The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University will launch the Israeli Center for Citizen Science in February, an initiative that aims to involve the general public in scientific research and the conservation of biodiversity in Israel. The new center, in collaboration with the KKL-JNF and the Society for the Protection of Nature, focuses on citizen science – scientific research conducted by scientists and non-scientists alike – at all stages of the scientific process, with the goal of making the Israeli public an integral part of biodiversity and environmental research and encouraging them to take an active part in documenting and collecting data.
The center will be officially launched at the first annual conference on citizen science, to be held at the museum on Thursday, February 20, 2025. The center is designed to provide technological and scientific support to existing projects by developing a national network for sharing knowledge and creating databases, which will constitute an advanced infrastructure for research and action. The center will work to develop a national database, based on a data system with international standards, to be used by researchers, institutions and area managers, as well as to make research results accessible to the public, policymakers and professional bodies.
Participation in citizen science is intended for everyone and usually does not require prior knowledge or special effort. The most common way is to photograph and report observations using dedicated apps in dedicated projects (such as reporting on the fire ant or the Great Bird Count), or by reporting random observations of flora and fauna. Reports from the public are made using international apps such as iNaturalist, which is a central platform for photographing and identifying plants and animals; eBird, which focuses on collecting bird observations; and BioCollect, which allows data collection in a wide variety of protocols. Data from these apps will become part of Israel's national database and will be used for research as a basis for making decisions in managing biodiversity and the environment.
The Citizen Science Center will encourage public engagement and select projects for participation from a broad network of projects. The selection of projects will be based on interest, geographic location, and other parameters.
Chairman of the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Prof. Tamar Dayan"Citizen science – public participation in scientific activity – is a new approach to science that is gaining enormous momentum worldwide. It combines science and the community, while understanding the potential contribution of the public, as individuals and as communities, to the production of scientific knowledge and insights, and at the same time the importance of science to the general public. This combination is made possible today thanks to advanced technological developments, including artificial intelligence, which enable, on the one hand, direct and reliable reporting to shared databases, and on the other hand, big data analysis tools that enable scientific analysis of the data received from the general public. This is a revolution in both the ability to do science and the perception of the role of science in society, especially with regard to research and monitoring of nature and the environment. The Israeli Center for Citizen Science at the museum was established to initiate and support citizen science projects, thereby promoting the assimilation of this approach in science and society."
Director General of the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Alon Safan"Natural history museums around the world are currently leading the field of citizen science, both due to the scientific expertise of the museum's curators and due to the unique and direct connection of natural history museums with the general public. This is a social role, alongside scientific, in order to promote nature conservation. The Israeli Center for Citizen Science at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History will allow the public in Israel – activists, students, academics and nature enthusiasts – to join the effort to preserve the environment and nature in Israel. The platform established at the museum will enable public participation and create real change that will affect future generations."
KKL-JNF Chief Scientist, Dr. Doron Merkel"Citizen science is a scientific field that is currently developing rapidly throughout the world, and also in Israel. This type of scientific activity is important from three perspectives: strengthening the public's connection to the open spaces around them and understanding the ability to influence the fate of these spaces; strengthening knowledge-based open space management practices; and in many cases, closing the circle in the scientific research process by providing answers to questions that require extensive data collection. KKL-JNF, as a company that works for the benefit of the public in Israel, and one that manages open spaces for them, is happy to support and lead the advancement of citizen science in Israel."
CEO of the Society for the Protection of Nature, Dan Alon: "In recent years, the Society for the Protection of Nature, with various partners, has led citizen science projects and connected citizens with scientists on issues related to nature conservation and the protection of biodiversity and open spaces. This collaboration has enabled a contribution to science and nature conservation in Israel, and many participants have reported on deer, wild boars, salamanders, anemones, birds, butterflies, hedgehogs, fireflies, rats, fire ants, bats, etc. We are happy to join and take part in the Israeli Center for Citizen Science that is currently being established, which will continue to provide scientific data for nature conservation in Israel."
Director of the Israeli Center for Citizen Science at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Dr. Tomer Goite"Citizen science allows all of us to take an active part in preserving biodiversity in Israel. Public participation in research processes such as data collection and analysis not only enriches scientific knowledge, but also strengthens people's sense of belonging to the nature around them. The center is designed to make citizen science accessible and practical, and to use it to create innovative environmental solutions, based on broad and genuine community involvement."
The first annual conference to launch the Israeli Citizen Science Center at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History will be held on Thursday, February 20, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 16:30 PM. The conference will include guest lectures by Prof. Dror Burstein and Prof. Muki Hakhali, a panel on promoting citizen science in Israel, sessions on launching the infrastructure of the Israeli Center for Citizen Science, citizen science in action and round tables. Participation is free of charge but requires advance registration at the link: https://tevamuseum.activetrail.biz/RSVP_iccs
To the Citizen Science Center website
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