This document summarizes Holly Menninger's presentation about the Your Wild Life citizen science program called Belly Button Biodiversity. The program aims to educate the public about microbial diversity found all around us and engage participants in the scientific process of exploring and testing hypotheses about microbial ecology. It uses a citizen science approach to go beyond just data collection and involve participants in the entire scientific process. The program collaborates with citizen scientists, researchers, and science communicators and aims to have both widespread shallow impact as well as deep impact on fewer participants. It uses tools like a redesigned website, blog, data visualization, social media, podcasts and videos to engage participants and communicate science processes and results. Challenges include participant follow through

1. Citizen Microbiology Meeting
UC Davis – Jan 23, 2012
Holly Menninger
Director of Public Science
Your Wild Life Program
NC State University
holly.menninger@gmail.com | @DrHolly

2. Belly Button Biodiversity
http://www.yourwildlife.org

3. Belly Button Biodiversity
http://www.yourwildlife.org

4. • Excite audiences about microbial diversity
found all around us
• Engage participants in the scientific process of
exploring, understanding, and testing
hypotheses about microbial ecology
– Changes with lifestyle (rural to urban)
– Climate

5. • Citizen science – But going beyond data collection
– Process of science
– Long-term engagement
• Collaboration: Citizen scientists, researchers,
science communicators
• Impact: Widespread (but shallow) vs. Few (deep)
– Defining our audience
Our Approach

7. Understandingscience.org

8. • Yourwildlife.org (re-design)
– Blog – posts by collaborators
– Data visualization/Science Art
– Interactive components
• eNewsletter
– Regular communication with participants (Follow-up)
– Built-in survey tools
• Social media
– Twitter, Google+ (hangouts to discuss data), Facebook
• Multi-media
– Podcasts, videos
– Process of science, meet the people behind the science, science
“stories”
• Live events – e.g. NC Museum of Natural Sciences NRC
Toolbox

9. Field notes from the home
Sampling kits, SUPER-samplers
Share data, Crowdsource
analysis
Online engagement, Process in
real time

10. Notes from Science Online 2012 by Perrin Ireland

11. • Sampling logistics
– Assembly, data management, follow-through
– Participant contribution
• Sustaining engagement
– Particularly in light of logistical challenges
– Web tools that promote interaction
• Visualizing microbes/data
– How do you get people interested/excited about
things they can’t see?
– Interesting visual ways to communicate results?
Outreach Challenges

12. EVALUATION
• Assessing impact and outcomes in a
meaningful way
• Benchmarks of success?
Outreach Challenges