Let’s talk Citizen Science!
by Pooja Khurana
An inclusive society necessitates citizens’ participation in research, data collection and problem-solving. However, the field of Citizen Science is relatively new, not only for the citizens but also for many early-stage researchers (ESRs).
Citizen Science (CS) bridges gaps between Science and Society by involving people in the research process, thereby increasing their awareness, participation, knowledge and contribution. This symbiotic association has a ripple effect on increasing citizen motivation and data transparency, both, an epitome of quality science and societal progress.
To discuss these important issues, the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA), in collaboration with its partner organisations from the EU-funded, European Citizen Science (ECS) Project, including the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA), the Learning Planet Institute and the Paris Cité University (LPI/UP Cité), conducted an educative and interactive webinar on ‘Citizen Science and how to make the best use of CS in Research’ on the 10th November 2023. It was a part of the MCAA’s ‘Around the World’ webinar series that takes place on the second Friday of every month.
Claudia Fabó Cartas (Project Manager, ECS) introduced the ECS project’s goal and vision of “widening and strengthening the ECS community through capacity building and awareness raising activities… to bring societal change in Europe.” She discussed important facets covered within the ECS projects including the target audience, infrastructure, types of capacity building tools and co-design and collaborations, while keeping inclusivity and community building at the heart of all ventures.
Aligned with the MCAA’s volunteer-led and bottoms-up approach, the webinar showcased short-format pitches by three ESRs: Baptiste Faussurier (PhD. candidate, M.Sc. Biotechnology, Agro Paristech), Amélie Dakouré (PhD. candidate, University Jean-Moulin Lyon 3, EVS-CNRS, and IPHC -CNRS) and Dr. Florence Gignac (PhD. Environmental Epidemiology, Project Assistant at Stickydot). The ESRs shared the study design, methodology and results of utilizing Citizen and Participatory Science in their respective research work. This sparked interesting discussions where the ESRs reflected on their personal experiences, motivations and challenges (especially around keeping citizens engaged and motivated) during their research.
We also had an enriching account of “Synergies of Citizen Science and Frontier Research” by Muki Haklay (Department of Geography, University College London). Pointing out the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) recommendation on ‘open science’, he emphasised the importance of ‘policies and practices of CS initiatives’ within Europe. Quoting diverse examples of frontier research (including long running CS, citizen cyberscience and community science), he then illustrated the importance of citizen engagement and the exciting discoveries that volunteers of CS have birthed worldwide, using open-source projects like Sapelli.
Another interesting discussion focused on the ways to ‘engage children in participatory research work.’ Amélie recounted her personal experiences and shared that such endeavours require “additional ethical approval, documentation and resources (like time and funding) and that it is more suitable for a team of researchers than individuals, handling the projects.” To this, Muki Haklay added that given such limitations, it is “vital to approach the ethics committee of one’s home organisation, as the requirements may vary across institutions.” Additionally, he advised teaming up with experienced researchers/ research groups and networks (like ECS and European Citizen Science Association) who have already carried out such research processes and can assist with mentoring and co-producing the projects.
An emergent theme across the webinar was that although CS might come across as nuanced, complex or even expensive, the rewards of citizen engagement and active involvement outweigh these issues. While it can be challenging to maintain ‘motivation of citizens’ within the research projects, practices like using plain language to explain the importance of the project, simplifying the hypothesis, data collection methods and the acquired data to people, can help address these issues.
There is no denying that CS is the present and the future of research, data science and innovation sector. Apart from the direct benefits of utilising citizen participation in research, the cross-communication would also open doors to discussing some of the most complex societal issues, encouraging open science, data transparency, celebrating diversity and true inclusion, and creating a just society.
As history beckons, societal shifts may take generations to surface, but the seeds of progress must be sown early. Citizen science is such an opportunity, and no matter which side of the process we stand (researchers or citizens), we all have the power to make a lasting difference.
You can watch the webinar and find useful resources shared during the discussion in the video description, on the MCAA’s YouTube channel here- Around the World Webinar Series #21.
About the author:
Pooja Khurana, Project Officer, MCAA | ECS
LinkedIn and X profiles
Pooja has worked across multiple disciplines in scientifically diverse and culturally rich environments in India, Germany, Hungary, the States and England, where she attained her PhD. specialising in Stem Cell research and Developmental Biology (at the University of Southampton).
Since concluding her postdoctoral research at the University of Hawaiʻi (USA) in 2022, she has explored alternative careers and volunteered for social causes including environmental sustainability at the Global Crisis Response (India); menstrual health and equity at The Pad Project (U.S.A) as a Public Health Advisor; and a Founding Member of a virtual mental health peer-support group called Therapy Thursday (U.S.A). Given her keen interest in Science Communication and Open Science, Pooja enjoys working as an Editor for the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) Newsletter and Magazine, and more recently, joined the European Citizen Science (ECS) Project as a Project Officer (representing the MCAA).
Pooja strives to integrate her experience in reproductive biology, menstrual equity, citizen science and mental health advocacy, to address public health issues focusing on menstrual mental health, inclusivity and associated policies in the higher education sector, while disentangling the nuances of cultural and mental complexity.
