Scientists talk about the Earthwatch experience
Dr David Lindenmayer (Australian National University)
Principal Investigator, Australia's Forest Marsupials
"Given the nature of the work that we do, it would be impossible to complete many of the key tasks associated with field monitoring without the assistance of Earthwatch volunteers. Indeed, we would not still be working in the Central Highlands of Victoria if it were not for the support of Earthwatch."
Dr David Freudenberger, (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems)
Principal Investigator, Return of the Dawn Chorus
"Without the contribution from the volunteers we would not have been able to band this many birds. The focal tree and edge foraging watches would also not have been possible without the volunteers."
Dr David Harper, University of Leicester
Principal Investigator, Lakes of the Rift Valley
"The Earthwatch Institute is not just the biggest environmental charity that funds long-term, cutting-edge, scientific research; not just the biggest active environmental charity in many tropical countries with critical ecological problems, but it achieves all of this by putting really ORDINARY people together in the field with committed scientists for two weeks." The Earthwatch Institute has the model for how the public DO engage in science in places where it really matters. It is a model that has worked successfully for 35 years. It is THE model for the 21st Century."
Dr Charles Higham (University of Otago)
"Without Earthwatch this year there would not have been an excavation season. I am ineffably grateful to Earthwatch and the volunteers for making my research possible. It is a superb example of bringing together scientists and the interested public."
Dr Pat Wright (University of Stony Brook)
"Scientifically, I learn something special and new every time I host an Earthwatch group. And I notice my staff, research assistants, cooks, and managers, become highly enthusiastic and motivated by Earthwatchers. I am an Earthwatch fan and think it is one of our (developed countries) most important diplomatic endeavours to the developing world."
Andy Russell, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne
"Glaciers and meltwater have been the central theme of our project for the past 9 years. The seeds of our project were planted in the immediate aftermath of the spectacular 1996 subglacial volcanic eruption and outburst flood or ‘jökulhlaup' when we urgently needed volunteers to help us catalogue the flood impacts. Earthwatch volunteers on 32 research teams (1998-2007) have allowed us to make a significant contribution to our understanding of modern ice-marginal processes. Volunteers whose expertise has included hairstyling, book-binding, education, rocket science, and banking have brought energy, enthusiasm and keen observational skills to our project even whilst working under arduous conditions of sub-zero temperatures, strong sun, rain, snow, high winds and sand storms."
Dr Daniel Rubenstein (Princeton University)
Principal Investigator, Zebras of Kenya
"Earthwatch's solution for fostering science not only provides scientists with funding and field assistants, it also engages citizens and educates them about how science works. Earthwatch's support and the enthusiastic assistance of its volunteers enabled me to collect types of data that would not have been possible without their many eyes. By heightening people's awareness and by generating data that is shaping conservation plans for an endangered species, Earthwatch is helping provide solutions to some of today's most pressing environmental problems."
Dr Alan Birkett (Manchester Metropolitan University),
Principal Investigator, Kenya's Black Rhino
"Earthwatch is one of the few organisations that funds long-term research, vital if environmental changes are to be properly understood."
Jeanne Alexander (Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources),
Principal Investigator, Saving the Leatherback Turtle
"Earthwatch volunteers are an integral part of the leatherback project. The intensive research and conservation effort provided by this project would not have been possible without the assistance of 1,337 Earthwatch volunteers who over the past twenty-three years have contributed over 105,892 hours patrolling over 91,024 miles of beach."
Dr Randall Davis (Texas A&M University)
Principal Investigator, Sea Otters of Alaska
"Our project would be difficult to fund from conventional granting agencies such as NSF, at least at the beginning. Earthwatch is probably the only organisation that is willing to fund projects over many years, which enables researchers to obtain unique, long-terms data. I am very pleased with the quality of data we are obtaining, the enthusiastic assistance of the volunteers and the great support from the Earthwatch organisation and staff."
Dr Michelle Hamer (University of KwaZulu-Natal)
Principal Investigator, South Africa's Hidden Species
"Saskie has started analysing the data and writing this up for publication and her thesis. For those of you I have not leaked this to yet - she found no difference between the data collected by volunteers and the project staff! In other words you can do our job after one day's training. I wonder if we would fit into banking, medicine, management, mineral sorting, coal truck driving, stockbrokering, gerontology, etc as easily?"
Geoffrey Mwachala,
Principal Investigator, Rare Plants of Kenya
"Earthwatch uses an extremely innovative and effective approach to supporting field research. Its ability to find interested volunteers and to encourage them to invest in the future of the planet- both in cash and in kind is amazingly effective."
Earthwatch Support of Women in Science
"It is not the fact that women cannot get support for research, but that they are not encouraged to go into research in the first place. You really have to be a self-starter to get and stay in research. Earthwatch gives equal opportunity to all researchers working in sometimes unusual fields and unusual circumstances. Women often have a different/uncoventional approach to science that is not always supported by funding agencies with less broad views on how science and research should be approached.
I would encourage Earthwatch to reach out to more women scientists, primarily for the function of providing positive role Models for young women. Science, and particularly field research, is still a male dominated area, again because young women are not encouraged to take that path in their lives. Across the world there is concern that not enough young people are going into the sciences. Encouraging young women to consider a career in science is step in the right direction for the future."
Dr Pat Wright (University of New York)
Principal Investigator, Madagascar's Lemurs
"It's a complicated situation where women often end up doing things in their department that take time away from their research. Then their publication list may not be as strong as their male colleagues who refuse to do the service to the department and the university.
Earthwatch plays an important role in supporting all field scientists. But especially women who do long term field work. Many research granting agencies do not fund long term studies, and Earthwatch can fill that gap."
Dr Laurie Marker (Cheetah Conservation Fund)
Principal Investigator, Cheetah
"It is harder to get money for research, as a woman, especially in areas such as fieldwork. Organisations don't think that women can do hard fieldwork, or are capable of working in hot or dangerous situations. Personally, I don't believe this to be the case. The design of our research project shows that women are more than capable of working in the field, under extreme conditions. In fact, more than half of our full time staff are women - and almost all of them are involved in field work, animal care and clinical work.
Earthwatch plays an important role for women, as it does support them. Many of the volunteers that come through Earthwatch are in fact women. So the support from Earthwatch goes two ways - it brings women volunteers to the projects, and it supports projects run by women. Thus, Earthwatch increases the number of women going into research fields. It's always a good idea to reach out to more women scientists, especially since women have a more difficult time getting support from other organisations."