Trust me, you're a scientist: Engaging the public in scientific endeavors

Presentation Summary: Citizen science is an integral part of the Conservation Program at San Diego Audubon. In this talk, Rebecca Schwartz will discuss citizen science as a discipline, including its importance and challenges, as well as describe current and past citizen science programs at San Diego Audubon.

Bio: Rebecca Schwartz is the Conservation Program Manager at San Diego Audubon where she is responsible for conservation projects including adaptive management of endangered species habitat, coastal dune habitat restoration, and environmental advocacy and project scoping. Rebecca holds a BS from UCSD in Ecology and is finishing up an MS in Marine Science from USD. In terms of research, she is interested in investigating ecological processes within both marine and terrestrial systems, understanding how these systems are affected by anthropogenic activities, and applying this understanding towards effective conservation/management decisions.