What is a citizen scientist?
NASA’s citizen science projects are collaborations between scientists and interested members of the public. Through these collaborations, volunteers (known as citizen scientists) have helped make thousands of important scientific discoveries.
There are about 36 projects that a person can take up and work up on. You can find the list of projects at https://science.nasa.gov/citizenscience.
Some of the common projects are:
- Cloudspotting on MARS
- Dark Energy Explorers
- Exoplanet Watch
- Stardust@Home
- Disk Detective and More
In this project any person of any citizenship regardless of their qualification can register themselves to participate in any of the IASC Campaigns. The International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC) is a citizen science program that provides high-quality astronomical data to citizen scientists around the world. These citizen scientists are able to make original astronomical discoveries and participate in hands-on astronomy. This service is provided at no cost!
What is an IASC Campaign?
Asteroid Search Campaigns are the primary focus of IASC. A "campaign" is a month-long event in which teams search for asteroids. The campaigns take in a set of participants (limited for each campaign month). Either as a group or individuals. If you are an individual and if you need a team (Max 4), the organizer will help you team up with other individuals are teams with less than 4 members and put you all in a team upon request.
The campaigns maybe international or specific to national/ groups inside your country. Here are some of the campaigns:
- International Asteroid Search Campaign (Which is the most famous and fast filling)
- All Israel Asteroid Search Campaign
- All Nepal Asteroid Search Campaign
- Hands-On Universe India Asteroid Search Campaign
- Spaceport India Asteroid Search Campaign
- MARSG India Asteroid Search Campaign
- SSERD Asteroid Search Campaign
Procedure to Become a Citizen Scientist at NASA through IASC
If you are interested to participate in the IASC campaign, you can register through this process. It is essential to keep looking at the website of IASC to find new campaigns that are taking in participants. If you find any opening, you can register yourself for a campaign through this process.
1. Visit the IASC Campaign Website
You can visit the page through the link: http://iasc.cosmosearch.org/
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2. Search for available campaigns
Click on the campaigns tab on the top (2nd from left, next to Home) and you can see all the available campaigns that you can choose and register
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3. Registration
Once you have selected the campaign that you want to participate, you can come back to home page like in the Step 1 and click on the Register button.
This is the page you will see when you click on the Register button.
Now you can proceed with registration by clicking on the Register for a Campaign button.
When you click that a pdf will get downloaded/open in a new tab. Or you can access the pdf file by clicking here.
You have to download the pdf to fill it for registration.
4.1 Filling the pdf
The details to be filled in the application is very simple. You can use any standard pdf editor to fill this or any online tools where you can fill the pdf (Search online pdf application editor and choose any website).
Now you can fill the form with a nice team name and members details for the team. The organizers assume that the 1st member is the team leader. Include the mail ID where all the campaign information will be shared.
After filling the pdf, save it in the name of your team and proceed to mail the coordinator.
4.2 Mailing the Application pdf.
After filling pdf, save it in proper format (pdf) and name it appropriately with your Team Name.
Now you can proceed to mail the coordinator.
Coordinator: Ms. Cassidy Davis
Mail ID: iascsearch@hsutx.edu
Make the Subject as Registration to International Asteroid Search Campaign (Or the campaign name to which you want to register)
In the body, include the campaign name in which you are interested and the team name. And don't forget to attach the registration application pdf file to the mail.
5. Confirmation
If there are vacancy, the coordinator will mail you with the start date and other details of the campaign. If there are no vacancy the coordinator will give any other campaign option that might have some vacancy. if you are interested in that, you can confirm your application and proceed with the campaign. Else you can request them to add you to the next available campaign.
How to Proceed?
Once you register, you will get a mail with login password. Then you can login by clicking the LOG IN button on the right top corner with the credentials and rest of the details will be sent in the mail from IASC.
What to do if there are no vacancy in the campaign you want to participate?
You can still mail the coordinator to add you to your preferred campaign when the vacancy is available and they will add you to wait list and send you a confirmation mail when you are registered to the campaign you requested.
Certification
After you perform the tasks given for about 1 month, you will get a mail to register yourself for certificate.
You can fill in for certificate and after the campaign duration is over you will receive a certificate for your work.
More details on the type of work and the Asteroid search will be uploaded as a separate blog later.
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