Get Involved
There are many avenues available to build scientific knowledge, to tap into a network of interesting people and to gain career experience in science or natural history.
You can join a group. To enhance that experience, you can volunteer to serve on a committee with your chosen group. This can make a big difference to achievement of the group’s mission.
Sign up for a newsletter – most groups have at least a newsletter for their members and some have a free electronic newsletter for anyone who subscribes.
Attend an event – there are several events every week. Check the websites of your favourite groups and check this Queensland Science Network website, which includes a link to the Advance Queensland and Inspiring Queensland events calendars.
Don’t forget the World Science Festival to be held in March 2022 !
Participate in a field trip, backyard survey or community event. Numerous opportunities to participate in citizen science through field trips, backyard surveys and group activities are available through QSN member groups. Check your favourite group and also the webpages of member groups the Australian Citizen Science Association (Queensland) and EarthWatch-ClimateWatch. You can look up projects in your locality or your chosen field of science with the ACSA Project Finder.
Publish something. Scientists and naturalists with scientific information they wish to share have several options… Read more.
Contribute data to the Atlas of Living Australia, a collaborative, digital library of data about Australian biodiversity from multiple sources..
Donate money. All groups affiliated with this site engage in ‘public benefit’ activities, meaning that they are not commercially self-supporting. Numerous opportunities are available to make an enduring difference to our natural world. The tax-deductible Research Fund of The Royal Society of Queensland is an example. Donations may be made for any program of the Queensland Science Network via the Philanthropy page of the Society, or by clicking on the button below (you do not need your own PayPal account to use this button). Send an email via admin AT royalsocietyqld.org if you wish to suggest a purpose for the donation.
Specific initiatives
Scientists are inviting schools in Queensland to sign up to help search for Australia’s missing insects. Dr Andy Howe insect ecologist of the University of the Sunshine Coast is co-ordinating the Queensland arm of the “Insect Investigators” program led by the South Australian Museum. The program is seeking 50 schools across Queensland, Western Australia and […] Wildlife Queensland is offering a free will-making service for those who would like to sponsor the vital work that the group tackles. By partnering with Australia’s top-rated will-writing platform, Gathered Here, Wildlife Queensland is offering its supporters a free will-writing service that easily allows a donor to leave a gift in their will to help […] The Ecological Society of Australia is excited to announce that the 2021 “Ecology in Action” Photography Competition is now open. Prizes include $450 for first, second and third in each category, $500 for overall Best Image, and $400 for Best Portfolio. The judges may also award a number of Highly Commended awards where merited. This year, the […] Western Sydney University and the University of New England have set up a Citizen Science Project called the Dead Tree Detective. The aim of the project is to collect observations of dead or dying trees around Australia. It sounds a bit grim, but knowing where and when trees have died will help us to work […] Interested to participate in a first of its’ kind exciting Australia wide Citizen Science project? Pesticide Detectives is an extensive project investigating the occurrence and concentrations of pesticides in Australian waterways. It is funded by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Business and undertaken by the Aquatic Environmental Stress Research Group (AQUEST) based at RMIT […] The Australian Citizen Science Project Finder has been designed to help people learn about citizen science projects and provide opportunities to volunteer or become otherwise involved.
Find missing insects – Calling Queensland schools
Leaving a legacy for wildlife
Ecological Society 2021 Photography Competition
The Dead Tree Detective
The Pesticide Detectives: National Assessment of Pesticides in Waters
Finding a citizen science project
Grant opportunities
The Royal Society of Queensland Research Fund
This Fund has been established to support small-scale research projects in the natural sciences and social studies that escape the attention of mainstream funding authorities. For details see the Society’s webpage.
Jill Landsberg Trust Fund Scholarships: An annual grant for research in terrestrial, marine or freshwater ecology.
Australian Academy of Science.
Australian Wildlife Society University Grants.
Grant opportunities from the Commonwealth Government (notably the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science, GO103).
PhD opportunities in groundwater
The National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training is offering fellowships to work in the field of groundwater. The Queensland openings are at the University of Queensland:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and hydrogeologists collaborating to better understand and manage groundwater resources
- Integration of Indigenous knowledge into post-mine land use planning.
See the website for details.
Scientists are inviting schools in Queensland to sign up to help search for Australia’s missing insects. Dr Andy Howe insect ecologist of the University of the Sunshine Coast is co-ordinating the Queensland arm of the “Insect Investigators” program led by the South Australian Museum. The program is seeking 50 schools across Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia to join an official program to help scientists find and catalogue insects.
The Brisbane Times has the story. Interested schools asked to register their interest at the project website.
Wildlife Queensland is offering a free will-making service for those who would like to sponsor the vital work that the group tackles.
By partnering with Australia’s top-rated will-writing platform, Gathered Here, Wildlife Queensland is offering its supporters a free will-writing service that easily allows a donor to leave a gift in their will to help protect Australia’s at-risk species.
“Having an up-to-date will is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your family. But it’s also one of the easiest ways to leave a lasting legacy for wildlife. For a limited time (until 30 September 2021), Gathered Here is also offering supporters free and unlimited lifetime updates to their will* – a win for wildlife because ‘where there’s a will there’s a way.’
Write a free wildlife-friendly will in just 10 minutes.
Please contact Wildlife Queensland at bequests@wildlife.org.au or phone 3844 0129 for further information.
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Western Sydney University and the University of New England have set up a Citizen Science Project called the Dead Tree Detective.
The aim of the project is to collect observations of dead or dying trees around Australia. It sounds a bit grim, but knowing where and when trees have died will help us to work out what the cause is, identify trees that are vulnerable, and take steps to protect them.
This project will allow people Australia-wide to report observations of tree death. In the past, there have been many occurrences of large-scale tree death that were initially identified by concerned members of the public such as farmers, bushwalkers, bird watchers and landholders. Collecting these observations is an important way to monitor the health of trees and ecosystems.
Interested to participate in a first of its’ kind exciting Australia wide Citizen Science project? Pesticide Detectives is an extensive project investigating the occurrence and concentrations of pesticides in Australian waterways. It is funded by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Business and undertaken by the Aquatic Environmental Stress Research Group (AQUEST) based at RMIT University. Citizen Scientists in collaboration with AQUEST scientists will collect sediments from waterways across Australia to advance our understanding of pesticide contamination in Australia’s waterways. Results from the study will be shared with you and will be available on our webpage. Learn more about pesticides in your waterway by participating in this study.
Download Pesticide Detectives pdf
Go to www.rmit.edu.au/pesticidedetectives for further information.
The Australian Citizen Science Project Finder has been designed to help people learn about citizen science projects and provide opportunities to volunteer or become otherwise involved.
