Are you looking for gift ideas for that curious person in your life…or yourself?
Check out these tools for birdwatchers, skygazers, and weather enthusiasts. They relate to projects on SciStarter that help advance research.
These are gifts that keep on giving!
Credit: Hachette Publishing
Want to get your friends and family hooked on citizen science? The Field Guide to Citizen Science, co-authored by SciStarter founder Darlene Cavalier, is an accessible introduction. It contains tips on getting started, finding projects and gathering data. You’ll even find suggestions for great citizen science projects for first-timers.
While we love squirrels, Project Feederwatch is a bird-exclusive annual event, and the dress code is “feathers only.” Spring-loaded feeders close up when heavy squirrels try to crash the party. Check out Cornell’s Project FeederWatch to learn about all types of bird feeders and foods, to select the feeder style best-suited to your avian guests.
There’s nothing more inspiring for that weather bug on your shopping list than an official precipitation gauge for the CoCoRaHS project! Beautiful, durable, and accurate, it will make contributing local weather data to this important citizen science project a pleasure.
The Sky is Calling!
Even if you don’t absolutely need a Sky Quality Meter to participate in the Globe at Night project, you or your astronomically-inclined friend or family member will want one to collect the best possible data on light pollution in your area! Use this link to get a big SciStarter discount (and contact Anthony Tekatch at Unihedron to order multiples and save on shipping!)
What’s In Your Air?
Has Santa’s journey down your sooty chimney filled your living space with lung- threatening fine particulate matter (FPM)? You’ll know for sure with your AirBeam, a device that sucks in air and measures the sort of FPM produced by diesel engines, construction sites and fireplace visits from Santa. With AirBeam, you can join the AirCasting project, and help track air quality worldwide.
Ambassadorial Ambitions?
With all the new ambassador appointments being named in Washington, are you feeling left out? Then why not apply to be a SciStarter Ambassador! Unlike being Ambassador to Aruba or Monaco, as a SciStarter Ambassador you’ll make full use of your citizen science expertise and enthusiasm at libraries and other public spaces. Applications due by January 25!
Credit: SciStarter w/ iStock image
Watch our Thanksgiving-themed November podcast, featuring Sourdough for Science, tree-rific projects and the truth about turkey and tryptophan!
Prepare for Citizen Science Month!
We are just 4 months away from our month-long celebration of citizen science. We are again aiming for One Million Acts of Science before the end of the month. While you are enjoying the winter weather, take the time to prepare by completing the free Foundations of Citizen Science Training Module. Share it with others or present it to your community with our ready-made slide deck and facilitator guide.
Upcoming opportunities:
Veterans and Service Members! Don’t miss the two-part Do NASA Science LIVE event January 29th and April 10th for service members, veterans and their families. Meet NASA scientists and learn about citizen science projects tailored just for you! Learn more and register!
Sign up for the Christmas Bird Count and help Audubon count birds from December 14th through January 5th. Active since 1900, the project operates in 20 countries in the Western Hemisphere. Learn More!
New projects featured on SciStarter:
iSPEX® Smartphone Spectrometer and Polarimeter
For Practitioners:
Planning activities or events for Citizen Science Month? Consider inviting a SciStarter Ambassador to help! Check out the SciStarter Ambassador Directory to see if there’s an Ambassador near you. New cohorts are being added, so check back frequently.
The CAPS 2025 conference needs your submission! Share your insights, research, experience or new ideas about practices for participatory sciences. Visit the Call for Individual Presentations.
The journal Citizen Science: Theory and Practice is looking for abstracts for a Special Collection on citizen science in Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM). Learn more at their Call for Abstracts!
