Challenges and Opportunities

This PDF includes a synthesis of presentations and discussions that took place at the Engaging and Learning for Conservation Workshop on Public Participation in Scientific Research, held at the American Museum of Natural History on April 7 & 8, 2011. During this series of workshop sessions, participants are introduced to six key questions or overarching issues in the emerging field of public participation in scientific research, and to seven “steps” or stages of program development in an intentional program design process. The questions and steps are presented in a matrix that serves as a tool for examining best practices. Using real-world project cases as a context, participants proceed to develop strategies and best practices and identify questions or concerns to address specific intersections on the matrix where steps and questions meet.