Greetings,

I’m Ben and I’m a human/environmental geographer spending two months in the Pacific Northwest of the US to conduct research for my dissertation on public participation in scientific research (aka citizen science).  I’m particularly interested in the affective experiences of volunteers involved in citizen science programs. Affect is one of three central elements that shape human experience and interaction, along with cognitive and conative (behavioral) dimensions but it isn’t an aspect studied much at all when evaluating citizen science participant outcomes. I hope this study helps fill that gap. Bringing attention to the ‘inner’ affective dimension of citizen science by exploring elements of sense of place and environmental connection, this study opens innovative avenues for understanding citizen science experiences, the dynamics of human-environment interactions, and relationships between the two. This blog will chronicle my research exploits through the great states of Washington, Oregon, and California.