Students in the Citizen Science Club advocate for science research through acts of community service on campus and in the community.
Britney Paul Rajamanickam, a fourth-year studying biology and president of the Citizen Science Club, said being in the club is about helping your community as a scientist.
“It doesn’t matter if you are an English major or a business major, it’s about learning how to be a scientist and participating in advancing scientific knowledge and helping your community out,” Paul Rajamanickam said.
NC State is categorized as a pioneer Citizen Science Campus, where innovation meets enhanced research as undergraduate students advocate for scientific research as an interdisciplinary endeavor. Through frequent communication with faculty and researchers on campus, as well as the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, the group promotes participation in citizen science projects, service and volunteering.
“There are a lot of researchers using citizen science,” Paul Rajamanickam said. “So, through our club, we give people an opportunity to talk to these researchers.”
The club focuses on serving not only the NC State campus but the wider Raleigh community. Through professional development and training, students gain the skills to provide effective service to the public. Darlene Villarroel-Lopez, a second-year studying microbiology and secretary of Citizen Science Club, used the group’s ongoing collaboration with the Wake County Public School system as an example.
“We help children get involved in the citizen science projects and teach them how to be a scientist, and how to think critically about the issues happening in our community,” Villaroel-Lopez said.
One of the club’s recent important projects intertwined environmental safety with social justice elements. Titled “Crowd the Tap,” volunteers tested tap water pipes to determine their lead content. The club joined the project’s mission to ensure safe drinking water for neighboring communities in need by focusing on tap testing and infrastructure replacement.
“We discuss the social justice surrounding that issue with some people in poorer socioeconomic areas, how lead pipes can leach into water,” Paul Rajamanickam said.
Villaroel-Lopez said the Citizen Science Club has been a great experience.
“On a personal level, I find the Citizen Club very welcoming to new and existing members,” Villaroel-Lopez said. “I felt right at home, so much that I have decided to get even more involved and become the club’s secretary.”
The club meets every other Wednesday at 5 p.m. in Cox Hall room 209. The group also offers an option to join via Zoom and invites students to apply through this form.
