SciStarter LIVE: How to Launch and Grow a Citizen Science Project with CitSci
Originally Aired
August 26, 2025
Audience
Current project leaders, prospective project leaders
Topic
How to develop a citizen science project
Watch the Webinar
DESCRIPTION
Our event on August 26 focused on how to launch and grow a citizen science project with one of SciStarter’s partners, CitSci.
Want to start your own citizen science project, or improve one you already have? Watch this SciStarter LIVE session to learn how CitSci, a free app and website, helps anyone build, manage, and grow citizen science projects. You’ll also learn how integrating your CitSci project with SciStarter can boost visibility, recruit volunteers, and track impact. After our short intro to CitSci and demo of the SciStarter integration at the top of the webinar, the bulk of the event will consist of a panel featuring the creators of three inspiring CitSci projects (listed in no particular order): (1) Space Cloud Watch: Mapping rare atmospheric clouds for NASA; (2) Gulls Eating Stuff: Crowdsourcing gull diet photos; and (3) TIC Tank Observations: Monitoring trout tanks in classrooms.
Each project leader shared how they got started, built their data collection process, and engaged volunteers. Perfect for educators, researchers, and community organizers ready to launch a project of their own.
Moderated By
Caroline Nickerson
CitSci.org, SciStarter
Emma Giles
SciStarter
Downloadable Files
Integrations
SciStarter Affiliation
After publishing your CitSci project, don’t forget to go back in to edit integrations and turn on SciStarter. This will import your project to SciStarter as an automatic affiliate!
Projects Featured
Space Cloud Watch
Observe, document (images, latitude and longitude, time), and report your sightings of Noctilucent clouds (NLCs), which form at very high altitudes – and their absence! We are as interested in when and where you do not see NLCs as when you do. Scientifically, both observations are essential to accurately mapping these mysterious clouds.
Dawn/Dusk
Global
Clouds, Weather
TIC: Tank Observations
Track fish tank environmental parameters to increase survivability of classroom trout and to understand the role water chemistry plays in maintaining healthy cold water fisheries.
Anytime
Colorado Classrooms
Fish, Education
Gulls Eating Stuff
Our goal is to get people noticing gulls whilst also contributing to our understanding of gull diet and behaviour. We want to capture the huge diversity of gull diets and understand spatial and temporal trends in what they are eating.
Anytime
Global
Birds, Diet