A Citizen Science Web Portal for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate Change (BAYSICS): Development and Evaluation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anudari Batsaikhan ◽  
Jens Weismüller
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Test Phase ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Web Portal ◽  
Data Types ◽  
Climate Change Research ◽  
The Web

<p>Citizen science can be used to collect vast and timely data, while promoting active learning on selected topics. The Bavarian Citizen Science Portal for Climate Research and Science Communication (BAYSICS) is a scientific project which started in 2018 with 10 partner institutions in Bavaria. It aims to achieve (1) citizens’ participation in climate change research through innovative digital forms, (2) transfer of knowledge on the complexity of climate change and its local consequences, and (3) joint scientific and environmental education goals. </p><p>Within the BAYSICS project, a web portal has been developed that builds the interface between researchers and citizens. In the initial phase, the interests from the different research disciplines participating in the project were identified. Currently, the IT structure for the web portal is developed based on the needs of the project. Free tools such as PostgreSQL, Django, Gunicorn and Nginx are used. The researchers involved have the opportunity to integrate research topic specific questions and data collection guidelines for citizens. </p><p>On the web portal, users are able to choose a topic from four different areas (phenology, pollen, tree, and animals) and submit their observations in multiple data types (pictures, geolocations, and texts). The observation data is visualized on a map of the web portal. The data collected within the project is freely available for download on the web portal, while protecting user’s privacy. Application Programming Interface (API) is developed to enable interaction with other software products and services.</p><p>A first test phase within the project members start at the beginning of 2020. Afterwards, a second test phase is planned involving potential users (e.g. school students and teachers). The outcomes from the test phases will be used for evaluation.</p>

scholarly journals Application of Modern Web Technologies to the Citizen Science Project BAYSICS on Climate Research and Science Communication

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7748
Author(s):  
Anudari Batsaikhan ◽  
Stephan Hachinger ◽  
Wolfgang Kurtz ◽  
Helmut Heller ◽  
Anton Frank
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Web Application ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Participatory Sensing ◽  
Web Portal ◽  
Web Technologies ◽  
Climate Research ◽  
Citizen Science Project ◽  
The Web

Participatory sensing has become an important element in citizen science projects. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as web platforms and mobile phones can generate high-resolution data for science and progress assessment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDGs 11, 13, and 15). This paper gives an overview of web technologies in citizen science and illustrates how these technologies were applied in the citizen science project BAYSICS (Bavarian Citizen Science Information Platform for Climate Research and Science Communication) in Bavaria, in the south-eastern part of Germany. For the project, three digital platforms were developed: a website, web portal, and mobile application, each of which fulfills different tasks based on the project’s needs. The website informs visitors about the project structure, makes the project known to the community, and advertises the latest activities. The web portal is the main interface for citizens who want to join and actively participate in the project. The mobile application of the web portal was realized in the form of a progressive web application, which allows installation on a mobile phone and is connected with offline access to the content. The provision of an IT service for participatory sensing-based research which covers a development package, including a database, website/web application, and smartphone application, is further discussed.

Sunspot observation by the cooperation of amateur astronomers and researchers in Japan in early 20th century as early citizen science program

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S367) ◽  
pp. 336-338
Author(s):  
Harufumi Tamazawa
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Solar Physics ◽  
Practical Aspect ◽  
Early 20Th Century ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Solar Observation ◽  
Science Program ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
Observation Network

AbstractThe development of astronomy has been developed by the cooperation of amateur astronomers and researchers. Sunspot observation is a good example of Extreme citizen science in early days. Issei YAMAMOTO (1889–1959), organized “Oriental Astronomical Association (OAA),” Yamamoto’s materials (now in Kwasan observatory) include solar observation data sent from many observers in Japan. From the viewpoint of today’s Citizen Science, collaborative observation of sunspot between researchers of solar physics and amateur astronomers in Japan has clearly a context of social mission rather than mere academic interest. From the viewpoint of science communication, we can see that Yamamoto’s call includes a social mission to promote astronomy in Japan, and that amateurs responded to Yamamoto’s call by participating in the observation network. It can be said that this collaboration have not only “cultural” aspect but also “civic”or “practical” aspect.

Methods for Assessing Online Climate Change Communication, Social Media Discussion, and Behavior

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leona Yi-Fan Su ◽  
Heather Akin ◽  
Dominique Brossard
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Surveys ◽  
Climate Change Research ◽  
Research Fields

In recent years, increased Internet access and new communication technologies have led to the development of online methods for gathering public opinion and behavioral data related to controversial issues like climate change. To help climate-change researchers better adapt to the new era of online-based research, a review of, and methodological applications for, prevailing Internet-based research methods are provided here. Online surveys have become more common in the last decade for several reasons, including their relatively low administration cost, the pervasiveness of Internet communication, and declining response rates associated with traditional survey methods. Experiments embedded within online surveys have also become a useful tool for examining the extent to which online communications influence publics’ attitudes and behaviors. Other research methods that have gained growing attention from scholars are content analyses of online communication using big data approaches. By mining the seemingly infinite amount of user-generated content extracted from different social media sites, researchers are able to analyze issue awareness, responses to instant news, and emerging sentiments. This article provides a detailed overview of these Internet-based research methods, including their potential advantages and pitfalls, their applications in the science-communication and climate-change research fields, as well as suggestions for future research.

scholarly journals ‘Fake News’ in Science Communication: Emotions and Strategies of Coping with Dissonance Online

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 206-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Taddicken ◽  
Laura Wolff
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Selective Exposure ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Climate Change Research ◽  
The Public ◽  
Negative Arousal ◽  
And Coping

In view of events such as the public denial of climate change research by well-known politicians, the effects of postfactual disinformation and emotionalisation are discussed for science. Here, so-called ‘fake news’ are of focus. These are considered problematic, particularly in a high-choice media environment as users tend to show selective behaviour. Much research has demonstrated this selective exposure approach, which has roots in the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance (Festinger, 1957). However, research on the processes of coping with dissonance is still considered sparse. In particular, communication scholars have overlooked emotional states and negotiations. This article analyses the affects that are aroused when users are confronted with opinion-challenging disinformation and how they (emotionally) cope by using different strategies for online information. For this, we used the context of climate change that is widely accepted in Germany. The innovative research design included pre- and post-survey research, stimulus exposure (denying ‘fake news’), observations, and retrospective interviews (n = 50). Through this, we find that perceptions and coping strategies vary individually and that overt behaviour, such as searching for counter-arguments, should be seen against the background of individual ideas and motivations, such as believing in an easy rejection of arguments. Confirming neuroscientific findings, participants felt relieved and satisfied once they were able to dissolve their dissonant state and negative arousal. Dissatisfaction and frustration were expressed if this had not been accomplished.

scholarly journals Geospatial web application to support climate change research in Кazakhstan

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 108-119
Author(s):  
Dinara Abiyeva ◽  
Рoza Karagulova ◽  
Aiman Nysanbaeva ◽  
Nurlan Abayev ◽  
Gulzhamila Urazbayeva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Web Application ◽  
Cmip5 Models ◽  
Drought Indices ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Climate Change Research ◽  
Source Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Web

Climate change modelling data is represented by large datasets that require certain expertise and computational resources for its transformation and adjustment to user needs. Geospatial web applications and geoportals are considered as a solution to this problem in this article. Global web resources do not provide geoinformation services for research on climate change in Kazakhstan due to aggregation or low resolution of the source data coupled with limited functionality for interactive geo-visualization and data analysis. The article describes the web application “Kazakhstan Climate Change” developed by the authors, the purpose of which is aimed at supporting research on spatial-temporal patterns of climate change in Kazakhstan. The data derived from CMIP5 models served as the source data. Based on the initial indicators such as temperature and precipitation, using the developed Python scripts and R Climpact climate script packages, additional indicators such as evapotranspiration, drought indices, heat supply indices and indices of the length of the growing season were calculated in order to determine the impact of climate change on water resources and agriculture. The key advantages of the web application include time-series geo-visualization, interactive generation of diagrams and tables for analysis, in particular for selected units of water management zoning. The geospatial web application “Kazakhstan Climate Change” responds to the challenges of presenting large climate datasets in the easy-to-perceive style and in an easily comprehensible way for geospatial analysis. The functionality of the web application allows users, without GIS skills, to explore climate change scenarios on their own, this opportunity is of practical value for scientific and educational community, for policymakers in the field of climate change and water resources management.

scholarly journals A decade of the India Biodiversity Portal: Planning ahead with technology to enhance citizen science participation in India

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Vattakaven ◽  
Harikrishnan Surendran ◽  
Prabhakar Rajagopal
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Species Distribution ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Alien Invasive Species ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Science Data ◽  
Distribution Maps ◽  
Global Biodiversity ◽  
The Web

The India Biodiversity Portal (IBP) was initiated a decade ago, aiming to aggregate data on all species within India. The portal has been running a citizen science module for the past 8 years, aggregating observation data from the general public. The portal runs many flagship citizen science campaigns, such as the Neighborhood Trees Campaign, National Moth Week, Spotting Alien Invasive species, Mapping Indian Snails and Slugs and Frogwatch. We have learnt valuable lessons in harnessing participation in citizen science, implementing functionality and in integrating technological advancements into the platform codebase. Following up on these, we are implementing new features that will streamline development, entice users and further spur participation. We discuss some of the proposed changes and our justification, including the impacts we expect in generating better citizen science data. A key lesson arising out of our campaigns in remote regions of India, where internet penetration is relatively new, is that most users are connected to the web exclusively through a mobile device. Most do not have access to a personal computer or an email account. Yet they are internet savvy and use mobile applications to accomplish complex tasks such as banking activities, often logging in and being authenticated exclusively through a mobile number. We are implementing short-messaging-service (SMS) or one-time password-based login mechanisms, for login even without an email account for authentication. Although many initiatives have been investing in platform-specific mobile apps to cater to a growing mobile user community, maintaining and updating multiple mobile apps alongside enhancements to the web version is a resource-intensive task that most platforms cannot afford. Inconsistency in functions and usability across different versions of the same platform may lead to gaps in data collection. To address this challenge and streamline development, we have begun updating the portal codebase to enable Progressive Web Apps, which will replace conventional mobile applications while also serving as Single Page Applications that provide a unified experience across device platforms and alleviating the need for updating mobile apps separately. For existing contributors on the portal, comparisons of their contributions against other users are a motivating factor to contribute further. Leaderboards and reputation systems are proven methods to promote activity and provide recognition to participants. Such leaderboards also incentivise newer participants to emulate leaders and climb the boards. We are building a reputation system that not only recognizes quantity but also the quality of the user’s contribution. In addition, we are working on integrating intelligent push notification technology that will constantly engage users by keeping them abreast of activity related to content reflecting their interest on the portal. These features are expected to engage contributors and keep them motivated towards further data contributions. Finally, the most rewarding outcome from contributing citizen science data is in visualizing its impact. The most obvious are improvements in species distribution maps that are generated for each species page on the portal. Users are greatly motivated by contributing data that may enhance known distributions and may constitute range extensions for a species. Distribution maps on the portal are being revamped so that information is presented to the user in real-time through visualisations that are are both attractive and easy to interpret. These will provide users with gratification and help spur participation further. IBP is also instituting the ability to automate the classification of its data to identify publication-grade data. Through a combination of user’s reputation and other data quality criteria, the data on IBP will be automatically graded, allowing such data to be pushed to Global Biodiversity Information Facility on a periodic basis as a Darwin Core Archive, contributing to global biodiversity data.

Comparing science communication theory with practice: An assessment and critique using Australian data

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 382-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenni Metcalfe
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Communication Practice ◽  
The Past ◽  
Scientific Controversies ◽  
Science Engagement

Scholars have variously described different models of science communication over the past 20 years. However, there has been little assessment of theorised models against science communication practice. This article compares 515 science engagement activities recorded in a 2012 Australian audit against the theorised characteristics of the three dominant models of deficit, dialogue and participation. Most engagement activities had objectives that reflected a mix of deficit and dialogue activities. Despite increases in scientific controversies like climate change, there appears to be a paucity of participatory activities in Australia. Those that do exist are mostly about people being involved with science through activities like citizen science. These participatory activities appear to coexist with and perhaps even depend on deficit activities. Science communication scholars could develop their models by examining the full range of objectives for engagement found in practice and by recognising that any engagement will likely include a mix of approaches.

scholarly journals ALBEDO RETRIEVING FROM DSCOVR/EPIC DATA AND PRELIMINARY VALIDATION

2019 ◽  
Vol XLII-3/W9 ◽  
pp. 147-152
Author(s):  
Q. Y. Tian ◽  
Q. Liu ◽  
H. W. Zhang ◽  
Y. H. Che ◽  
Y. N. Wen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Time Resolution ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Surface Albedo ◽  
High Temporal Resolution ◽  
High Time Resolution ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Climate Change Research ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract. Land surface albedo plays an important role in climate change research. Satellite remote sensing has the characteristic of wide observation range, and it can make repeated observations on the same area. Therefore, using the remote sensing data to retrieve surface albedo becomes a main method to obtain the surface albedo in a wide range or even on a global scale. However, the time resolution of existing albedo products is usually low, which has a great impact on the analysis of rapid changes in surface vegetation and the climate change research. The Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) was launched to a sun-earth first Lagrange point (L1) orbit, which is a new and unique vantage point to observe the continuously full, sunlit disk of Earth. DSCOVR can provide observation data with high time resolution, therefore, it is necessary to explore the feasibility of the new sensor DSCOVR/EPIC inversion of the daily albedo product. The relationship between the surface broadband albedo and the surface reflectance was established, and then the surface albedo with high temporal resolution was calculated using the DSCOVR/EPIC data. The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and parts of the Sahara Desert were selected to verify the accuracy of DSCOVR albedo compared with MODIS albedo. The results show that the correlation coefficients between DSCOVR albedo and MODIS albedo are greater than 0.7 and RMSE are less than 0.05 both in visible band and shortwave band. It can be seen that this method can be used for the albedo retrieval using DSCOVR/EPIC data.

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