b"FEATURE STORYDr. Fanara and her team use YSI handheld water quality meters (pictured above) for regular data collection.Outside of crowdsourcing data,how else do you and your team at MoteCan you speak to why you believe citizen protect the public from Florida red tide? science is so important, and how you inspire people to think of themselves as scientists?Tracy:That's a good question! Our team also uses water quality sensors from YSI to collect data out in theTracy:Absolutely! Citizen science is extremely field, and we also collect hand samples of water to takeimportant. Heres why!back to our laboratory.Most of us learn from doing, not just listening or reading. And the reason why these data are so important isThis is called kinesthetic learningtaking part in an activity because, as researchers, we have so many questions.and learning through experience. Our coastal systems are so dynamic and complextheres so much we dont understand yet. So, when we give the public a voice and allow them to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty with citizen Our YSI sensors provide us with background chemistryscience, we are slowly enhancing their scientific literacydata to help recognize changes in our marinetheir understanding of scientific principles. environments from chemical inputs and Florida red tide concentration, for example.See, of course we want more scientists and engineers in the world, but the truth is we need more lawyers, We use our nitrate sensor in freshwater areas tobusiness owners, salespeople, and politicianswhatever understand the impact of nutrients on cell count data.walks of life, whatever career pathto have a higher We use our [dissolved oxygen] sensors to betterscientific literacy so they make more environmentally understand if red tide blooms are causing hypoxia. Andconscious decisions throughout their life. Thats where we use salinity data to better understand how freshwaterchange happens.flows in coastal systems can impact the survival of Karenia brevis. Anyone can be a scientist or an engineer with some passion, hard work, and the right teacher. And citizen Collecting data every day in a consistent way is the keyscience can inspire peopleespecially kidsto change the to solving our states more complicated environmentalcourse of their future, just by getting involved inproblems, so we stay on top of it! their community.34 MISSION: WATER"