Background

Participatory science or citizen science is increasingly being recognized for providing benefits to scientists and community members alike. However, most participatory science projects include community researchers only in the sample collection phase of the research project. Here we describe how a rural tribal community and urban university utilized participatory science methods to engage community researchers across an entire research study, creating numerous opportunities for mutual capacity building.

Objectives

Researchers from MIT and the Sipayik Environmental Department, a tribal government department, partnered to co-launch a participatory science project to analyze municipal and private well drinking water quality in households in three Maine communities. The objective was to provide households with information about metals, primarily lead and arsenic, in their drinking water, and to improve public education, community partnerships, and local scientific capacity.

Methods

MIT and Sipayik researchers engaged local communities through public community meetings, mailed flyers sent to residents, and meetings with local stakeholders. MIT and community researchers worked together to design and implement the study to quantify metals in community drinking water samples, as well as hold capacity-building trainings. Individual drinking water results were communicated to households, and generalized results were discussed at community meetings in the report-back phase.

Results

The study attained a 29% household participation rate in the region. The researchers completed the analysis and report-back on 652 water samples. Isolated incidences of lead and geologically-attributable arsenic exceeding EPA standards were found. Individual report-backs of the results enabled local participatory scientists to make their own informed public health decisions. The study produced methodologies for navigating potential ethical issues, working with diverse communities, and collaborating over challenging geographical distances.

Discussion

This project developed methodologies to build long-term relationships with local scientists and to engage community members and enhance the environmental literacy of rural communities. Both MIT and Sipayik researchers learned from each other throughout the project; Sipayik researchers built technical capacity while MIT researchers gained local and cultural understanding. Community outreach methods were most effective when sent directly to residents as mailed flyers or through Sipayik researchers’ outreach.

中文翻译：

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参与式科学的案例研究，大学和部落研究人员之间进行相互能力建设，以调查缅因州农村地区的饮用水水质

背景

参与式科学或公民科学因为科学家和社区成员提供利益而日益受到认可。但是，大多数参与式科学项目仅在研究项目的样本收集阶段才将社区研究人员包括在内。在这里，我们描述了农村部落社区和城市大学如何利用参与式科学方法来使社区研究人员参与整个研究，从而为相互能力建设创造了许多机会。

目标

麻省理工学院和部族政府部门Sipayik环境部的研究人员合作发起了一项参与性科学项目，以分析缅因州三个社区家庭的市政和私人井水质量。目的是向家庭提供有关饮用水中金属（主要是铅和砷）的信息，并改善公众教育，社区伙伴关系和地方科学能力。

方法

MIT和Sipayik的研究人员通过公共社区会议，邮寄传单给居民以及与当地利益相关者举行会议来吸引当地社区。麻省理工学院和社区研究人员共同设计和实施了这项研究，以量化社区饮用水样品中的金属，并进行能力建设培训。将个人饮用水结果传达给家庭，并在报告阶段的社区会议上讨论了综合结果。

结果

该研究在该地区实现了29％的家庭参与率。研究人员完成了652个水样的分析和报告。发现铅的单独发生率和地质上归因于砷的含量超过EPA标准。结果的个别报告使地方参与科学家能够做出他们自己的知情的公共卫生决定。这项研究提出了解决潜在道德问题，与不同社区合作以及在具有挑战性的地理距离上进行协作的方法。

讨论区

该项目开发了与当地科学家建立长期关系并吸引社区成员参与并提高农村社区环境素养的方法。麻省理工学院和Sipayik研究人员在整个项目中互相学习。Sipayik的研究人员建立了技术能力，而MIT的研究人员获得了当地和文化的理解。当以邮寄传单的形式或通过Sipayik研究人员的外展活动直接发送给居民时，社区外展方法最为有效。