CitSciVirtual 2021

The CitSci conference, usually held in-person every other year, became an online platform for self-paced learning this year. The great thing about this conference is that it is a cross-section of all types of citizen science, from mining information from medical journals to tracking butterflies. With a variety of virtual events held live every day, the majority of the content was available to access, browse, and engage with on your own time. This included workshop lessons, weekly plenaries, all posters, and direct access to message presenters and participants at any hour. Notably, the events were held over four weeks throughout the month of May, with workshops and poster sessions beyond the closing plenary on Monday, May 24th. The virtual aspect of the conference also meant that there was a much more significant level of international participation than in past years, with poster presentations from every continent (including Antarctica!).  The CMC participated in the conference by attending sessions and presenting a poster on the Hack the Bay event– session participants were particularly interested in hearing about the Data Explorer. The closing plenary by Sylvia Acevedo was excellent, so be sure to check it out online. We look forward to seeing everyone in person next year – the next conference will occur in May 2022 in Arizona!