The Emmett Clinic released its Manual for Citizen Scientists Starting or Participating in Data Collection and Environmental Monitoring Projects in September, 2017. Building on this work, on October 13, 2017, the Clinic, together with the Environmental Defense Fund and the Environmental Law Institute convened a workshop called “Citizen Science and Environmental Protection.”
The workshop brought together representatives from federal, state, and local governments; citizen science organizations; environmental organizations; community groups; and academia. The keynote speaker was Bob Perciasepe, President of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) and former Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Participants discussed the role of citizen science in environmental monitoring and enforcement, case studies of successful projects, legal and practical barriers for citizen scientists, and strategies for promoting citizen science in the coming years. Based in part on the ideas generated in this workshop, the Clinic will be developing new citizen science-related student projects for future semesters.