Essay

Citizen science volunteers are almost entirely white

Bradley  Allf Caren  Cooper
By Bradley Allf and Caren Cooper
July 17, 2022

Every day, volunteers around the world contribute to scientific studies through “citizen science.” Citizen science can be anything from counting migrating birds to measuring precipitation or even tracking outbreaks of COVID-19. Citizen science helps researchers collect more data than they could working on their own. The people who participate in these projects also benefit by gaining knowledge about the fields they are working in and learning skills.

We are two researchers who study biology, the environment and the role of citizen science in these fields. In a new paper published on June 22, in BioScience, we used survey data from 2016 to 2019 to better understand the demographics of citizen scientists.

A few small studies have found that citizen science volunteers tend to be white, well-educated and have high incomes. But this homogeneity of participants is common knowledge among researchers, and few collect detailed demographic data on participants in citizen science.

In our survey, we collected data about race, income and other demographic information. Overall, we received 3,894 responses. Most of the responses — 3,191 — came from the 2016 Christmas Bird Count, the world’s longest-running bird-related citizen science project. Since 1900, thousands of people in the U.S. and abroad have counted birds around Christmas and reported the results to the Audubon Society.

We also collected data from 280 contributors to Candid Critters — a project that uses trail cameras to study wild mammals — and from 423 members of SciStarter.org, an online inventory of citizen science projects.

Overall, 95% of respondents identified as white. The lack of racial diversity was striking for each sample, with 96% of participants in both the Christmas Bird count and Candid Critters identifying as white and 88% of respondents from SciStarter saying the same. While only 14% of the U.S. population has a graduate or professional degree, about half of our survey respondents held these degrees. Additionally, while only 6% of the U.S. population has careers in science, technology, engineering or math, almost half of our survey respondents from all three data sources worked in STEM fields.

Problems from a lack of diversity

Participating in citizen science is linked to personal benefits like learning new skills and building community. If citizen science is reaching only educated white science professionals, then it’s concentrating the benefits of participation among this group.

Additionally, if one of the goals of citizen science is to boost science literacy and trust in science, it can’t achieve that goal if it’s preaching to the choir by only reaching people who already work in science.

Finally, a lack of diversity in citizen science could even compromise the quality of the research. For instance, one study found that volunteer water monitors — who were mostly well-educated and white — undersampled areas where environmental concerns disproportionately affected poor communities of color.

Initiatives like Black Birders Week seek to increase the visibility and concerns of people of color interested in the outdoors and science. SciStarter, where one of us volunteers as the director of research collaborations, is undertaking a long-term effort to design inclusive citizen science programs. By partnering with community-based groups, schools, churches, companies and libraries, some recent SciStarter initiatives have engaged more than 40% nonwhite participants.

Reforming citizen science with inclusive and equitable practices would not only make the science better but also spread the benefits of these projects more equitably and eventually help bring more diverse perspectives into science generally.The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Enjoy reading ASBMB Today?

Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition weekly.

Learn more
Bradley  Allf
Bradley Allf

Bradley Allf is a Ph.D. candidate in conservation biology at North Carolina State University.

Caren  Cooper
Caren Cooper

Caren Cooper is an associate professor of forestry and environmental resources at North Carolina State University.

Get the latest from ASBMB Today

Enter your email address, and we’ll send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.

Latest in Opinions

Opinions highlights or most popular articles

I am not a fake. I am authentically me
Essay

I am not a fake. I am authentically me

Dec. 5, 2024

Camellia Moses Okpodu explains why she believes the term “imposter syndrome” is inaccurate and should be replaced.

Where do we search for the fundamental stuff of life?
Essay

Where do we search for the fundamental stuff of life?

Dec. 1, 2024

Recent books by Thomas Cech and Sara Imari Walker offer two perspectives on where to look for the basic properties that define living things.

Scientists around the world report millions of new discoveries every year
Essay

Scientists around the world report millions of new discoveries every year

Nov. 24, 2024

Science is a collaborative endeavor, and international teams have contributed to a huge rise in scientific output.

Who decides when a grad student graduates?
Training

Who decides when a grad student graduates?

Nov. 15, 2024

Ph.D. programs often don’t have a set timeline. Students continue with their research until their thesis is done, which is where variability comes into play.

Redefining ‘what’s possible’ at the annual meeting
President's Message

Redefining ‘what’s possible’ at the annual meeting

Nov. 1, 2024

The ASBMB Annual Meeting is “a high-impact event — a worthwhile investment for all who are dedicated to advancing the field of biochemistry and molecular biology and their careers.”

Molecular impressions of water as cuneiform cascade*
Essay

Molecular impressions of water as cuneiform cascade*

Oct. 31, 2024

Inspired by "the most elegant depiction of H2O’s colligative features," Thomas Gorrell created a seven-tiered visual cascade of Sumerian characters beginning with the ancient sign for water.