When Suffolk Calls, people listen: citizen science | Hannah Steventon | TEDxUniversity of Suffolk

Citizen science projects across Suffolk bring together hundreds of local people to study and protect their environment. Environmental scientist Hannah Steventon of the University of Suffolk describes how volunteers gather evidence on changing landscapes and river water quality, using bioacoustics and microbiology with support from university expertise. The talk presents two case studies: listening to bats and building bat detectors, and monitoring microbiology in Suffolk rivers. It argues that shared knowledge empowers residents and leads to practical action for the environment and community.

• Volunteer-led citizen science across Suffolk
• Bioacoustics case study: listening to bats and building bat detectors
• Microbiology case study: monitoring Suffolk river water
• Local knowledge leading to environmental action

Celebrating the work of hundreds of Suffolk people and our collaborative impact to build a better Suffolk with science, action and love. • our environment can be better understood and is changing • communities mobilise armies of volunteers to investigate, measure and take action • informed by university expertise • two case studies: - bioacoustics in Suffolk: listening to bats, building bat detectors - microbiology in Suffolk rivers • knowledge empowers Suffolk people • action impacts our environment and community. Dr Hannah Steventon is an environmental scientist at the University of Suffolk whose work sits at the intersection of environment, technology and community action. Her research explores what becomes possible when local people gather the evidence needed to protect the places they care about. Through citizen science projects across Suffolk, she collaborates with communities and partners to investigate environmental challenges, from listening to landscapes through bioacoustics to monitoring river water quality using microbiology and sensor technologies. Hannah began her career as a hydrogeologist, specialising in contaminated land and groundwater pollution, before moving into digital sensing, data analysis and environmental innovation. She is also a passionate educator, teaching hydrogeology, pollution, coding, electronics and data science. Hannah is a Chartered Geologist with degrees from Cambridge, UCL and Suffolk. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx