Citizen Science

(re) Imagine Uganda

What do you think of when I mention Uganda? If you’re like many of the people who I spoke to before I left, you think of the Ebola virus, Idi Amin and some war that’s being waged. The reality of present-day Uganda should bring to mind a colorful, lush landscape with one of the mostContinueContinue reading “(re) Imagine Uganda”

Destination: Tracking Chimps in Uganda

Tomorrow I leave for the Budongo Forest Reserve, where 700 chimps live, one of the largest populations of chimps in Uganda. I am volunteering with an expedition organized by Earthwatch.org, called Tracking Chimps Through the Trees of Uganda. During this volunteer research expedition, I will be investigating human, chimpanzee and monkey interactions while looking at strategiesContinueContinue reading “Destination: Tracking Chimps in Uganda”

Will 2013 Be The Summer of Tsunami Debris?

Close up of buoy found on North Beach in Point Reyes, California, in June 2012.

If you came across this suspicious looking boat while on a walk, what would you do? This article will tell you how to report such an item, and explain how becoming an active citizen scientist could help clean up our beaches and shorelines. Tsunami Marine Debris in the US To date, there are confirmed reportsContinueContinue reading “Will 2013 Be The Summer of Tsunami Debris?”

May 27, 2013: Tsunami Debris Monitoring

Bob meticulously measuring the length of our transects.

When I first told friends about my Japan Tsunami Marine Debris Monitoring volunteer work, they warned me about being radiated by the items I would find. I thought about buying a Geiger counter and searched online for a while but I was confused by the multiple models and eventually passed on the idea, like IContinueContinue reading “May 27, 2013: Tsunami Debris Monitoring”

Beachwatch: Point Reyes

Photograph of sea kelp at the Great Beach in Point Reyes Beach with sea kelp

Our walk from North Beach to Abbott’s Lagoon on Sunday was a quiet day, with no complaints about the mix of sun, wind and beach action, though we were a bit slow on the birding. Were are the birds? was our main question. The Snowy Plovers starting to nest; some Dunlins with black bellies, whichContinueContinue reading “Beachwatch: Point Reyes”