“Why I Love Citizen Scientists”
Meet Chris Riggert, a Stream Team Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program Coordinator. He has the longest job title at the Missouri Department of Conservation…and boy does he LOVE his job. He works closely with volunteers (citizen scientists) to monitor and preserve the rivers in MO.
At last count, 4,000 teams of Citizen Scientists, involving nearly 60,000 residents of MO, accomplished the following: 187 tons of trash were removed from Missouri streams; 11,973 trees were planted; and 6,000 volunteer specialists were trained and equipped to monitor water quality for the EPA. GOOOO Chris and your awesome Citizen Scientists!
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He sent in this first-person account of what it’s like to work with Citizen Scientists and how he got hooked on rivers. From Chris:
”I consider myself extremely fortunate because I wake up every morning and want to go to work. I know that sounds crazy, but I have the “bestest” job in the world…at least I think so.
I have the responsibility of working with and training citizen scientists. My job takes me all across Missouri and allows me to interact with some of the most interesting and passionate people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.
But before I get into what I do, someone once told me that a good story should always start at the beginning. So let me tell you first how I got here. (more…)
