Founded in 2024 by Michael Dawson, a dedicated Saint Louis Zoo educator, FrogWatch Chapter Coordinator, and long-time citizen science leader, the Citizen Science Collaborative of Saint Louis (CSCSTL) is a dynamic network dedicated to fostering collaboration and growth within the region’s vibrant citizen science community. Recognizing the power of collective effort, the CSCSTL brings together project leaders, researchers, educators, and enthusiasts involved in diverse citizen science initiatives across the Saint Louis metropolitan area.

The CSCSTL envisions a future where citizen science is a widely recognized and integral part of scientific research and community engagement in Saint Louis, contributing valuable data, fostering scientific literacy, and empowering residents to make a meaningful impact on their world.

 

Our mission is to empower citizen science in the region through:

  • Creating a Central Resource Hub: Developing and maintaining a comprehensive platform to connect projects, volunteers, and resources, making it easier to discover and participate in citizen science opportunities.
  • Promoting Citizen Science Engagement: Raising awareness about the value and impact of citizen science through outreach, education, and community events, encouraging greater public participation in scientific discovery.
  • Facilitating Collaboration and Support: Providing a supportive network for project leaders to share best practices, troubleshoot challenges, and collectively build capacity for successful citizen science endeavors.
  • Mentoring New Projects: Offering guidance and resources to individuals and organizations looking to initiate new citizen science projects in the Saint Louis region, helping to cultivate a thriving and diverse landscape of scientific inquiry.

 

Our Team

Mike Dawson is a highly experienced educator and conservation leader who has served the Saint Louis Zoo for over 23 years. While his early career included roles as a horticulturist and naturalist instructor, Mike now excels in his current role as a Conservation Education Liaison, passionately focused on empowering the public to participate directly in conservation efforts.

Citizen Science Leadership: Mike has become a leading advocate for Community Science initiatives. He is the Saint Louis Zoo’s FrogWatch Chapter Coordinator and the Midwest Coordinator for FrogWatch USA, a national program that mobilizes and trains citizen volunteers to collect crucial data on local frog and toad populations. He continues to expand his contributions to the conservation field through his establishment of a Community Science Collaborative of STL and serving as a herpetological taxa leader for local bioblitz events. Education and Experience: For the past 13 years, Mike has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Webster University. Here, he developed and teaches an undergraduate Animal Behavior course (BIOL 2200) and two key courses, including a focus on citizen science: “Concepts and Practices of Citizen Science” (KEYS 4021). Mike’s extensive academic background includes a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis on Biology, a B.S. degree in Biology, and an A.S. degree in Zoo Animal Technology. He also manages the Saint Louis Zoo’s Biofact (animal artifacts) collection. In his spare time, Mike enjoys exploring the outdoors with his family.

Hadam Dicko

Tavleen Kaur

Kaleb Neace