Diary of a Citizen Scientist
by
- Publisher Oregon State University Press
- Year published 224
- ISBN: ISBN 978-0870717529
- Number of pages 224 pages
- WorldCat
- Topic(s) Citizen Science
About the Book
Book descriptionDiary of a Citizen Scientist is a timely exploration of the exploding world of citizen science where hundreds of thousands of volunteers are monitoring climate change, tracking bird migration, finding stardust for NASA, and excavating mastodons. The story is told through the lens of nature writer Sharman Apt Russell’s yearlong study of a little-known species, the Western red-bellied tiger beetle. In a voice both humorous and lyrical, Russell recounts her persistent and joyful tracking of an insect she calls “charismatic,” “elegant,” and “fierce.” Patrolling the Gila River in southwestern New Mexico, collector’s net in hand, she negotiates the realities of climate change even as she celebrates the beauty of a still-wild and rural landscape.
Winner 2016 John Burroughs Medal | 2015 WILLA Award Best Creative Nonfiction | Finalist 2015 New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards
About the Author
Author descriptionFalling in love with the diversity of citizen science, Sharman Apt Russell participates in crowdsourcing programs that range from cataloging galaxies to monitoring the phenology of native plants. She applauds the growing role of citizen science in environmental activism and marvels at the profusion of projects around the world. Russell was born at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert, raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and settled in southern New Mexico. She is a professor emeritus in the Humanities Department at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, where she teaches writing for graduate students. Russell received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana and her B.S. in Conservation and Natural Resources from the University of California, Berkeley. 
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Article
It's a Fair Question: Why Do I Do Citizen Science? by Sharman Apt Russell. Citizen Science Center
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