The March edition of Portland’s Sustainability Series will be presented by Sarah Kirn, the Education Programs Strategist at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and board member of the Citizen Science Association. Join us in the Rines Auditorium at Portland Public Library at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, March 28th when Sarah will share stories and perspective gained from 15+ years of work in citizen science. Sarah will speak about using citizen science platforms to learn more about the world around us, and as a tool to engage community in stewardship.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines citizen science as: “scientific work undertaken by members of the general public, often in collaboration with or under the direction of professional scientists and scientific institutions.” Join us to hear from Sarah Kirn about the ins and outs of this exciting approach to scientific research.

Sarah will share stories and perspective gained from 15+ years of work in citizen science. Come learn about scientific research projects that you can join, from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute’s Vital Signs to Galazy Zoo’s Old Weather. Sarah will tell stories illustrating how citizen science is poised to change our world, from re-invigorating science education to empowering people to address public health crises such as the one that faced Flint, Michigan. Come to learn and contribute – this evening of talk and discussion will include time for you to explore projects and start participating.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: SARAH KIRN

Sarah Kirn is the Education Programs Strategist at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Sarah believes that every student deserves exciting experiences with authentic scientific investigations that let him or her develop rather than lose their natural curiosity. From 2002-2012 she oversaw the development of Vital Signs from its start as a Palm-based pilot in six Maine schools, to its implementation as a cross-border education program in Ireland and Northern Ireland, to the web-based platform that now serves thousands of students, hundreds of educators, and dozens of scientists.

Sarah holds a B.Sc. in geology-biology from Brown University. After college, she led 5- to 26-day sailing courses for the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School. After five years on the water with students aged 15 to 75, she went back to school, earning an M.Sc. degree in biological oceanography at the University of Maine. In 2002 she joined GMRI, where she has happily remained ever since.

The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) pioneers collaborative solutions to global ocean challenges. Located in Portland, ME, GMRI is dedicated to the resilience of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and the communities that depend on it. For more information, visit www.gmri.org