Highlights:

• Citizen science lets anyone collect real research data using a phone or notepad, contributing to peer-reviewed studies on wildlife, water and ecosystems.
• UF/IFAS uses data from apps like iNaturalist, IveGot1 and eBird to monitor invasive species and support conservation decisions.
• Volunteer participation powers major research efforts and events, including BioBlitzes, the City Nature Challenge, manatee sightings and seagrass monitoring.

Have you ever wanted to be a scientist? You still can be – and you can do it today with just your phone or a notepad.

Citizen science is a method of scientific data collection where community volunteers gather observations, photos and other metrics about the world around them. This crowdsourced data is then used in peer-reviewed studies, expanding what data scientists would otherwise have available for their research. With Earth Day just around the corner and April being Citizen Science Month, it’s never been a better time to get involved with collecting data on the natural world around you.

To read more, please visit UF News.

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