1. People who participate in citizen science activities for prolonged periods of time are those who already have an increased motivation or interest in the topic because they see their contributions as worthwhile. Additionally, participation in citizen science activities is higher for citizens who are motivated to improve the welfare of their community. 
2. It is a problem that many citizen science activities draw participants into thinking they are doing something scientific when what they are doing does not integrate science, culture, and consequences.

New York University

Mueller, M., Tippins, D., Bryan, L., The Future of Citizen Science. Democracy & Education, vol 20, No 1. https://democracyeducationjournal.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=home

The Future of Citizen Science

Learnings from Citizen Science Research

Citizen science is a way for normal people within the community to gain meaningful involvement in scientific pursuits that affect their lives. To advance citizen science, more people need to have a say in community decisions. Once participation begins, it doesn’t take much for citizens to become more fully involved. However, the citizen science community should be guided to not just focus on present day agendas, but also the prospects of future generations. 

Advancing Citizen Science

Citizen science is about participation in science by broad citizenry, of all segments of the society. People who do not have access to technologies because of a lack of knowledge or finances are facing a digital divide that prevents them from participating. The key issue the paper highlights is that this divide creates a misrepresentation of groups within the spheres of citizen science. 

The Issue of Accessibility

Youths form the basis of many citizen science projects, and should use this as a way to become more involved in their community and the issues their community faces. The authors believe that community immersion can be used as a way to shift the responsibility of today’s people to the future because it blurs the tensions and distance between schools and communities, encouraging youth participation.

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