From individual volunteers working on their own devices to students gaining hands-on research experience, the messages we receive often reveal how citizen science fits into very different lives and contexts. In this series, we are sharing a few of those stories. You can also read about a student’s work-experience journey in Kenya and a young asteroid hunter from India in our previous posts.
This time, we step into a classroom in Foshan, China, where participation became a shared academic effort and thousands of classifications were completed together.
Deirdre Weary is a BC-certified STEM teacher at Majestic International College in Foshan, China. This semester, her students participated in Zooniverse as part of a dedicated citizen science programme.
Dear Zooniverse Team,
I am writing to you today with immense pride from Majestic International College in Foshan, China. My own journey in education, from Northern Illinois University to serving as the Resident STEM District Teacher for the Beijing Dongcheng District, has cemented my belief in the power of authentic, global learning. Zooniverse has provided exactly that for my students this semester, and the results have been extraordinary.
Our first dedicated semester of citizen science has surpassed every expectation. I am thrilled to report that my students in Foshan have collectively contributed over 90,000 classifications across the Zooniverse platform.
This outstanding achievement highlights the incredible dedication of our young citizen scientists. I must give special recognition to Jiman Zeng aka Jennie , whose remarkable personal effort of 40,000 classifications has inspired her peers.
The pinnacle of our semester was undoubtedly the Einstein@Home project. The excitement in our classroom was palpable—the realization that they were contributing to gravitational wave research and Einstein’s legacy was a powerful motivator. It was a perfect lesson in how collective, global effort drives real scientific discovery.
This initiative is a cornerstone of our Pre BC Majestic International College program here in Foshan, and its success fuels our ambitious vision. I am delighted to share that we plan to launch a dedicated, school-wide STEAM program in 2026, where Zooniverse will be a central pillar for connecting our students to the wider world of research.
Thank you for creating this vital bridge between classrooms like ours and the frontiers of science. You have empowered my students to see themselves as genuine contributors to a global endeavor.
We look forward to our continued partnership.
Warmly,
Deirdre Weary
BC Certified STEM Teacher
Majestic International College, Foshan, China
Former Northern Illinois University Resident STEM District Teacher, Beijing Dongcheng District, China
If you’d like to get in touch, we’re always happy to hear from you at contact@zooniverse.org.
Educators interested in bringing Zooniverse into their classrooms can explore our Educator’s Guide to Group Engagement Tools.
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