Have You Established Your 2006 Science Goals?

Forrest M. Mims III

As we begin 2006, it's time to review the science we do or should be doing.

Amateur scientists are involved in countless science activities around the world. How can we expand our impact? What new contributions can we make? How can we announce valid discoveries and results? How can we enhance our personal science programs?

No matter your definition of “amateur science,” we all share a love of exploration, observation and discovery. Whether your preference is nature photography, meteorology, birding, microscopy, astronomy or any of the many other fields in which amateurs are engaged, the beginning of a new year is a perfect time to set goals for our personal science programs. Here are a few possibilities:

1. Begin a time series of measurements or observations of a natural phenomenon. The possibilities are endless and include a daily measurement of the minimum and maximum temperature, a photo of the twilight glow, a census of birds at a feeder, the variation in brightness of a variable star and so forth.

2. Conduct a thorough macro and micro investigation of a 1-meter square section of the landscape.

3. Sample the air for particulate matter, including pollen, mold spores, dust, black carbon, organic detritus and even bacteria.

4. Begin a data mining project using some of the countless measurements archived on the web. Discoveries can be made by analyzing river flows, precipitation rates, ground and total ozone measurements, land use changes, agricultural statistics and so forth.

5. Perform a wildlife census of a particular site at various times during the year.

6. Use your photography skills to build a collection of quality photographs of insects, flowers, birds, clouds, trees, plants and so forth.

7. Acquire an automated home weather station and begin collecting meteorological data for your site.

8. Offer to assist a local school or home school association with their science fair or robotics competition, perhaps as an advisor to students or as a judge.

9. Become inspired by reading a biography about a famous amateur scientist, such as Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison or Benjamin Franklin.

10. Resolve to carefully organize your personal science by making effective use of notebooks and computer spreadsheets and data analysis software. Consider building a web site to display your science activities.

This list is only a tiny fraction of the possibilities. For a constant flow of new ideas, be sure to stop by Ralph Coppola's "Wanderings" column in each issue of The Citizen Scientist. If you are new to TCS, then check out back issues of "Wanderings." Ralph's column lists the best collection of amateur science activities that can be found anywhere on the web.

Scientific findings mean little until they are communicated to others. If you are looking for a place to publish what you have discovered in your niche of the world of science, consider The Citizen Scientist. Instead of sending an article, first send a paragraph or two describing your proposed article about your science here. If you have a sound idea and can write reasonably well, perhaps your findings can appear in The Citizen Scientist.