Thursday, 06 February 2020
University of Nottingham has received a share of a £1.4 million fund to encourage members of the public to get involved in research projects which tackle issues that affect their lives.
Citizen journalists have changed the way the media gathers news and now academics want to transform their relationship with the public, on a scale not seen before, and get them to contribute to their research projects as citizen scientists.
Academics from the University of Nottingham who are world-leaders in using satellite imagery to tackle world problems from climate change to modern slavery, are one of over 50 projects to be given a grant from the funding body, UK Research and Innovation, to achieve this vision.
The team at the University will publish a report outlining the benefits of citizen science data and suggest a blueprint for future engagement. The project is led by Doreen Boyd, Professor of Earth Observation at the University. Professor Boyd has previously worked with citizen scientists on a study which, along with recent images from Google Earth, provided the first ever accurate estimate of the number of brick kilns across the South Asian ‘Brick Belt’ – a breakthrough in the fight against modern slavery.
I am delighted to have been given this opportunity to realise the full potential of Earth Observation projects by using data from citizen scientists. The role of EO data in solving social and environmental problems cannot be understated. Images and first-hand reports help us to identify the nature, location and extent of the problem. It can be expensive and challenging to acquire accurate data from a local area, to corroborate our interpretations of the images we have captured from above, but we can overcome this by using citizen scientists. Our overall goal is to move more of my fellow academics towards valuing citizen scientists. We will produce a compelling report, showcasing case studies that should inform future developments in using citizen science data.
Her team has partnered with the Natural History Museum who have over 20 years of research and practical experience of citizen science, the University of Sheffield and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
The project is divided into three phases, starting with an online questionnaire to establish the concerns and barriers researchers have in using citizen science data in their Earth Observation studies. This will be followed by a workshop to brainstorm ideas on how citizen scientists can be embedded into the work of EO scientists. The final phase will see the publication of a report outlining the benefits of using citizen scientists.
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For more information or to arrange interviews please contact Professor Doreen Boyd, doreen.boyd@nottingham.ac.uk
Nasreen Suleman - Media Relations Manager, Faculty of Social Sciences
Email: nasreen.suleman@nottingham.ac.uk
Phone: 0115 951 5793
Location: C4, Pope Building, University Park, Nottingham,NG7 2RD
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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