Citizen Science
Help advance new knowledge
Discoveries unfold, breakthroughs happen, and the future is being made at the U of M. Now more than ever, discoveries are made thanks to crowdsourced projects that connect volunteers—citizen scientists—with active University research.
Gaining new knowledge means digging through a lot of data, and citizen science utilizes a network of people to help professional researchers with data collection, analysis, and reporting. No formal training is required to become a citizen scientist, and projects are designed to make participation easy and accessible (often from any corner of the globe online).
Projects conducted in collaboration with or under the direction of professional researchers and institutions like the University of Minnesota ensure integration of explicit and tested protocols or workflows for collecting or processing data; vetting of data by professional researchers; and specific measurable goals for public education, community building, and engagement.
Get Involved
Interested in becoming a citizen scientist? Project involvement ranges from outdoor group observations to online solo analysis. Explore the following University projects, and get started today!
Science & Engineering
Cyclopath
Galaxy Zoo
Galaxy Nurseries
Muon Hunter
Radio Galaxy Zoo
Supernova Hunter
Arts & Humanities
Decoding the Civil War
Measuring the ANZACs
Nature & Environment
Antarctica: Weddell Seal Count
Aquatic Invasive Species Detectors
Driven to Discover: Enabling authentic inquiry through citizen science
Fish Kill Reporting Map
Forest Pest First Detector Program
iFish Forever (a.k.a. iFish Minnesota)
Kestrel Watch
Mapping Change
Minnesota Bee Atlas
Minnesota Bumble Bee Survey
Minnesota Frog & Toad Calling Survey
Minnesota Master Naturalist Program
Minnesota Phenology Network
Mississippi River Twin Cities Important Bird Area Landbird Monitoring Program
Monarch Larva Monitoring Project
Project BirdSafe
Red-Headed Woodpecker Recovery
Snapshot Serengeti
Wasp Watchers