The Global One Health Academy partnered with Citizen Science Campus to offer Participatory Sciences Microgrants to advance graduate research that utilizes participatory science approaches and/or advances the field of participatory sciences. Seana Finn was a recipient of the 2025 Participatory Sciences Microgrants, where she partnered with community members to perform DIY screening for wastewater contamination in Eastern North Carolina. Learn more about Seana and how the Global One Health Academy helped support her community-engaged research.
What do you study? What/who inspired you to pursue this field of study?
I am a graduate student in the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management Program, and my research focuses on the human dimensions of environmental conservation. When environmental crises occur, communities are often left dealing with the aftermath long after public attention has faded. While innovative research has the potential to help communities address and prevent conservation issues, there is often a disconnect between the challenges communities face and scientific discovery. By exploring how social science can be applied through participatory and community-science–based projects, I hope to help communities identify technical, impartial solutions to protect water resources.
Growing up in Florida, I experienced numerous severe weather and climate-related events that disrupted my community for weeks or even months, particularly when it came to water access and quality. These experiences showed me the resilience communities can generate on their own, but they also made me question how communities can be better supported to prevent disasters before they occur. As a graduate student, I have been excited to use social science research to help bridge the gap between communities and innovative research. By creating projects that allow anyone to become a researcher, participatory science empowers communities to advocate for themselves by generating their own data.
How does your research use participatory science approaches? What are the implications of your research for the communities you work with?
Unlike traditional research, participatory science allows members of the public to take an active role in the research process. In the projects I have been involved with, community input has either shaped the research questions or provided critical insight throughout the scientific inquiry process. Because issues surrounding water resources directly impact people’s daily lives, it is essential for researchers to listen to the voices of those most affected if they wish to help communities create long-lasting conservation solutions.
While attending a community outreach event in Scotland Neck, NC, members of the local community raised concerns about sewage potentially contaminating nearby creeks and streams. In response, I used funding from the Participatory Science Microgrant to host a workshop on “tampling,” an affordable and accessible method for screening water bodies for signs of septic system contamination using a water bottle, tampon, and fishing string.
How did GOHA’s support help advance your participatory sciences research?
Thanks to the Participatory Sciences Microgrant, I was able to partner with the nonprofit organization A Better Chance A Better Community (ABC2) to host a workshop on creating “tampling” monitoring devices. This funding provided the materials, training, and logistical support needed to assist community members in collecting data and identifying areas they suspected of sewage contamination. The microgrant was essential in strengthening my relationship with community residents and helped equip participants with the tools to continue tampling at additional sites.
What are your future career plans? In what ways do you see your community-engaged research experiences setting you up for success on this career path?
For my future career, I plan to continue my community-engaged research endeavors as an Extension agent. By working directly with communities through participatory research, I have grown to love the process of adapting research to fit local contexts and finding ways to make science publicly accessible. Through the opportunities from the GOHA microgrant, I have developed a wide range of science communication skills. Alongside my lived experiences with severe weather events, I feel well equipped to bridge the gap between academia and communities.
Interested in Learning More?
Watch Seana in action as she leads a workshop and gathers water samples with Eastern NC community members!
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