Call for proposals from research scientists.

Could you do with an extra research assistant? How about 10 000 citizen scientists?!

We’re looking for a great new idea for the 2014 National Science Week citizen science project.

Harnessing the power of citizen science can provide practical and verifiable assistance, quickly doing the jobs that would have taken a research assistant, or several assistants many months, if not years.

If you are a scientist working in Australia and have a citizen science idea that suits the criteria below then we’d like to hear from you.

We’re looking for an idea that:

• The participants can undertake online (no field work) at home (or school, work or library). This is so the maximum number of people can participate.
• That can be undertaken with the accuracy you require by non-science-trained people from around 15 years and older. The skills needed should be able to be taught through an online tutorial.
• Is part of a scientific research project with clear aims and outcomes.
• Involves a simple activity, for example: photo identification; digitising old records, describing what happens in a video, an online visual test…
• Is not restricted in interest to a very small geographical or interest area – i.e. is of interest to many people and the media.

Our Citizen Science projects from previous years include:

Explore the Seafloor 2013 – more than 300 000 seafloor photos were viewed in a few weeks, identifying the presence of kelp or urchins for the team from IMOS, UNSW, Sydney University and University of Tasmania.

The Sleep Survey 2010 – 10 000 participants monitored their sleeping habits for one week for the Woolcock Institute and Sydney University.

National Memory Test 2006 – a series of online tests were completed by 30 000 citizens.

Background
The project is supported by the Inspiring Australia initiative. ABC Science has produced an annual citizen scientist or national project for National Science Week for 15 years.

Timing
The project can run from anywhere between three weeks to two months, but will always include the month of August when National Science Week occurs.

Register your interest
Please send us an email that covers the following details:

• Your name, position and institution.
• Your idea: a brief synopsis of the idea including why this research is interesting and /or important; the questions it hopes to answers; and how you imagine the ‘citizen scientists’  might be involved in providing data for your research.

Please email your ideas to Kylie Andrews, Citizen Science Project Producer at ABC Science Online.

Date: We’d like to receive ideas by January 30 (but will also look at late ideas, as we know that many people are away at this time of the year.)

Questions? Please also email these to Kylie.

Please note: Only proposals from research scientists who are currently working at an Australian university or research organisation will be considered.