Citizen Science Faire 2017

Period: 17-20 Aug 2017

Citizen Science Faire 2017: "Sea of Data Adventure" is the first-ever citizen science faire in Hong Kong. This is also the first exhibition I curated. The faire featured exhibition of citizen science projects in Hong Kong, workshops and sharing by citizen scientists. We are actually living in a sea of data, air quality data, water quality data, biodiversity data and health data. We aim to educate the general public that we as citizen can also contribute to create a better environment by simply gathering data and share the findings.

In the faire, participants got a chance to build an air quality sensor to collect data of PM2.5 and NO2 levels that would be put on a open-access map online. Build algae farm to purify air, hack old android phone into a marine litter tracker, build DIY microscope to explore the microscopic world and generate DNA barcode to identify and map the biodiversity in Hong Kong.

Website: https://www.makerbay.org/pages/citizen-science-faire

Programmes: https://www.makerbay.org/pages/citizen-science-faire-programme

Who inspired me to do this?

The Janpanese-French inventor, Cesar Harada. He is my boss and I also treat him as my mentor. I first learnt the concept of citizen science from him. Before I work at MakerBay, I did not know why I study science and technology. But then Cesar taught me that as a citizen, we not only should learn the "How to", but also "Why". Why should we develop science and technology? It is to create a better environment. He reminds me the meaning of science. His "Can do" spirit and "always stay hungry" attitude also act as role model to me to become a better person.

Outcomes

Introduce citizen science to around 2000 visitors during the 4 days event
Curated 9 citizen science projects from Hong Kong, Mainland China and Japan.
Initiate an indoor air quality (PM2.5) monitoring project in Hong Kong
In collaboration of a local NGO "Clean Air Network" to do R&D of NO2 detector to monitor roadside air pollution
Hosted workshops which had more than 30 adults and kids to build air quality and water data collecting devices that contribute data to an existing citizen science project

Media Coverage

Metro Info 新城知訊台節目「阿肥與阿比」：

經濟月刊：

個人_2.pdf