[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJuUwWTAyRI&w=420&h=315]

And so, we kick off a new week of the #SciFund Challenge by featuring DOCTOR ZEN AND THE AMAZON CRAYFISH!

I’m just going to say it right now. Doctor Zen is amazing. I mean, really really amazing. Sure, the science behind his project is fantastic – collecting crayfish closely related to an out of control invasive to unfold the mysteries of their biology. If that had been all, it would have been enough.

Sure, he has one of the most in-your-face amusing yet compelling science videos in #SciFund. If that had been all, it would have been enough.

And yes, his rewards are funning and involving, making this a really sweet example of a #SciFund project – and with an easily reached funding target to boot (so go fund him right now!) If that had been all, it would have been enough.

But then! Then – he also has a great followup second video. Check it out below! It’s fantastic! It will make you want to kick him a few more bucks for his work! Now if that had been all, damn, that sure would have been enough!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdDJxCyd2Kk&w=420&h=315]

Is Doctor Zen content to stop there with his awesomeness? I think not. Everyone here participating in #SciFund owes him a HUGE debt. He personally went through every single early #SciFund proposal posted on our private wiki and reviewed them. Every single one. His comments were insightful, interesting, and incredibly useful for all of us. Had THIS been all, that would have been going above and beyond.

But Doctor Zen didn’t stop there. He showed the videos of each proposal to his undergraduates, and asked them a) would you find this project and b) why or why not? He then shared these insights with each of us. Basically, he gave each proposal a test-run with a focus group, as it were.

Frankly, I am overwhelmed with what an amazing contribution Doctor Zen has made to the #SciFund Challenge while simultaneously cooking up his own great project. If you are even remotely interested in the success of this, the first #SciFund challenge, head on over to RocketHub and help to #SciFund DOCTOR ZEN AND THE AMAZON CRAYFISH!

n.b. Yes, I know I’m using #SciFund as a verb now. What of it?