LIVE Projects
This Event has Ended
Festival of Citizen Science - British Science Week 2020
Thank you to everyone who has been involved in this event,
we couldn't have done it without you!
LOCAL
PAN Citizen Science Projects for British Science Week:
GREEN SPACE
RESEARCH PROJECT
British Science Week 2020
this is a project you can do in your own garden , the wild flowers will encourage butterfly's and birds into your garden
Get 'Hands-on' with a Real LIVE LOCAL Citizen Science Research Project, to experience how Citizen Science works, AND make an impact in local research specific to your area!
Dani, a Horticultural Ecologist from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, is gathering local knowledge to help identify Green Spaces within our towns. No matter how young or old, you are the best placed to know about your local patch of wildlife and green spaces! So this project is perfect for all. During the 2 day festival, check out Dani's Interactive Research Display and provide live 'feedback' about your knowledge of local Green Spaces. Your information will directly feed into this LIVE Research and ultimately help your local wildlife Green Spaces...
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Dani explains further, "The aim of our research is to reconnect humans with nature. Studies have shown that spending time in natural spaces is good for our physical and mental well being. We also know that our wildlife is in trouble and our efforts are needed to increase biodiversity and provide resource for wildlife. Come and tell me about the Wildlife in your area and what we can do to help improve your local public green spaces."
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For more information about the research, visit the Wildlife Trusts Nature, Health and WILD Well-being website
Local, National + International Citizen Science Project:
Big Microplastic Survey on Ryde Beach
British Science Week 2020
This event has been cancelled due to Coronavirus, however anyone can collect plastic off you local beaches and/or do their own Big Microplastic Survey - Just follow the links to find out more
During British Science Week 2020, The Festival of Citizen Science has chosen 'The Big Microplastic Survey project to support. So at the Festival, we will be setting up a 'Microplastic Sand Box containing a metre 'quadrate' of sand 'borrowed' from Brook Beach (45kg) on 2nd March 2020...
The Microplastic Sand Box demonstrates how an 'In the Field Survey' is conducted, so that you can see how samples are collected and catalogued. During the Festival, 'Have a Go' and sieve the sand to find what the tide has left behind - pop any microplastic that you find in the box - remember to wash your hands directly afterwards - and by the end of the festival we will calculate how much plastic visitors found in 1 quadrate metre of Brook Beach Sand and pass this data to The Big Microplastic Survey. The sand - freed of this microplastic - will be returned to Brook Beach.
WANT TO DO MORE? If you would like to do some more to help this important research, we are calling on new and existing Citizen Scientists on the island to provide extra hands and eyes to find microplastics on Ryde Beach on Friday 20th March 2020 10:45 - 16:15. Students from the University of Portsmouth are coming to Ryde on 20th March, to undertake a 'Big Microplastic Survey' of the beach, we need as many people as possible to help collect samples for this important survey. Students have access to state of the art research facilities to analyse the types of plastics will find on Ryde.
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The Big Microplastic Survey is open to anyone!
David Jones, 'Just One Ocean' explains: "The Big Microplastic Survey is a global citizen science project that has been gathering microplastic data for the last 18 months. It was set up with the intention of gathering data about micro and mesoplastics that are found on beaches around the world. The data will be used to evaluate the composition and distribution of the pieces of plastic that are found.
lRyde Beach Survey
The next survey we are planning is going to be on Ryde Pier on 20 March 2020. The plan is to make this a trip for University of Portsmouth students but we are also hoping that individuals, schools, and groups from the island will join in. We are meeting at the benches outside the Ryde Pier Cafe for 10:45 am. All the sieves and equipment needed will be provided. For those coming across from Portsmouth, we will be meeting at the Whitelink Paasenger Ferry Terminal at Gunwharf to take the 10:15 am ferry across to Ryde, then we will be returning on the 15:47 pm ferry back to Portsmouth. However, participants are welcome to stay longer."
WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU:
It is advised that participants bring warm waterproof clothes, some food and drink
and hand sanitizer with them for this event.
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If you would like to take part, help the organisers by letting them know you're coming so that they can bring adequate equipment for all the participants. Here's some more information about the project:
The Big Microplastic Survey
Get FREE tickets for Ryde Microplastic Beach Survey
Just One Ocean
Meet at 10:45 at:
RYDE PIER CAFE
WESTERN GARDENS
Ryde
PO33 2HE
or find us on the beach!
British Science Week 2020 Chosen Citizen Science Zooniverse Project...
'Spotting Spider Monkeys'
ZOONIVERSE
British Science Week 2020
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See Zooniverse: https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/rossmcwhirter/spotting-spider-monkeys
This year’s British Science Week chosen citizen science project, is calling on the public to help scientists tackle deforestation and habitat loss, from the comfort of their own sofa OR from the Festival's IT Suite! We'll have 4 dedicated Zooniverse computers, so we can take part. We'll show you how to Zooniverse and help scientists save this endangered species.
HOW DOES IT WORK? Citizen Scientists i.e. you and me! - are encouraged to tag footage of endangered and vulnerable spider monkeys in Central America, which has been captured using drone-mounted thermal-infrared cameras.
With the black spider monkey population estimated to have fallen by 30% in the last 45 years, primarily due to habitat loss and hunting, this is vital work.
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Spotting Spider Monkeys applies drone and remote sensing technology to methods developed in astrophysics, climate and atmospheric science, computer science, and engineering to tackle major global challenges such as poaching.
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