Oladapo Oyebode was awarded an OFI Seed Grant to deliver on AI-driven cross-platform mobile technologies for citizen science engagement

Oladapo Oyebode received a Ocean Frontier Institute Seed Fund grant of $20,000 as Principal Investigator for the project AI-Driven Cross-Platform Mobile App for Citizen Science Engagement.

This is a one-year research project from September 2026 to August 2027. The project’s community partner is ESCOM, the Eastern Shore Coastal Monitoring Network, based in Halifax.

The project develops and evaluates a cross-platform mobile-based system that uses smartphone sensors – including camera, GPS, accelerometer and microphone – to collect geotagged observations of ecological and climatic phenomena, with AI validating and analyzing contributions in real time to improve data quality and give participants immediate feedback. To sustain participation, the system applies evidence-based persuasive strategies including rewards, progress badges, personalized suggestions, self-monitoring dashboards, reminders, leaderboards, goal setting, and social role in form of an interactive AI chatbot assistant. ESCOM volunteers will pilot the system in a coastal climate-adaptation context before global release.

The work falls under OFI’s Transforming Climate Action programme and its “promoting just and equitable adaptation” theme, with the aim of democratizing environmental monitoring so that communities – including rural, remote and low-income participants – can contribute directly to climate resilience and ocean conservation.