Citizen Science for all Seasons (Project BudBurst)
By Sandra Henderson, Ph.D., UCAR, Boulder
Project BudBurst is a nationwide initiative that encourages volunteers to track climate change by observing the timing of spring flowers and foliage. Project BudBurst, operated by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) and a team of partners, allows schoolchildren, gardeners and other citizen scientists in every state to enter their observations into an online database that will give researchers a detailed picture of our warming climate. Learn about Project BudBurst (www.budburst.org) and how you can join this innovative and exciting effort. Spring is right around the corner!
Sandra Henderson is a science educator at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder where she oversees the development of K-12 geoscience education materials and the design and implementation of citizen science field campaigns. Sandra facilitates professional development workshops for geoscience educators from across the country, coordinates the development of online courses for classroom teachers, and prepares staff scientists to participate in educational outreach activities. She is particularly interested in science education programs that address the needs of underrepresented populations. Sandra served as Co-Director of LEARN: Atmospheric Science Explorer’s, an NSF teacher enhancement program. She is the former Director of Education for GLOBE.