Many professional scientists and researchers are hesitant to accept results from citizen science as evidential data. Through the poster, “Cheetah Conservation Through Citizen Science”, the concept of citizen science is shown to analyze mass data in a timely and cost-effective manner while still maintaining accuracy and credibility in order to help researchers develop more effective cheetah conservation programs. I participated in a project called the “Cheetahs of Namibia” where I spent an hour a week classifying animals in camera trap images. The information from me and many others was used to predict predator-prey populations so that researchers could design better cheetah conservation plans. Projects like these enable the public to make impactful scientific contributions. Thanks to Professor Rebecca Kinraide’s WR 150 Citizen Science course, I was able to make a more impactful contribution towards cheetah conservation by teaching others how the general public can help organizations make better conservation programs.
KOMAL KANGO is a rising junior from Needham, Massachusetts. She is pursuing a double major in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Engineering at Boston University. As an activist for animal conservation and protection, Komal has always tried to help the cause through efforts ranging from clean-up projects for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill to donations to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.