From Rural Farm to Global Stage: Youth Citizen Science

Um projeto pioneiro de ciência cidadã idealizado por uma dupla de jovens e dedicados pesquisadores: Sandeji Lorenzo (7 anos, nível K do Kumon de inglês e estudante de música no CPM) e Maria Clara (5 anos), em Igarassu, na zona rural de Pernambuco, Brasil. Movido pelo desejo de se conectar com o mundo, Sandeji usou seu aprendizado de inglês para atravessar fronteiras. Com o apoio da família e utilizando mapeamento aéreo via drone através do GeoNadir, as crianças criaram um mapa interativo para conectar sua casa à casa da vovó, com a intenção amorosa de encurtar a distância e aproximar parentes que moram em outros estados e países. Elas integram esses mapas de alta resolução ao registro da biodiversidade local no iNaturalist e, para tornar a pesquisa única, adicionam trilhas sonoras gravadas ao vivo (flauta e piano). Nossa missão é provar que crianças pequenas podem ser cidadãs globais ativas diretamente de seus quintais, inspirando famílias do mundo todo a explorar, mapear e proteger seus territórios, vivendo um verdadeiro intercâmbio cultural e científico sem sair de casa.

A pioneering citizen science project created by a duo of young, dedicated researchers: Sandeji Lorenzo (7 years old, Kumon English Level K and music student at CPM) and Maria Clara (5 years old), in the rural area of Igarassu, Pernambuco, Brazil. Driven by a desire to connect with the world, Sandeji used his English language skills to cross borders. With their family’s support and using drone-based aerial mapping through GeoNadir, the children created an interactive map to connect their home to their grandmother’s house, with the heartwarming goal of shortening the distance and bringing together relatives living in other states and countries. They integrate these high-resolution maps with local biodiversity records on iNaturalist, and to make their research truly unique, they add live-recorded musical soundtracks (flute and piano). Our mission is to prove that young children can be active global citizens right from their own backyards, inspiring families worldwide to explore, map, and protect their territories while experiencing a true cultural and scientific exchange without leaving home.

🌍 Join Our Global Citizen Science Family!

We are a youth-led project from rural Northeast Brazil, combining community mapping (GeoNadir) and biodiversity tracking (iNaturalist) to explore our ecosystems. We invite classrooms, families, and educators worldwide to join this cultural and scientific exchange!

🌱 How to Participate:

Option 1 (Biodiversity Mapping): Use the iNaturalist app to document the fauna and flora in your school, backyard, or neighborhood. Let’s compare our ecosystems and bridge cultural distances!

Option 2 (Aerial & Community Mapping): Educators, student groups, and geospatial enthusiasts can contribute by sharing high-resolution community maps or public aerial datasets through the GeoNadir platform to complement our global landscape studies.

🎵 Where Art Meets Science:
Since scientific platforms do not support audio, we weave our love for science and music (flauta and piano) together on YouTube! Follow our journey and see how we transform ecosystem data into musical expressions. Don’t forget to send us a message here on SciStarter to connect and share your territory’s story!

⚠️ Note on Data and Mapping Safety: All mapping contributions must comply with the participant’s local regulations regarding data collection, privacy, and airspace management (such as FAA guidelines in the US or DECEA/ANAC in Brazil). Participation is strictly voluntary, and contributors retain full responsibility for ensuring their local activities align with community privacy and regional safety standards.