Citizen Science Month 2026: What We Built Together

Each April, during Citizen Science Month, SciStarter teams up with organizations to promote awareness of and engagement in real research projects that need help from the public. Simple acts from individuals, such as sharing observations about local weather to identifying animals in online images, add up to big impacts on research. Every year, we set a collective goal of reaching Millions of Acts of Science before the end of the month. For 2026, our goal was 2.50 Million Acts of Science, chosen to honor and celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America–where Citizen Science Month began.  

Participants blew through that goal on Earth Day, April 22. On behalf of SciStarter, the SciStarter Ambassadors, and all of our partners, we thank each and every participant! 422,597 volunteers from 140 countries contributed to 4,060,359 Million Acts of Science in April 2026, benefitting more than 550 projects and events.

What We Learned

Citizen Science Month has grown from a 2018 pilot into a global movement, and in 2025, updates to our strategies led to several key lessons. Providing stronger support for facilitators, especially library staff, helps increase participation, sustain engagement, and build confidence in leading activities. Giving project leaders flexible, customizable tools and open resources encourages ownership and improves outcomes. Using clear, accessible language like “Acts of Science” makes it easier for more people to get involved.

Last year, we invested in community champions such as SciStarter Ambassadors to strengthen local leadership and expand reach. Dozens of project teams participated and reported positive benefits from being part of a larger, coordinated effort.

What We Did Differently in 2026

This year, we introduced something new to make it easy for new and existing champions to bring citizen science to their communities: Acts of Science: Connected. This model was shaped in collaboration with the Steering Committee for the Citizen and Community Science Library Network, whose insight and experience helped define what effective, community-centered participation can look like.

Rather than traditional, learn-first events, these were designed as guided, collective experiences where participants actively contributed to projects together in real time. Across time zones and communities—whether in libraries or from home—people joined with a shared goal: to make measurable contributions during the event itself.

To support this shift, we provided facilitators with ready-to-use resources, making it easier than ever to host impactful programs and help participants jump right in. This effort was further strengthened through collaboration with the SciStarter Ambassador network and the NASA Solar System Ambassadors, who received additional training and showed up in a big way—as moderators, guides, and trusted panelists helping participants navigate the experience in real time. These changes lowered barriers for organizers, deepened engagement, and made the impact of participation more immediate and visible.

At the same time, this new approach surfaced an important insight: there is still work to do to build broader awareness that anyone can actively participate in scientific research. Many participants arrived at in-person events expecting a traditional lecture or presentation. Some hosts streaming Acts of Science: Connected programs were similarly unprepared for the level of hands-on engagement. After years of being positioned primarily as consumers of science, the idea that everyday people can contribute meaningfully to research is still surprising to many.

Based on these discoveries, we have an opportunity and a responsibility ahead: not just to create pathways for participation, but to clearly signal and normalize what participation actually looks like.

Among April-active SciStarter participants, 41% joined multiple projects or events. This trace of user behavior highlights a common pathway: an initial experience sparks continued exploration, with many participants quickly finding opportunities that align with their interests and skills.

Partnerships helped extend the reach of the movement. Through collaborations with Idealist.org and our role as an official partner of America250, we connected citizen science to a broader national story—one rooted in exploration, discovery, and public participation. We also partnered with New Scientist, a leading source for science news and big ideas. Participants who logged Acts of Science between April 1–30 received a free 12-month digital subscription (no strings attached!) to explore the latest discoveries in science and technology.

Our approach to storytelling evolved as well. By prioritizing shared, collaborative social media posts, we amplified the voices of partners and participants alike—reaching more than 13 million people worldwide with our hashtags #CitizenScienceMonth, #ActsofScience and #SciStarter.

Follow us! 

Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn | YouTube | Bluesky

Events as Community Anchors

Throughout April, 481 events took place around the world, each one offering a different entry point into citizen science. Some were small, local gatherings. Others were multi-day programs. Many, about 34%, were hosted in libraries—spaces that continue to serve as trusted, accessible hubs for community learning and engagement.

What stood out most this year was the rise of Connected experiences. About one-third of all events were tied to the Acts of Science: Connected series, a livestreamed zoom event that blended local facilitation with a shared international moment. A participant in a small-town library could be contributing alongside someone across the country, or across the world.

Across time zones and communities, people joined together—sometimes in libraries, sometimes from home—to contribute simultaneously. There was a shared sense of purpose: not just participating, but making a measurable impact together in real time.

To make this possible, we expanded the resources available to facilitators. Instead of expecting organizers to build programs from scratch, we provided structured, ready-to-use tools: print materials, event guides, videos, and promotional support. A follow-along blog ensured that even those joining an event late could jump in without missing a beat.

These changes made a difference. New facilitators found it easier to get started. Experienced organizers were able to deepen engagement. And participants were able to see the immediate results of their contributions. Because citizen science does not end after April, recordings of these events will also help libraries repeat these events by themselves throughout the year. 

This sense of connection was not accidental. It was built through the dedication of the Citizen and Community Science Library Network and SciStarter Ambassadors, many of whom hosted multiple events throughout the month. Their leadership transformed participation from something individual into something communal.

The results of this approach were immediate and remarkable.

What’s the Weather Like on Mars

On April 2, participants gathered for What’s the Weather Like on Mars, contributing to a shared, real-time effort that generated more than 11,000 classifications for the Zooniverse project, Cloudspotting on Mars, in a single day—over ten times the project’s typical daily average.

As the event unfolded, the impact was clear:

“We just crossed the threshold of 20,000 registered participants for this project! … thank you all so much for getting us past that threshold and for working with us on this analysis.”

Each classification contributes to a deeper understanding of the Martian atmosphere, helping scientists improve climate models and move toward a future where astronauts could access reliable forecasts—like dust storm predictions—before stepping outside. As project scientist Armin Kleinböhl of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory explains, this work strengthens both the accuracy and predictive power of those models.

Voices of Freedom: Transcribing Post-Civil War Handwritten Records

On April 10, participants turned their attention to history in the Voices of Freedom: Transcribing Post-Civil War Handwritten Records working with the Smithsonian Transcription Center and National Museum of African American History and Culture to transcribe Freedmen’s Bureau Records.

“As a descendant of enslaved people, being part of this project feels deeply personal. I value the chance to help bring forward records that hold pieces of lives, names, struggles, and truths that too often were buried, overlooked, or made hard to access. What I like most is that this work helps make that history more visible, searchable, and honest for descendants, researchers, and the public.”

Lorraine, new “volunpeer” for the Smithsonian Transcription Center

Game Night for Science: Play Stall Catchers Online

On April 16, participants working on Stall Catchers during Game Night For Science annotated more than 16,500 blood vessels in a single day, accelerating Alzheimer’s disease research and saving scientists an estimated 42 hours of lab work. Participants described the experience as both engaging and rewarding:

“The Stall Catcher [website] is actually very insightful. It’s actually fun to try to compete to catch all of the stalls. It’s like catching Pokémon—got to catch ’em all!”

Earth Day Animal Spot-a-thon

On April 22, during SciStarter’s Earth Day Animal Spot-a-thon, participants classified more than 28,900 trail camera images for Snapshot Wisconsin—roughly TRIPLE the project’s usual pace.

“Every classification is important… It helps us process this data way quicker than just our team could do on our own.”

Mackenzie Glasford emphasized that these classifications are transformed into usable data that directly support wildlife management decisions, including tracking and protecting rare species.

Participants felt the momentum, too. Julie from the Wittenberg Library commented:

“This is addicting, I have often spent way too many hours saying, one more identification!”

Comets, Clues and Our Cosmic Story

The series concluded on April 29 with a final “Connected” event, Comets, Clues and Our Cosmic Story, bringing participants together for one more day to contribute in real time.

Thanks to hundreds of volunteers on April 29, 44,000 images were classified to locate active comets, doubling the usual daily effort! What a powerful way to close out Citizen Science Month during our final Acts of Science: Connected event with the Rubin Comet Catchers team.

These moments weren’t isolated—they were the result of intentional design. By bringing people together, guiding their participation, and making impact visible in real time, these events transformed individual actions into collective discovery.

Citizen Science Month 2026 reinforced something important: when people are given the opportunity, the tools, and the support to contribute, they show up—and they make a difference.

To explore more from this year’s events—including recordings of live sessions and interactive experiences—visit SciStarter’s YouTube channel.

Looking Ahead

We are due for a new “Acts of Science” goal. Stay tuned—more details are on the way.

One thing is certain: Acts of Science: Connected events are here to stay. We’re excited to continue hosting these hands-on, contribution-driven experiences with libraries and museums throughout the year as we build toward Citizen Science Month 2027.

Looking ahead, our focus is on expanding both awareness and access.

Through our growing SciStarter Ambassador program, we will support thousands of participants and event facilitators in introducing citizen science to their communities—helping shift the narrative so more people understand that scientists not only welcome public participation, they actively rely on it.

We will also continue growing the SciStarter Citizen and Community Science Library Network, with a focus on reaching rural and under-resourced libraries. These trusted community hubs play a critical role in ensuring that more people—regardless of location—can discover and take part in citizen science.

At the same time, we’re building on what we know works. Libraries and partners consistently told us that turnkey resources made it easier to plan, promote, and deliver meaningful events. We’ll continue developing and refining these materials so facilitators can confidently bring citizen science to their audiences.

No need to wait until spring 2027! Keep participating and find the projects that mean something to you.

Follow us! 

Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn | YouTube | Bluesky