National Citizen Science Month: Empowering Communities Through Science

April is National Citizen Science Month, a month-long celebration of the power and potential of public participation in scientific research. Organized by partners such as SciStarter and supported by the National Library of Medicine, this observance highlights how everyday individuals can contribute to real-world research in areas like environmental science, public health, astronomy, and climate change.

Citizen science enables people of all ages to make meaningful contributions to scientific progress, whether by cataloging stars, monitoring wildlife, identifying plants, or even tracking health patterns. This April, empower yourself to engage with science while addressing pressing social and environmental concerns.

Three Facts:

1. Over 1 million citizen scientists participate in projects worldwide, helping researchers collect critical data on various topics, including air quality, infectious diseases, and urban planning.
2. Citizen science projects often fill data gaps in underfunded research areas, leading to breakthroughs while engaging everyday people in hands-on learning.
3. Popular projects include Zooniverse, which invites volunteers to tag wildlife photos for conservationists, and iNaturalist, which encourages participants to document local plants and animals using mobile apps.

How to Celebrate National Citizen Science Month:

1. Get involved by joining a citizen science project on platforms like SciStarter or Zooniverse, where you can browse hundreds of global and local initiatives.
2. Organize community events such as biodiversity walks, air-quality mapping activities, or public stargazing to introduce more people to citizen science.
3. Use social media to share your experience by tagging #CitizenScienceMonth and inspire friends and neighbors to contribute to new discoveries.

Three Resources:

1. SciStarter – A hub for browsing citizen science projects and learning how to get involved.
2. Zooniverse – Join cutting-edge global initiatives involving conservation, astronomy, and more.
3. CitSci.org – A collaborative platform bringing together researchers and community participants for impactful projects.

National Citizen Science Month 2025 is your chance to connect with science, explore fascinating projects, and contribute to solving real-world problems. No matter your age or expertise, you can make a difference in research efforts that shape our future!