semester | 30% |
| Midterm test | 15% |
|
Citizen science group report |
15% |
|
Citizen science project proposal and presentation |
25% |
|
Participation |
15% |
Academic Regulations
Use of laptops or phones in class: Focused and constructive contribution in class discussions is encouraged and expected. Laptops, phones and other portable electronic devices can be used for taking notes if in silent mode, but please refrain from writing or checking e-mail and text messages, browsing, or using social networks during class hours. During student presentations and group work, we kindly ask you to turn off or put away electronic devices.
Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:
DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|