GI faculty member, Dr. Ashley Mehlenbacher, was recently published in “Waterloo Stories”, an online publication run by the Faculty of Arts. Dr. Mehlenbacher spoke about the growth of citizen science linked to the rise of the internet.
Dr. Mehlenbacher is a professor of English Language and Literature specializing in the rhetoric of science. Recently, she published a book “Science Communication Online: Engaging Experts and Publics on the Internet” which looks at “trans-scientific” genres online and how they encourage every day users to engage with researchers and science. She believes that this new genre of science communication is crucial to combating public knowledge with issues such as climate change.
Using the example of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster of 2011, Dr. Mehlenbacher spoke about how a group of citizens organized and collected information regarding radiation to disperse to residents.
"The public would never have had access to such information during Chernobyl or Three Mile Island."
Other examples of citizen science include games such as "Foldit". An online puzzle game about folding protein, "Foldit" was designed by the University of Washington, Center for Game Science and Department of Biochemistry. By using gamification, the scientists aimed to make active research accessible and tangible for the general public.
"Likewise, scientists themselves are engaging much more directly with broad publics through online platforms such as blogs, crowdfunding sites, and open-access databases."
If you'd like to read Dr. Mehlenbacher's book, check out the open access copy here!