Being held by Citizen Science for Biodiversity, it will witness participation from more than 250+ international experts
The 4th annual conference on citizen science for biodiversity, CitSci India 2023, will be held virtually on the 1st and 2nd of December, 2023. The conference on Day 1, will kick start with discussions on how citizen science can further education goals, and on Day 2 we will explore the challenges of inclusion in citizen science and explore ways of engaging with a diverse audience. .
Each year the conference brings together people who actively engage in citizen science to showcase existing citizen science projects and share their experiences and insights on the use of citizen science to monitor, protect, and restore biodiversity.
Dr. Shyam Phartyal, Associate Professor at Nalanda University and a panelist at the conference this year, said “In traditional pedagogy, we still teach what is already known rather than the process of knowing – an approach that requires change. Citizen Science offers hands-on, evidence-based learning experiences that ignite the joy of knowledge creation. Thus, integrating citizen science into education can help us meet our learning goals effectively”
Dr. Geetha Ramaswami, Programme Head at SeasonWatch and a presenter in the former conference editions and now a co-organiser said, “The CitSci India conference is an event I look forward to attending every year! It is a great place to hear others from the field speak about their data and experiences. The conference is also a one-of-a-kind opportunity to contribute to the theory and practice of citizen science in the Indian context. In the previous edition, I have had the opportunity to contribute to a working group that documented best practices in cit sci data in India.”
With over 250 registered participants, 15 presentations, 9 experts, and over 20+ practitioners this year’s conference already looks promising. The conference will also feature 2 keynote addresses: Theresa Crimmins, Director, USA National Phenology Network on Day 1 and Domitilla Raimondo, Threatened Species Programme Manager, South African National Biodiversity Institute and Suvarna Parbhoo, Citizen Science Programme Leader, South African National Biodiversity Institute on Day 2. The conference is free to attend and open to the public. To register, please visit: https://citsci-india.org/registration/
The CitSci conference is organised in collaboration with the Biodiversity Collaborative, the echo network, World Wide Fund for Nature India, Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas at IIT Bombay, Strand Life Sciences, National Centre for Biological Science – TIFR, Nature Conservation Foundation, and Keystone Foundation. The conference will include a number of events, including 2 keynote addresses, a panel discussion, a practitioner’s clinic, and contributed posters. For more information on the event, please visit: http://citsci-india.org/.
