Fall 2023

Do you love citizen science? We do!

We at the Science Math Resource Center are fans of citizen science and are building a Citizen Science Network. We will send this occasional e-newsletter to share news and information about citizen science events and opportunities at MSU, in Montana and across the country. If you have an item to share, an idea for building the network, or a question, please contact the MSU Science Math Resource Center.

Eclipse citizen scientists needed Oct. 14!

Citizen Science and The Eclipse

There are two eclipses in our near future! The annular eclipse occurs this Saturday, October 14, 2023, and a total eclipse occurs on Monday, April 8, 2024. SciStarter has created an eclipse page dedicated to citizen science projects you can do before, during, and after the eclipse. You don't need to be in the path of totality to participate. (People in Montana will see a partial eclipse, which begins shortly after 9am and reaches peak coverage around 10:30am. Even though we are not in the path of totality, you must wear eclipse glasses if you want to look.)

Eclipse Resources for Libraries

Our friends at STAR Net are providing training and resources to help libraries with eclipse programming, including free eclipse glasses!

You can visit their website to learn about upcoming opportunities and register to receive eclipse glasses for your library.

Here's our favorite suggestion for any citizen scientist

GLOBE Eclipse is a temporary tool in the GLOBE Observer app that will help you document air temperature and clouds during an eclipse. The tool is not visible in the app on a regular basis, but is only opened up when a solar eclipse is happening somewhere in the world. The Eclipse tool will prompt you to take air temperature measurements using a meteorological thermometer, as well as taking regular observations of sky conditions using the Clouds tool, and an observation with the Land Cover tool to characterize the vegetation near the data collection site. The app is free to download in the App Store or Google Play; you will need a thermometer to submit an air temperature measurement. Citizen scientists everywhere are encouraged to submit observations, even if you are not in the path of totality.

Free download:

Neuroscience Citizen Science activities

The Science Math Resource Center offers a free download of two neuroscience-related citizen science projects that help you learn about the eye, the brain, and diseases of the nervous system while contributing to authentic neuroscience research themselves! No experience is required; our tutorial video will walk you through how to join the projects. We recommend them for people of 12 and up.

This project was created by our SMRC science communications intern Chloe Moreland and funded by a seed grant from the MSU Outreach & Engagement Council.

Access the free resources here.

Citizen scientists needed in Missoula

Missoula Parks and Recreation seeks citizen scientists to join the "Elk Spotters" program, from December 1 - May 1. You will be looking for the 75-100 elk that use Mt. Jumbo as winter range and can often be spotted from the valley floor. MPR will send you a datasheet, maps, and instructions so that you can make looking for elk part of your daily routine.

Questions? Visit the Mt. Jumbo Elk Spotting web page or contact Grahm Johnson, Research and Monitoring Program Coordinator, via email or phone 552-6691.

Citizen science kits available for Montana libraries

The Montana NSF EPSCoR-funded research project called Consortium for Research on Environmental Water Systems (CREWS) is coming to an end, but we have FOUR citizen science kits remaining and will give them to Montana libraries at no charge.

The citizen science kit focuses on water quality and holds everything needed to gather data for two specific citizen science projects. The kit was field-tested by librarians and patrons and includes a printed activity guide, helpful tips, specialized tools and all materials needed to complete the project, as well as information about student researchers in Montana.

The kit was created by the MSU Science Math Resource Center in partnership with the MSU Library. Thanks to Montana NSF EPSCoR for sponsoring this program and bringing more STEM to the people of Montana! This MSU News article gives information about citizen science at the MSU library.

To receive one of the kits, be one of the first four libraries to email Suzi Taylor: taylor@montana.edu. Please put Citizen Science Library Kit in your subject header.

Want to start a citizen science student club at MSU-Bozeman?

If you know any students at MSU who might be interested in starting a Citizen Science Club, please encourage them to contact the Science Math Resource Center at smrc@montana.edu

We have some ideas, and would love to support them!

Check out more on our MSU Citizen Science Network page

This newsletter is brought to you by the MSU Science Math Resource Center with support from the NASA AEROKATS and ROVER Education Network (AREN) and Montana NSF EPSCoR