{"id":26,"date":"2020-02-26T19:58:29","date_gmt":"2020-02-26T19:58:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/njdep.kesz1dev.com\/dsr\/?page_id=26"},"modified":"2026-03-25T11:23:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T15:23:34","slug":"homepage","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/community-science\/","title":{"rendered":"Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”890″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_raw_html]JTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJjYXJvdXNlbC1jYXB0aW9uJTIwZC1tZC1ibG9jayUyMGQtc20tYmxvY2slMjIlM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlM0NoMSUzRUNvbW11bml0eSUyMFNjaWVuY2UlM0MlMkZoMSUzRSUwQSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRQ==[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_message css=””]Call For Abstracts!<\/a> Due September 12, 2025<\/p>\n

New Jersey Community Water Monitoring Summit<\/p>\n

November 13, 2025 at Rutgers EcoComplex in Bordentown, NJ[\/vc_message][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1677850681185{padding-top: 50px !important;}”]<\/p>\n

What is Community Science?<\/h3>\n

Community science. Citizen science. Participatory science. Volunteer monitoring. What does it all mean? There are many different titles and definitions, but generally they all involve members of the public engaging in some form of data collection for scientific purposes. This can either be with the collaboration or guidance from professional scientists or independently. The data collected by these dedicated individuals can inform professional scientists on many different research areas, such as water quality, air quality, or wildlife populations.<\/p>\n

Benefits of Community Science<\/h3>\n

Using these data allows the professional scientists to expand their reach. It also allows individuals to engage with their environment on a more personal level. Whether that\u2019s interpreting the data, understanding how their actions affect the environmental quality, or just getting out in nature for a bit, there is something in it for everyone.<\/p>\n

History of Community Science<\/h3>\n

Community science has been around for many years. One of the oldest known projects is Audubon\u2019s Christmas Bird Count<\/a>, which started on December 25, 1900! Tens of thousands of people in North America participate every year. While very impressive, you don\u2019t need a large group to engage in community science. In fact, you could do it by yourself or with a small group.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Below are some helpful resources to get involved with a branch of the environment that you are most interested in![\/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”black”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

How do I get involved?<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_tta_tabs][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fas fa-wind” add_icon=”true” title=”Air” tab_id=”air”][vc_column_text css=””]Low-cost Sensors<\/strong>
\nNJDEP monitors air pollutants throughout New Jersey to protect public health and the environment. Communities can now also monitor their own air quality, using portable and affordable instruments. These \u201clow-cost sensors\u201d range in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Learn more at https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/airmon\/community-science\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Air Sampler Loan Program<\/strong>
\nStudents can use air samplers borrowed from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to study the characteristics, sources and impacts of particulate air pollution (also known as soot) in their community, specifically black carbon pollution. They can collect and analyze data, and suggest actions that can be taken to reduce or prevent particulate pollution impacts. Learn more at https:\/\/deptest.nj.gov\/seeds\/<\/a> Please see our Student Air Monitoring Project guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

US EPA Air Projects<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fas fa-umbrella-beach” add_icon=”true” title=”Coastal” tab_id=”coastal”][vc_column_text css=””]MyCoast App<\/strong>
\n The <\/span>MyCoast: New Jersey<\/span><\/a> portal <\/span>is used<\/span><\/span> to collect and analyze photos of coastal events and places. Photos <\/span>are linked<\/span><\/span> to data about weather and tides. <\/span>This is then used to create reports that help government agencies, business owners, and residents to understand coastal changes and make informed decisions<\/span><\/span>. <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_icon_fontawesome=”fas fa-tint” add_icon=”true” title=”Water” tab_id=”water”][vc_column_text css=””]If you care about your local waterbody and you’re interested in science, community water monitoring might be the activity you’re looking for. There are many ways you can take part in making your local waterbodies healthier for people and for the animals that live in the water, too. You might like to wade into a stream to collect macroinvertebrates (the organisms that live on the stream bottom) or visit your lake to make observations about how your lake \u201clooks\u201d. You can view the list below of water monitoring projects organized by county.<\/p>\n

Statewide Projects:<\/strong><\/p>\n