Marine Citizen Science Creative Workshop with PHD Student

Message from Emma Lower - PHD Student:

My project is researching the opportunities and challenges for community-led marine citizen science. For an aspect of my research, I am running creative workshops using zine making to help capture and share the experience of community marine groups when carrying out citizen science activities. Zines are self-made pamphlets and used to tell stories, ideas or pretty much anything else- I have a zine of black cats in hats and another one that explains why we need to protect sharks. There is not right or wrong way to make a zine and no requirement to be ‘good’ at art. The methodology uses prompts to help guide the zine making.

This workshop will help capture data that will contribute to a chapter of my PhD which is looking at understanding the benefits and challenges community marine groups have experienced in carrying out citizen science activities in Scotland. There a three key steps to the methods, an initial brainstorming of experiences in response the research questions, a guided zine making process and a reflection process discussing what has been made.

I am looking for up to 8 people to take part in a workshop in Findhorn Village Centre on Sunday the 30th November who have taken part in marine citizen science (this could be seaweed surveys, seagrass surveys, litter surveys, oyster shell counts, slipper limpet surveys or whale and dolphin surveys - any event where you have helped gather information at the coast).

I have budget to cover travel costs of participants, either a return public transport fare or milage. I will also provide food, refreshments and cover the hiring of a suitable workshop location. As a way of saying thank you, each participant will receive the equivalent of a £25 voucher. If people would prefer this went towards equipment or donation, I am very happy to facilitate this.