Blog post written by Madison Stroker, CSU undergraduate student & CitSci Support Assistant

Danielle Backman’s citizen science journey began during her time at Colorado State University (CSU), where she was pursuing her master’s in Anthropology with a focus on Human-Environmental Interactions. What started as an academic interest quickly turned into a hands-on experience when she joined the communications team at CitSci, a global citizen science platform based at CSU.

At CitSci, Dani worked on blogs, newsletters, and social media content about CitSci’s mission: connecting people worldwide with hands-on science.

Whether she was managing social media accounts or guiding users through the platform features, her work made citizen science more accessible for a broader audience. By actively engaging users through posts and feedback, she helped lower barriers to participation and encourage more individuals to get involved in citizen science initiatives.

“What was most valuable for me to learn was communicating to the general public and how to emphasize key takeaways of studies or citizen science projects, and why they are important,” said Dani.

Along the way, Dani discovered a passion for communications and marketing, which she continues through her work today.

“The outreach part of citizen science is the most powerful,” said Dani. “I think the bigger impact is getting people excited about science and about conservation, and helping them understand why conservation is important.”

Taking Curiosity to New Places

After finishing graduate school, Dani brought her passion for people and the environment into the professional world, working with Tetra Tech, a civil engineering firm, and later EnviroIssues, a consulting firm. In both roles, she focused on bridging the gap between technical projects and the people they impact. She did this by translating complex project details into clear, accessible language that provided communities with the opportunity to share input and feedback.

Feeling a pull to something bigger, Dani eventually made the decision to leave the U.S. and take her curiosity, and work, across the globe. Her travels brought her to incredible places like Norway, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia, each shaping her perspective in new ways.

It was in Indonesia, though, where something truly clicked. Surrounded by vibrant marine ecosystems, Dani learned to scuba dive and quickly discovered her deep passion for ocean conservation. She eventually began working with a local conservation organization, Indo Ocean Project, where she became a divemaster and gained expertise in underwater fieldwork and marine organism identification.

Citizen Science Around the World

As a part of Dani’s marine conservation research, she helped lead a citizen science initiative called Internet of Turtles in numerous locations. The Internet of Turtles empowers divers to contribute to data collection on turtle populations, movement, and behavior patterns. Citizens capture photos of a turtle’s left cheek (the identifying part of a turtle like a finger print), and upload it to the platform where AI assists with turtle identification.

“If you had a big enough network in the area, you could see where the turtles are going, and you could study behavior patterns and find mating zones,” said Dani.

She then took Internet of Turtles to Turks and Caicos, where she led study abroad students at The School for Field Studies (SFS) on roving surveys and bioblitzes (events that invite participants to monitor biodiversity), creating an experience that combined education with hands-on conservation.

“You have community members, interns, and students getting excited about science,” said Dani. “When you can actually tangibly see the thing you’re trying to conserve, the importance of conservation makes a lot more sense.”

While in Turks and Caicos at SFS, she worked as a divemaster, a marine research assistant, and a social media manager. Her daily work was a mix of storytelling and science as she assisted with underwater fieldwork and teaching SCUBA, wrote blogs, created social media content, and captured underwater photos and videos that brought marine ecosystems to life.

Something that stood out was the impact she could make for the next generation. SFS made a point to involve local kids and give them a chance to experience research firsthand: truly seeing themselves in that world.

“In Turks and Caicos, we got to go out and do a snorkel survey with the local kids on the island, and they were so excited,” said Dani.

Advice to Students

For the time being, Dani has decided to make her way back to the U.S. where she now works as a Marketing Coordinator for Herrera Environmental Consultants in Seattle, Washington, a role that brings together everything she’s passionate about.

“I get to combine my passions for science communications and conservation as well as my skills in marketing,” said Dani.

After years of traveling and gaining experience in a variety of roles, Dani encourages students and recent graduates to fully lean into the opportunities around them. These are the experiences where connections are built, interests take shape, and career paths begin to unfold.

Dani gave this advice: “Don’t be afraid to work in another country. It’s a unique experience and you make really valuable connections – you never know where those connections might lead you.”                                         

For Dani, travel is more than just an adventure. It has been a transformative experience that has shaped who she is today.

“Traveling is eye-opening, and you get to see so many different ways of life,” said Dani. “It is inspiring and helps steer you where you want to go.”

Her journey shows that finding your path often starts with stepping beyond what is familiar.