CitizenScience.Asia believes in everyone having the opportunity to contribute to knowledge discovery and effect positive changes in our world through citizen science.
Our mission is to build grassroot connections, sustainable capacity and tangible conversations in Asia to support this vision.
Our Mission
Build Connections
We are tackling the challenges of integrating diversity and perspectives through connection building with focused engagement amongst established citizen scientists and active outreach to the general public.
Build Capacity
We are increasing scalability in problem analysis and identification through capacity building with introduction of digital platform and education opportunities to remove barriers for knowledge discovery and collaboration.
Build Conversations
We are raising awareness and encouraging partnership action towards solutions based on citizen science principles through conversation building with social entrepreneurs, policy makers and change leaders.
Leadership Team
Mendel Wong
Co-chair & Co-founderMendel established CitizenScience.Asia in response to the lack of a unified voice for Asia in matters relating to citizen science with the goal to bring together the regional citizen science communities and help share their stories. He is also the representative for CitizenScience.Asia on the Board of the Citizen Science Global Partnership. Outside of citizen science, Mendel is a technology executive in the finance industry fueling his passion to facilitate solutions that leave strong positive experience and impact.
Scott C Edmunds, PhD
Co-chair & Co-founderScott moved to Asia in 2010 to set up the GigaScience Open Data journal & database for BGI Genomics. Trained as a cancer geneticist, he got into open science through a project crowdsourcing disease outbreak data, and outside of his day-job he’s participated & run a number of open science & citizen science projects for Open Data HK, Bauhinia Genome & Zikathon.
Aaron Choi, PhD
SecretaryAaron was born in Hong Kong but spent his formative years in England. He has spent many years in the financial industry and is thoroughly experienced in business build-out & brokerage processing. Aaron was also trained as a scientist and is always looking for opportunities to pursue his interest in science, to learn new things and to give back to society.
Smriti Safaya, PhD
Education DirectorSmriti is currently doing her postdoctoral fellowship with the University of York, looking at the impact of citizen science on how students feel, think and act towards the natural environment. As a Hong Konger and an experienced educator for geography and experiential & environmental education, she is keen to advance the application of citizen science in schools to address the plethora of environmental issues in Hong Kong, Asia and beyond.
Ram Dayal Vaishnav
Education DirectorRam brings a unique blend of IT expertise and fervor for biodiversity conservation. Hailing from India, he has been actively working with many organizations including WWF promoting environmental awareness and spearheading initiatives such as City Nature Challenge by taking it to hundreds of cities nationwide. By further unifying the Indian citizen science community, he aspires to take it to the masses and also connect it to the global community.
Emu-Felicitas Ostermann-Miyashita, PhD
Community DirectorEmu is a researcher at the Humboldt University of Berlin, leading the BiodiverSA project TransWILD. She has a PhD in Citizen Science (CS) related to wildlife research. Currently based in Germany, but she has grown up in Japan and as the former Japan ambassador, she has been working on establishing a CS network within Japan and connecting it to the global community. She is also an active member of Safecast, the world’s largest radiation and air quality monitoring CS project.
Nurfarawahidah (Fara) Badruesham
Community DirectorFara is a Senior Librarian at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in Malaysia, and is currently a PhD student from the Department of Library and Information Science at University Malaya. Her research interests are Open Science, Citizen Science & Academic library involvement in Citizen Science. She was on the IFLA New Professionals Special Interest Group standing committee (2021-2023) and is currently an active member of the Librarians Association of Malaysia Committee on Promotion and IT and Regional and International Relation Committee as part of the Librarians Association of Malaysia (PPM).
Our Journey
Zikathon Project
Started as a hackathon to solve lack of transparency of Ovitrap locations in HK ahead of the Zika scare in summer of 2016.
Global Mosquito Alert Consortium
Invited by UN Environment to join an expert workshop entitled “Harnessing Citizen Science to Tackle Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Towards a locally based, yet Global Platform”. This is the genesis for CitizenScience.Asia.
UNEA3 & Science Policy Business Forum
Formed the initial global delegation representing citizen science at the inaugural Science Policy Business Forum leading up to the Third UN Environment Assembly.
Strategy & Leadership
Established core pillars and strategic cadence with a group of diverse individuals to form the Leadership Team.
Connections & Engagement
Participated in a number of events around the region and abroad to uncover practitioners and projects who are passionate about helping to develop Asia.
Ambassadors & Coverage
Extended coverage across the region through designated Ambassadors with pocket meetings in Japan and US.
Stories, Webinars & Interviews
Published and coordinated digital content highlights for Asia despite the onset of the pandemic.
Charitable Organization Registration
Registered the organization as a Hong Kong entity with approved charitable status.
International Partnerships
Joined the Interim Board of the Citizen Science Global Partnership to continue collaborated effort for the advancement of citizen science movement. Also formalized objectives and deliverables with other regional counterparts under a shared Memorandum of Understanding.
UNEP Accreditation
Accredited with observer status to the UN Environment Assembly of UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
Contact Us
We would love to hear from you! Email us at info@citizenscience.asia or send us a message using the form below.