Most people, when they contemplate the life of a scientist, probably imagine someone wearing a white lab coat and goggles, standing near a stack of petri dishes. Few people realize that many, many branches of science require extensive fieldwork — that is, lots of time outdoors in remote locations collecting data.
The Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation (ASC) project may help change that perception. The ASC wants to recruit adventurous types to create an army of citizen-scientists to help collect data for dozens of ongoing projects. The goal is to inspire adventure enthusiasts to use their time in the wild to help inform conservation decisions. There’s something for everyone: gliders, kayakers, rafters, skiers, snowshoeing enthusiasts, cyclists, mountaineers, and hikers. For example, what could be more fun than an adventure tour that involves hiking through beautiful locations and noting sightings of the incredibly cute pika? Or what about a trip down the rivers of the Indian subcontinent, collecting diatoms?
Bookmark the ASC site and check back often, as there will be new requests for data in all sorts of locations all the time.