This Level 2 Engaged Student Learning IUSE (Improving Undergraduate STEM Education) project aims to serve the national interest by improving STEM students' engagement in science through the linkage of academic experiences with real-world problems that students will investigate in their mathematics, social science, and environmental classes. Participatory science, also known as citizen science, engages the public in the scientific process by having individuals assist with data collection, data interpretation, and research question formation. This type of science has demonstrated its ability to advance scientific knowledge while also connecting the public to various biological and community issues and concerns. The significance of this when considering the university campus communities of this collaborative project is that participatory science activities can also increase undergraduate student engagement in STEM classes. Recent research also suggests that these efforts may have broader impacts on students' overall educational experiences in college, which is an additional goal. This project will scaffold activities that move students from simply learning basic scientific concepts to applying best scientific practices, and then to evaluating and using qualitative and quantitative results to inform student recommendations for resolving a local problem they are investigating. As these community-based projects are incorporated into course curricula, the impact will be seen in t