Community Engagement with Citizen Science

One Million Acts of Science for Citizen Science Month

Have you ever dreamed of making a great scientific discovery that makes the world a better place? We all grew up learning how scientists throughout history found ways to study and understand everything from the smallest atom to the widest galaxy. The parts that don’t make the history books, however, include many long hours of research, study, and dedication that go into some of the most significant discoveries.

Very often, those hours are performed by selfless background researchers who know they may not be written about for their efforts, but they’ll always know they contributed to something meaningful. Now, our friends at SciStarter are giving you and your students a chance to contribute meaningful acts of science to help further actual scientific research.

This April is Citizen Science Month, during which SciStarter will coordinate an effort to have everyday citizens, both adults and children, perform One Million Acts of Science across many research fields.

Acts of Science in the Classroom

Though many of the projects are science-focused, SciStarter includes projects from many disciplines and fields of study. Use the tools below to see projects that are both kid-friendly and include teaching materials, or see all projects in any specific category.

When viewing a project, you’ll receive instructions and a supply list, if necessary. Projects may require going outdoors at certain times of day or just playing a game app on your phone. Find projects that you can do on your lunch break, on an afternoon walk, or even while attending a sporting event. On the project’s SciStarter page or website, you’ll also be able to learn about the more extensive study to which it relates.

The best part is that everyone can participate! Whether you’re an educator wanting to teach a specific topic to your class, a student wishing to learn more about a field of science, or just a curious citizen wanting to learn something new and contribute to meaningful research, SciStarter has projects that need your help.

About SciStarter

SciStarter began as a graduate school project by Darlene Cavalier at the University of Pennsylvania. She wanted to find a way for people without science degrees to engage with scientific research.

In 2011, SciStarter received a grant from the National Science Foundation to create a user-friendly interface that would serve as a primary hub for metadata on thousands of global projects.

Over the past decade, Cavalier’s efforts with SciStarter have been recognized and supported by universities, professional organizations, and foundations worldwide. And in 2019, they were awarded grants by the National Library of Medicine to launch and maintain Citizen Science Month through at least 2026.

About Darlene Cavalier

Darlene Cavalier is a professor of practice at Arizona State University’s School for the Future of Innovation in Society and a Senior Global Futures Scientist at the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory. Professor Cavalier is the founder of SciStarter, founder of Science Cheerleaders (a non-profit organization consisting of current and former NFL, NBA, and college cheerleaders pursuing STEM careers), co-founder of ECAST (Expert and Citizen Assessment of Science and Technology), and she led the ideation and a team of collaborators to develop ScienceNearMe.org to connect, promote, and research all types of opportunities for the public to engage in science. She is a founding board member of the Citizen Science Association, an advisor and Fellow at National Geographic, a member of the EPA’s National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology, appointed to the National Academy of Science Designing Citizen Science to Support Science Learning committee and named co-chair of America 250’s Innovation, Science, and Entrepreneurism Advisory Council. She is the co-editor of The Rightful Place of Science: Citizen Science, author of The Science of Cheerleading, and co-author of the Field Guide to Citizen Science (Timber Press). Recently, ASU President Michael Crow awarded Cavalier and her team the prestigious Medal for Social Embeddedness. She resides in Philadelphia, PA.