Citizen Science isn’t new. From Herschel to Humason to Levy, individual citizen astronomers have found ways to distinguish themselves by making meaningful contributions to science. In recent years, the internet has fundamentally changed how citizen science takes place by making it possible for members of the public to click through images and complete needed scientific tasks that require only limited training. Their efforts have been put to use in dozens of science papers, showing that these click-workers can become part of the data pipeline. In this talk, the field of citizen science is over viewed with emphasis placed on science emerging from the Zooniverse, and the motivations of citizen scientists is discussed. (Why do people do science instead of playing “Angry Birds”?) At the end of the talk, a new project to transform online citizen science from click working to online amateur astronomy is introduced.

Where’s Pamela now? Attending the launch of the GRAIL mission, that’s where.

See Astronomy Cast’s Pamela at The Amazing Meeting in Las Vegas July 15 where she will be presenting a talk on “the importance of understanding Science in order to think critically about the world” .

Pamela joins other featured speakers Lawrence Krauss, Elizabeth lofts, Phil Plait, Bill Nye, and Neil De Grasse Tyson for this years conference entitled TAM 9 FROM OUTER SPACE.

People from all over the world attend TAM to experience the world’s largest gathering of like-minded science advocates and skeptics. The four-day conference features  panel discussions, workshops, and presentations by leading thinkers and celebrities. Evening performances and parties for attendees round out the fun. Selected sessions will available for free as video podcasts.

Pamela will have a few AstroGear tee-shirts with her at TAM, but if you can’t see her there,  you can help support our mission here at Astrosphere by going to the AstroGear site and browsing our stylish yet thought provoking collection.

TAM 2011 takes place at Southpoint Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, July 14-17.

To Balticon, of course. The Maryland Regional Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention runs May 27 to 30. Next Pamela jets off to: The University of Western Ontario for the 2011 CASCA conference May 30 to June 2, 2011 in London, Ontario where she gives a plenary speech on Education and Outreach on the 31st.