Making Citizen Science a Classroom Priority: Tools and Resources with Caroline Nickerson

ScIC "Science is Cool" Unplugged

Engaging students through digital field experiences and technology. In this conversation, Caroline Nickerson discusses her dissertation on webinars and the effectiveness of a model called a digital field experience. She partnered with extension agents in different locations in Florida to test the model's effectiveness in teaching people about climate hazards and engaging them in citizen science projects. The findings showed that the digital field experience model was effective in engaging people and prompting them to take action on climate change. They also discuss the value of vicarious learning and the potential of technology to connect people to scientific knowledge and projects. They highlight the importance of project-based learning and the integration of AI in education. SciStarter is a platform that connects people to citizen science projects and provides resources for educators. The core of the site is the project finder, where users can discover and participate in various projects. SciStarter has also expanded to include curated programs for educators and partnerships with organizations like HHMI Tangle Bank Studios. The platform promotes accessibility and inclusivity by translating project materials into different languages and creating kits for hands-on activities. The goal is to make citizen science a formal national priority and encourage its integration into schools and libraries. ABOUT CAROLINE

Caroline Nickerson is the Executive Director and co-founder of Florida Community Innovation (FCI), a civic technology nonprofit. Caroline empowers over 50 student innovators from more than five different universities to build social services technologies, engage in research projects, and conduct public service efforts to benefit Floridians, including the Florida Resource Map, which promises to be the first-of-its-kind digital access point connecting Floridians to food banks, job resources, and more. https://floridainnovation.org

Caroline is also a PhD candidate in Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida. At UF, Caroline has worked on multiple projects, including a climate change communication series with UF/IFAS Extension, creating the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture community engagement team, research assessing the Restore the Shore project, and public engagement research about a certification for pollinator-friendly plants. She has also TA'd for multiple classes, including a social media class, a public policy class, and a multimedia communication class. http://bit.ly/climatecastlive

She has worked with SciStarter in various capacities, including as Senior Program Director at SciStarter where she managed the Citizen Science Month Program, SciStarter’s Corporate Volunteer Programs and other programmatic and outreach efforts, including working with SciStarter’s Syndicated Blog Network, which encompasses the Discover Magazine and SciStarter platforms, as well as large-scale programs with multiple federal agencies (including NASA, NOAA, and the National Library of Medicine) and global groups (including the United Nations Environment Programme). She currently works at SciStarter as an program specialist. https://scistarter.org

Caroline is a Master of Public Policy graduate from American University, where she was a Reilly Environmental Policy Scholar, an honor conferred by the former director of the EPA, Bill Reilly. Caroline was an undergrad at the University of Florida and was one of the inaugural recipients of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ Student Excellence Award, an honor conferred to only three graduating seniors. She graduated with honors as a double major in History and Chinese.

In her spare time, she volunteers with the UF-VA Bioethics Unit, the Christensen Project (where she serves homeless and underserved groups), and others.

Caroline also co-founded the Commission on Local Debates and produced multiple debates for local elections in Central Florida that ran on local news.

As a fun fact, Caroline was the 2019 Cherry Blossom Princess representing the state of Florida and the grand prize scholarship winner at Miss Earth USA 2021 as Miss Louisiana Earth. She was also recently featured in a children's book about open science!