Because together, we have more hands, more eyes, and a greater intellect … Because through teaching and learning, we can collaborate to create a better society with greater knowledge, while streamlining the work of researchers and helping science advance faster.
Citizen science is increasingly important in the world of research. Since it makes traditional scientific research practices accessible to many more people, it democratizes the scientific research process. For example, it allows us to reorient science towards the great social challenges, install more democratic governance of science, and help increase the scientific, technological, and 4C capacities (collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking) of all of our citizens.
In the #MelanogasterCTF project, professional scientists teach teachers how to collect Drosophila (fruit flies) samples from rural fields near their educational centers. Students and teachers –the citizen scientists of the project– classify the samples using either material from the school itself or materials developed by the #MelanogasterCTF project for schools that do not have the resources. Finally, the samples are sent to professional scientists in the European research consortium on population genomics of Drosophila, DrosEU, who sequence and analyze their DNA in order to determine what changes have allowed the Drosophila flies to adapt to new climatic characteristics.
Students from these educational centers, along with other rural and urban students, and those from universities, can participate in the analysis and validation of the information obtained from the genetic sequences, thanks to the analysis modules provided by the project, as well as other project activities.
#MelanogasterCTF establishes close and lasting relationships between research and educational centers, establishing the latter as a reference and model for both new participants joining the project in Spain, the rest of Europe, and worldwide. Additionally, #MelanogasterCTF serves as a reference for other citizen science projects.
Join our network!
We invite you to become part of #MelanogasterCTF, the first European Network of Citizen Science in Adaptation Genomics. You only need to fill the form at the Participate! section of our webpage.
You can also join our distribution list. Being part of this list will let you receive useful information on how to participate in the activities of our Citizen Science project, Melanogaster: Catch the Fly! (MCTF). You only need to contact us in the Contact section.
