Featuring (names are linked to the start of their presentation within the recording):
Access the slide deck from this event here.
The April 8 total solar eclipse, a high point in the current Heliophysics Big Year, was a unique opportunity for scientific research and a captivating event for the public. These dual aspects of the event amplified one another in eclipse-focused citizen science projects.
Project leaders shared insight regarding the practices or supports that most contributed to their and their volunteers’ success. Leaders discussed the value of practice sessions, trainings in person and in video, a robust and flexible communications platform, establishing a corps of supporters out of totality ready to answer questions by phone as needed. Teams also talked about recruitment efforts, project “levels” tailored to people with different prior knowledge or experience, assigning roles within teams of volunteers, the impressive advances in camera technology and smartphones, the value of stipends, and how important it is to make the critical data submission step as simple and clear as possible.
While there may not be another total solar eclipse crossing our continent in the short term, there are plenty of other science events (the Artemis launch, solar super storms, science festivals, a solstice, etc.) in the near future. These events might be made better for science and participants through citizen science projects. In turn, those projects might benefit from the advice shared in this event.