Short talk given at the Use Environmental Data Responsibly conference in Glasgow. The talk focused on how citizens can make extraordinary contributions to environmental research science, through taking part in scientific research focused around sunflowers, the weather and breathing. It draws parallels to the value of storing and making public data about the environment, to artists who make work about the environment, and the way that we value those works of art. Weaving stories and images from the birth of the environmental movement and the civil rights movement, the final part of the talk focuses on how data and stories about the environment might be valued and shared in the same way that galleries care about and make art part of our national heritage.

1. Dr Erinma Ochu
e.e.ochu@salford.ac.uk
Image: Bigger Trees near Warter
David Hockney (2007)

2. The Promise of Citizen Science?
Dr Erinma Ochu
e.e.ochu@salford.ac.uk
Image: Bigger Trees near Warter
David Hockney (2008)

3. Photography is dead, long
live painting, David
Hockney

5. What is citizen science?
“Citizen science encompasses many different ways in which citizens are involved in science. This
may include mass participation schemes in which citizens use smartphone apps to submit wildlife
monitoring data, as well as smaller-scale activities, for example, grassroots groups taking part in
local policy debates about fracking”. Environmental Citizen Science report (2013).

7. Haklay (2013)

8. Old Weather project (1850)

9. Scientific and Social Value
Community Building
Awareness & Stewardship
Recognition of citizen
participation
Cost effectiveness
Improved productivity
Quality assurance measures
Maintaining engagement
Making best use of data
Wentworth 2014; Freitag 2013; Roy et al 2012

10. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Environmental Imaginaries…

11. Earthrise (1968), William Anders

12. JM Turner (1840) the Slave Ship

13. Opportunities
‘The boy hidden in an egg’ (The Little Sea Hare) Grimm/ David Hockney

14. Science-Society-Policy Interface

15. Human Sensor by Kasia Molga

16. Shore – Margaret Salmon and Ed Webb-Ingall

17. Opening up environmental science for all

18. Thanks for listening… look forward to
your questions and discussion