We are pleased to announce the development of a new, twice monthly event: Citizen Science Hour for Biodiversity Collections.

The goal of the event is to catalyze excellence in all forms of citizen science involving biodiversity collections by scheduling engaging speakers on high priority topics with time for group discussion. The biodiversity collections community includes those organizations (natural history museums, universities, field stations, government agencies, etc.) curating such resources as insects on pins, plants on sheets, fish in jars, and fossils in drawers. Topics could include online engagement tools, ethical considerations, the future of the field, data validation, resources from citizen science associations, citizen science in formal education settings, and much more.

All participants are welcomed, whatever their location on Earth, institutional setting, career stage, or credentials. However, speakers will be asked to pitch their talk to an audience that has some affiliation with, or deep interest in, biodiversity collections. And talks and conversations are likely to be in English.

Register your interest and express your priorities and preferences for this event at https://forms.gle/MsQgyQ2xfTtjJTxQ6 https://forms.gle/MsQgyQ2xfTtjJTxQ6

While completing the survey you can express an interest in joining the organizing committee. The event is being initiated by iDigBio, the US National Science Foundation's National Resource for Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections.

And feel free to share this announcement with others.

With best regards,

Austin Mast (Florida State University) and Libby Elwood (University of Florida), co-organizers

Austin Mast · Professor · Department of Biological Science · 319 Stadium Drive · Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL 32306-4295 · U.S.A. · (850) 645-1500 · amast@bio.fsu.edu · he/him