This year’s EE Expo theme is Citizen Science.  Presentations will focus on integrating Citizen Science projects into your environmental education programs.  Talks will include educators that are using Citizen Science projects as complements to their programs.  And we will hear from organizers of Citizen Science projects and how you can get involved in their research.

Our Keynote Speaker will be Darlene Cavalier, of Science Cheerleader and SciStarter.  She will get us pumped up to learn about, participate in, and contribute to science through both recreational activities and formal research efforts.

All registered attendees will receive:

• morning and afternoon snacks
• catered lunch
• educator resource bag with Citizen Science themed materials
• and a day full of Citizen Science fun and exploration!

What is Citizen Science?
Families watching birds at their feeders, farmers checking their rain gauge, and kids watching the redbuds bloom in their schoolyard are all participating in Citizen Science.  All over the country, people from all walks of life are becoming Citizen Scientists by assisting with scientific investigations –  asking questions, collecting data, and/or interpreting results.

Citizen Scientists contribute many more and varied observations compared to traditional scientific research. Citizen Science projects often focus on an issue that requires data to be gathered over long periods of time or wide geographic areas.  Projects vary from simple observations to scheduled data collection that requires training and significant time commitment.  Ongoing projects cover many different sciences ranging from aquatic invasive species to native bees, from pollen to stardust, and from urban birds to arctic glaciers.  Successful projects may only have handful of participants at a local park or many thousands of observers located across the globe.

Come spend a day learning how you can incorporate Citizen Science projects into your environmental education toolkit!

Have questions about Environmental Education Expo 2014? Contact Oklahoma Association for Environmental Education