ScienceUs - Crops Final Conference, From Local Action to European Impact

From Local Action to European Impact: Join the ScienceUs–CROPS Final Conference in Athens 25 November 2026 | Athens, GreeceHow can successful citizen science initiatives move beyond local experimentation, reach new communities and create lasting impact across Europe?On 25 November 2026, the ScienceUs and CROPS projects will come together in Athens for their Final Conference:“From Local Action to European Impact: The ScienceUs–CROPS Journey in Citizen Science Upscaling”The event will bring together citizen science practitioners, researchers, policymakers, project partners and stakeholders to exchange experiences, explore practical approaches to upscaling and reflect on how citizen-generated knowledge can contribute to more inclusive decision-making.Citizen science in actionA central part of the conference will showcase the experiences and achievements of the five initiatives supported by ScienceUs:CORE ACTS – Coastal Resilience: Action Through Citizen Science, IrelandThe Future is Climate, SpainBlue-Green Tops: Adapting Building Roofs for Climate Resilience, GreeceAcqua Sorgente, ItalyAlleviating Energy Poverty in Vulnerable Households, SpainTogether, these initiatives demonstrate how citizen science can address real societal and environmental challenges—from coastal and climate resilience to water monitoring and energy poverty.Their journeys also offer valuable lessons about what it takes to move from a promising local initiative to a sustainable model that can be replicated and adapted in other regions.From citizen-generated knowledge to policy impactCitizen science does not end with data collection. Its real potential emerges when evidence, community knowledge and lived experience are translated into decisions, policies and practical action.The conference will therefore explore how citizen science results and data can support inclusive policymaking, including the role of policy briefs in connecting project findings with the needs of decision-makers.Participants will also be introduced to the ScienceUs Upscale Academy, its portfolio of resources and the citizen science knowledge developed throughout the project.Exploring the practical dimensions of upscalingThe afternoon session will bring insights from the CROPS project and focus on three essential questions:Which citizen science projects are ready to scale?How can a citizen science project be successfully replicated and adapted?How can a scaled initiative remain useful, sustainable and connected to its communities?The discussion will draw on CROPS’ work in project curation, replication, orchestration, sustainability and community building.A dedicated CROPS Matchmaking Workshop, facilitated by OutBe, will create opportunities for participants to connect, exchange knowledge and explore potential collaborations. The conference will conclude with an open networking session.

ScienceUs–CROPS Final Conference

How can successful citizen science initiatives move beyond local experimentation, reach new communities and create lasting impact across Europe? On 25 November 2026, the ScienceUs and CROPS projects will come together in Athens for their Final Conference: “From Local Action to European Impact: The ScienceUs–CROPS Journey in Citizen Science Upscaling” The event will bring together citizen science practitioners, researchers, policymakers, project partners and stakeholders to exchange experiences, explore practical approaches to upscaling and reflect on how citizen-generated knowledge can contribute to more inclusive decision-making.

ECS Satellite event on Science Communication

The 2023 Annual Conference of the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) will be held in Cordoba (Spain) on 24-25 February 2023. The day before the Conference - 23 February 2023 - a Science Communication Training Workshop will be held as a satellite event, organised by the European Citizen Science (ECS) project in collaboration with the MCAA Communication Working Group. The overall objective of the European Citizen Science (ECS) project is to enlarge, empower and strengthen the European Citizen Science community through training, capacity building and awareness raising activities which encompass the whole range of needs and challenges. As a member of the project consortium, the MCAA is taking part in several work packages and tasks. More specifically, through the ECS project, the MCAA will support the co-creation of the European Citizen Science Academy by designing training for educators, trainers, and researchers. As part of the ECS project, the MCAA is organising the training workshop “Science Communication: How to create a successful research blog.” Blogging is a powerful and effective way to communicate research to a wider audience and engage citizen into the science endeavour. Within the general framework of citizen science, in this workshop participants will learn the ins and outs of what it takes to explain their research in a popular science blog that can be understood by anyone. The one-day full-immersion workshop will be highly interactive and aims to teach by doing. It will also be an introductory course into science communication for researchers with and without prior experience. During the training workshop, participants will: - have an overview of citizen science and the ECS project - learn how science communication can positively impact society as well as a researcher’s career - write a short popular science blog that can be published after the workshop - learn to adjust the text to the communication goals and audience - learn how to reduce the scientific complexity and make scientific insights accessible and interesting The training will be guided by Science Matters, a leading European science communication agency led by scientists, with extensive experience in supporting universities, companies, media, and museums. The training workshop is open to both MCAA members and non-MCAA members. In order to make it as interactive as possible and provide personalised feedback, the workshop is limited to only 30 participants. The deadline for registration is 30 January 2023, 23:00 CET. Selection of participants will be done on a rolling basis, until all 30 seats are filled. Thanks to the support of the ECS project, participants will be able to attend the workshop paying a fee of 150 Euro, which corresponds to a 50% discount on the full price.

Citizen-science: quando la scienza e la conoscenza passa per le mani del grande pubblico/ Citizen science: when science and knowledge are in the hands of the wide public

The OceanItalians group is organising a webinar in Italian on some examples of citizen science in the marine environment in Italy. Participants include Rosario Balestrieri from the Stazione Zoologica, Anton Dohrn in Naples (sightings of sea magpies), Francesco Tiralongo from the University of Catania (alien species), and Eleonora de Sabata for MedSharks and Clean Sea LIFE (citizen science and sharks, but not only), coordinated by Ines Borrione. This event will take place on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at 15:00. The meeting can be viewed on YouTube, where the recording will also remain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmrgSwuMMPc

Be a citizen scientist for a while! From the simple to the extreme/ FR- Devenez un citoyen scientifique pour un temps ! Du plus simple au plus extrême

Come and try different forms of participatory research, where you take part in producing scientific knowledge. This is called “citizen science” and anyone can do it and either help scientists addressing challenges in the world, or come up with their own projects. During the event, which will be in English and in French, you will have an opportunity to experiment with different forms of citizen science. You’ll help scientists by classifying information about stars, check how dark are the skies, record how quiet or noisy is the neighbourhood, and learn about citizen science with indigenous groups in the Congo-basin forests, and how they are engaged in extreme citizen science. / FR- Venez essayer différentes formes de recherche participative, où vous prendrez part à la génération de connaissances scientifiques. C’est ce qu’on appelle la “science citoyenne” et tout le monde peut s’y mettre et aider les scientifiques à relever les défis du monde, ou proposer ses propres projets. Au cours de l’événement, qui se déroulera en anglais et en français, vous aurez l’occasion d’expérimenter différentes formes de science citoyenne. Par example, vous pourrez aider des scientifiques en classant des informations sur les étoiles, vérifier l’obscurité du ciel, mesurer le calme ou le bruit du voisinage, et découvrir la science citoyenne avec des groupes indigènes dans les forêts du bassin du Congo, et comment ils sont engagés dans une science citoyenne extrême.

Recommendations for policy-makers arising from CS Track investigations into Citizen Science

The main mission of the CS Track project has been to observe and analyse the phenomena of citizen science using empirical and theoretical studies. Based on these studies, the team have constructed a set of policy recommendations. Further specific policy recommendations have also been prepared with the stated purpose of directing attention to questions related to Citizen Science that need attention. During this webinar the team will present the recommendations that they have prepared arising from the CS Track project and will discuss their impact on Citizen Science policy from different perspectives. Join us to find out more about these recommendations, how were they created, and what kind of future for Citizen Science do they direct us towards? Seminar leader: Ohto Sabel, University of Jyväskylä

Coming to terms with the multiple possible meanings of the term CS. The Activities-Dimensions-Grid of Citizen Science

Explanation of the grid. How it was developed and why., e. g. voluntary work versus influencing policies versus education versus making. How to place a CS activity. Obvious differences in potential (ethical) guidelines depending on where activity is placed. „Look & feel“ of the Grid. Learning how to apply it to become aware of potential caveats and ethical issues will help to organise citizen science activities in a way that creates a better cost-benefit-ratio and that systematically takes ethical issues and other challenges into account. Who is it aimed at? Anybody who is interested in CS: Scholars, practitioners, policy makers. Political scientists are welcome, too! What will you learn? Awareness what consequences it can have, if a heavily loaded term like CS is used without differentiation between the multitude of meanings. Learning how to apply it to become aware of potential caveats and ethical issues will help to organise citizen science activities in a way that creates a better cost-benefit-ratio and that systematically takes ethical issues and other challenges into account. Seminar leaders Seminar leaders: Christine Urban & Michael Strähle, Wissenschaftsladen Wien – Science Shop Vienna

BIO-DATAthon: A unique validation event of biodiversity data!

The activity aims to validate species names of the biodiversity observations coming from several citizen science platforms, such as Natusfera, Pl@ntNet or Artportalen; you can validate terrestrial or marine images, depending on your expertise! The event is organised by the Cos4Cloud project. Natusfera and Artportalen are citizen science platforms where volunteers update and identify all kinds of biodiversity images, while Pl@ntNet gathers plants’ observations worldwide. These images are now available in Cos4Bio, a new online platform that integrates observations on biodiversity from various citizen science platforms. When? This online event will take place from the 7th of December until the 15th of January; you can do it from home when it fits you better; no pressure! Who is this event for? It is aimed at experts (by learning or by experience) who can identify species names (any taxon!). Read more on Cos4Bio and the event at the event page.

Citizen Science Nederland - Netwerk Meeting

Kan je ook niet wachten om (nieuwe) mensen te ontmoeten die zich bezig houden met Citizen Science en van elkaar te leren door je eigen ervaringen uit te wisselen? Kom dan naar de allereerste netwerk meeting van Citizen Science Nederland op woensdag 7 december in de Social Impact Factory in Utrecht. Iedereen die zich bezighoudt met Citizen Science - van burgerwetenschappers en lokale organisaties tot onderzoekers en beleidsmedewerkers - zijn welkom. Elkaar leren kennen staat centraal bij deze meeting, maar daarnaast willen wij ook graag samen met jullie het nieuwe netwerk vorm geven; "By the Community, For the Community". Aan het dagprogramma wordt nog gewerkt maar naast de plenaire en break-out sessies zal er veel aandacht besteed worden aan netwerken. De voertaal van deze eerste netwerk meeting zal Nederlands zijn. Please note, the event will mainly be in Dutch, but we will accomodate any non-Dutch speakers with a dedicated break-out session, and you may still enjoy attending the networking portions of the day.

Driving changes to embed Citizen Science at your institution

Join this TIME4CS online interactive workshop to learn how you can contribute to fostering the adoption of citizen science as research methodology within your organization through the use of institutional roadmaps. You will have the chance to: - Discuss challenges and opportunities for citizen science in your institution - Learn about using institutional roadmaps as a tool for change - Co-create your own Grounding Action with the TIME4CS Reflection Tool! Hands-on session using our tool, designed to support the development of personalized action plans: reflect on the big vision for your organization, identify relevant stakeholders, define success criteria and necessary resources, and make your action plan. Takeaway for participants: - Identify institutional resources and support needed for CS - some concrete examples and suggestions on how to stimulate institutional changes to promote CS

Citizen Science Networking Day - Flanders (Belgium)

Scivil, the Flemish knowledge center on citizen science, is organizing a networking and learning event at the BMCC Bruges on November 15, 2022. We offer you an inspiring keynote speaker, a series of fascinating talks and workshops on different aspects of citizen science and a networking lunch. During this event, we will launch our latest guide, a guide on citizen science in education. The event runs in parallel to the Digiwijs event for Flemish teachers. We hope to create an exciting cross-pollination between citizen science practitioners and education professionals, both during the session 'citizen science in the classroom', and during the networking lunch. There will also be a focus on the topic of citizen science data, with lectures and workshops on data visualisation, data management, data-driven policy and privacy. During lunch, you can ask all your data questions at the Scivil stand, where data stewards of the Flemish Open Science Board (FOSB) will be happy to help you. There will be both sessions in Dutch and in English. Meanwhile, our program is finalized and registrations are open!

Citizen Science for Policy and Practice event

Join us to discuss participatory research and citizen science and their impact on policy and practice. This event aims to inspire and support you to explore what citizen science is and the opportunities it offers, for policymakers, funders and researchers alike. A range of speakers from international research and policy areas will reflect on citizen science as a form of participatory research, and its impact on policymakers and practitioners around the world. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about current projects funded by UKRI and FSA which are exploring ways of embedding citizen science across research, from the safety of infant formula to young people’s mental health. There will be opportunities to explore themes based on your interests in citizen science and its potential impacts, and network with others interested and involved in citizen science. Who should attend this event? This event is open to anyone to attend. You may be interested in this event if you are a policy-maker, funder, commissioner of research, or a researcher. You are welcome to attend if you are familiar with citizen science or interested in finding out more. UKRI, the Food Standards Agency and the Institute for Community Studies are pleased to be partnering to organise this event. The event is also supported by the Government Social Research Profession. Speakers Dr Marc J Kuchner, Citizen Science Officer at NASA Professor Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at Kings College London and director of The Zoe Project Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Food Standards Agency Achla Joshi, Senior Program Officer, Health Canada Professor Jennifer Gabrys, Chair in Media, Culture and Environment, University of Cambridge Dr Margaret Gold, Coordinator, Citizen Science, Leiden University Dr Christian Reynolds, Senior Lecturer in Food Policy, University of London Sian Whyte Head of Strategic Design and Insight, The Young Foundation Dr Helena Hollis, Senior Researcher, Institute for Community Studies Dr Steve Scott, Public Engagement Lead, UK Research and Innovation

Water-ForCE H2020 - Citizen Science for the CAL/VAL of satellite aquatic products

In situ data acquisition is an expensive process that needs high-frequency and broad spatial coverage to be fully useful in remote sensing calibration and/or validation exercises. An important new source of spatially intensive data acquisition, the crowd sourcing carried out inside of Citizen Science initiatives, has been developed in previous projects within the EU by, among other things, the development of tools and citizen observatories solutions. We will hear the experiences of Citizen Science tools developers and users and Citizen Science experts, as a basis for discussion during our expert panel time afterwards. Our aim is to fully explore the possibilities of Citizen Science for calibration and validation of Copernicus water quality and quantity products, focused in the identification of: Opportunities/potential for Cal/Val Gaps & problems Identified Needs Data Quality, format and uncertainties

ECSA 2022 Conference: Citizen Science for Planetary Health

Why “Citizen Science for Planetary Health”? Because the health of our planet is at risk. To preserve and support the well-being of all life on Earth, we need the commitment and efforts of everyone – policy makers, the public, business, science and research. Citizen science offers effective and innovative ways to do transdisciplinary research and influence decision-making in multiple areas and ways. Citizen science is particularly suited to connect diverse fields and diverse actors in the common endeavour of collaborating in research. The concept of planetary health is based on the understanding that human health and human civilization depend on thriving natural systems and the sustainable stewardship of those natural systems. This demands not only knowledge, commitment and engagement of health and environmental sciences, but inter- and transdisciplinary efforts from all research fields and societal and political actors. The ECSA 2022 Conference invites researchers from all disciplines, civil society actors, citizen scientists, policy decision-makers and all interested in the topic in Europe and worldwide to reflect, discuss and network around the topic of “Citizen Science for Planetary Health”.