A Science Products Inventory: Case Study Applications for Evaluating NASA Citizen Science Projects

Abstract:

Citizen science projects encompass both scientific outcomes and outcomes for volunteers. Scientific outcomes include data, reports, peer-reviewed publications, etc. Volunteer outcomes include benefits from the projects’ outputs, learning opportunities and altruism through engagement in science, and skills developed or exercised as part of conducting the citizen science project. Both the scientific and service aspects of citizen science must be evaluated and connected. In terms of citizen science and people, how do we assess ‘success’ and innovation? Inspired by the 2018 paper by Wiggins et al., “A Science Products Inventory for Citizen-Science Planning and Evaluation,” this presentation examines case studies from the NASA GLOBE Observer (GO) and Aurorasaurus projects for how evaluators can more holistically evaluate the outcomes of citizen science projects. The GO app currently contains four different protocols (GLOBE Clouds, Mosquito Habitat Mapper, GLOBE Land Cover, and GLOBE Trees). Aurorasaurus encourages citizen scientists to contribute observations of aurora to map in realtime the Northern and Southern Lights, and reciprocates by providing live aurora alerts to its users. In evaluating each project, the respective teams developed inventory lists adapted from Wiggins et al. 2018, applying metrics in different but complementary ways. We will examine not only each project’s use of the framework, but how the similarities and differences between the programs fared when applying a similar approach. We will also explore key takeaways for each Science Products Inventory approach, and suggestions for how the framework can be applied to other projects.