Join us as the authors of Exploring Nature Through Citizen Science share how community involvement can foster scientific discovery. Cameron and Thomas will be chatting with Paul Flemons from the Australian Museum about their practical guide to making a difference through community involvement and scientific knowledge.

About the book

Citizen science is involving the public in collecting and analysing scientific data and discovering new scientific knowledge. Approachable and inclusive, it is an excellent option for people looking for ways to get involved and make a difference, and there has never been a better time than now.

Exploring Nature through Citizen Science introduces citizen science and showcases its benefits, with a focus on Australia, including urban environments. The book explores the various types of projects available, explaining how the data is used to create real-world impact and offering practical guidance on what photographs to take and which data to record for different groups of organisms.

About the Authors

Cam Slatyer manages the scientific name backbone of the Atlas of Living Australia. He's worked in a variety of science and biodiversity roles in government as well as the Australian Museum which have taken him to some spectacular parts of Australia. He created BushBlitz, a public - private partnership that has run for sixteen years and continues to link scientists, industry and citizen scientists in discovering species new to western science. 

Dr Thomas Mesaglio is a botanist and naturalist at the University of New South Wales. Much of his current research and work focuses on biodiversity informatics and the Australian flora, but he has also published on bushfire recovery, marine forensics, and invertebrate taxonomy and natural history. He is an iNaturalist curator and a site administrator for iNaturalist Australia, and regularly organises and leads BioBlitzes around Australia.