The Importance of Community Scientists

Community science mobilizes the public to work alongside scientists to help answer questions about the world. Learn about the valuable contributions of community scientists in Hawai'i.

2 minute read

June 26, 2023, 10:00 AM PDT

By Clement Lau


Community science is essentially science for everyone. Specifically, community science is when the public voluntarily helps conduct scientific research, including designing experiments, collecting data, analyzing results, and solving problems. Community scientists are doing some great work across the country, including the state of Hawai'i.

As Catherine Toth Fox reports, some notable community science projects in Hawai'i have included the state-run Hawaii Ulua and Papio Tagging Project; the annual Kolea Count, run by the Hawaii Audubon Society; and the Sanctuary Ocean Count, which tracks humpback whale migration to the Islands. Currently, University of Hawai'i researchers are asking the public to document extreme water level events, also known as King Tides, this summer starting July 3. The goal of the King Tides Project is to better understand the impacts from sea-level rise and other coastal hazards by looking at these high tides, which will likely be average sea levels in the future.

The King Tides Project started in the summer of 2015, when a few scientists went out with data sheets and took photos of king tides at their favorite coastlines. In the following year, the group recruited the public to assist, offering training workshops to educate volunteers about King Tides and how sea level rise could impact the places they care about. To date, the project has received over 3,800 photos from 484 community scientists on five islands.

To learn more, please read the source article.

Friday, June 23, 2023 in Honolulu Civil Beat

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight