OneAquaHealth IEEE Global Hackathon

Join the OneAquaHealth IEEE Global Hackathon 2026 ! A worldwide call to innovators, creators, and problem‑solvers - the IEEE and OneAquaHealth project invite participants from across the globe to co‑create breakthrough solutions for healthier urban freshwater ecosystems. This global hackathon unites AI enthusiasts, environmental thinkers, designers, developers, researchers, and citizen‑science champions to transform real environmental and community data into tools that protect biodiversity, strengthen resilience, and improve human wellbeing. Whether you’re passionate about AI for good, urban water health, biodiversity, climate resilience, or digital innovation, this is your moment to make an impact on a global stage. Build. Collaborate. Innovate - with the world watching. Be part of a global movement shaping smarter, healthier, more sustainable cities. To register for the hackathon, visit: https://oneaquahealth-ieee-hackathon.devpost.com/rules ***Coming Up Next on June 12, 2026: Session 1 - Introducing the OneAquaHealth Project*** Explore the mission, technical tracks, and innovation opportunities behind the IEEE OneAquaHealth Global Hackathon. To register for the webinar, visit: https://www.oneaquahealth.eu/introducing-oneaquahealth-project/

Strengthening Public Engagement in Research: Evidence, Impact, and Future Pathways

In collaboration with the IMPETUS and RIECS projects, ECS is organising a final policy event entitled "Strengthening Public Engagement in Research: Evidence, Impact, and Future Pathways" in Brussels. We will present engaging scenarios featuring real-life citizen science projects and share impact stories from European policymakers. These examples aim to highlight not only what has been achieved so far, but also the potential for even greater impact if support mechanisms for citizen science are strengthened. Following the presentations, there will be opportunities for networking and engaging with interactive elements over coffee and light refreshments. This event is primarily targeted at MEPs and European policymakers, but we may be able to open additional attendance spots depending on capacity. To register your interest, please contact Nadia at Nadia.Bates[at]mfn.berlin

Living Danube Challenge - Ignite NEB Event 2025

Changemakers ignite nature stewardship in the Danube River Basin. Are you a changemaker eager to apply citizen-led, nature-based solutions to local challenges in the Danube River Basin? And do you want to pitch for a 10k-valued development trajectory to transform your idea into a real business or initiative? Join us for DANUBE4All x EIT Community NEB’s Living Danube Challenge! The Living Danube Challenge is a free innovation launchpad for emerging changemakers ready to restore and protect the Danube River Basin through nature-based solutions and citizen-led action. Co-produced by EIT’s Ignite NEB Programme, DANUBE4all, PULSAQUA, and ZSI, the program includes: ️- A dynamic series of three online trainings (17:00-18:00 CET on Wednesdays, September 17, 24, and October 1) on nature-based solutions, citizen science, and social business strategy - A two-day in-person ideation sprint at BOKU University’s River Lab in Vienna (October 10-11 2025) with workshops & arts programming - A pitch process towards an 8-month, 10k-valued development trajectory to bring 3 winning ideas to life. Registrations are now open until September 15th.

Education for Climate Community Café - How do you become an Energy Community?

AURORA - Joint event with the Education for Climate Group Community Café 10th September 2025 from 17.00hrs - 18.00hrs Topic School Energy Communities To join the event register here - https://education-for-climate.ec.europa.eu/community/challenge_hub/event/community-cafe-september, This is an exciting event where you can learn about how the Palomeras Cultural Centre School in Spain has pioneered the first school Energy Community in Madrid with the AURORA project. The school, in a working class area of Madrid, has installed solar energy on the roof tops of their buildings, along with two air source heat pumps to keep the classrooms cool in summer. Funds of €140,000 have been raised from their community, staff and parents of the school, along with students and professors from the Technical University of Madrid as part of a share offer. This means everyone can have a stake in the energy transition. Lower energy bills, no capital cost to the school and a small return on investments from everyone supporting the scheme. It really is true that such transformations not only lower carbon emissions, supporting efforts to reach net zero carbon, but they also lower costs by diverting what would have been fossil fuel profits, back into the local community. The renewable energy generated will also be tracked via the AURORA energy tracker app to allow investors to see the energy being generated and to offset their own personal carbon emissions based on the investment they have made. It will join other projects at Aarhus University Denmark and Ljubljana University Slovenia already connected to the AURORA Energy Tacker app . Could schools in your country follow their lead and be the first school in your town, in your city, moving away from fossil fuels towards the future of clean renewable energy. A teacher from the school will explain what it is has meant to the students and staff of the Palomeras Cultural Centre school in Spain. The whole café event will be an opportunity for open discussion, facilitated by Martin Brocklehurst from the AURORA PROJECT, so that you can understand how to follow the lead that has been set. Looking to the future EU Legislation has also recently changed allowing the export of surplus renewable energy from community energy schemes through the grid to be sold to users around the installation. Once enacted into National law this would allow the export of surplus energy from Schools during holiday periods to users around the school. A great idea for public swimming pools for instance seeking to heat the pool during the summer holidays when usage rates are at their highest. The future looks bright for community energy schemes. In the UK, once the Governments strange block on Power Purchase Agreements on public buildings is removed we can perhaps also follow the EU lead and recommence community energy schemes on schools buildings.

SPLASH EU Blue Education Series

🌊 Be part of the change for our oceans through your participation in the BLUE EDUCATIONAL SERIES online seminars by Splash EU! 📅 July 24 & 25 | 🕒 15:00 - 19:00 CET 🧠 Learn – 📢 Get Inspired – 🌍 Take Action 🎯 Discover the power of citizen science in tackling marine pollution and the vital role of communication and education in ocean conservation. 📌 Register & learn more: https://www.mare-centre.pt/en/splashblueseries-en 📢 Coordinated by: MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambienteand MindmeUp L.P. 📢 Supported by: Universidade de Coimbra, #EU4Ocean, #ACTeon and European Commission

EN/GER: Wie gesund sind deine Kartoffeln? DNA-Analyse im molekularbiologischen Labor des Naturkundemuseums

English description below -DEU- Welche Kartoffelsorten sind resistent gegen Kartoffelfäule, Colletotrichum-Welkekrankheit, Silberschorf? Dies sind die unterschiedlichen Krankheiten, mit denen sich das PataFEST-Projekt beschäftigt. Um einen Einblick in die Welt der Kartoffelforschung zu geben, lädt ECSA Kartoffelanbauende ins Naturkundemuseum ein, um ihre eigenen Kartoffelblätter zur DNA-Analyse mitzubringen, um sie auf krankheitsresistente Gene zu untersuchen. Gemeinsam mit dem Team aus dem Labor werden die unterschiedlichen Stufen einer DNA Analyse erklärt und durchgeführt: Isolierung der DNA, Quanitfizierung, PCR und DNA Sequenzierung. Neugierig geworden? Dann schreibt uns unter: patafest@ecsa.ngo oder meldet euch hier an: https://forms.monday.com/forms/b293b6583af626453f7e5c57b675a190?r=euc1 Leider dürfen Personen, die schwanger sind, stillen, unter 18 Jahre alt sind oder keine Kartoffeln anbauen, nicht ins Labor. Wir werden einen separaten Stand in der Ausstellungshalle des Museums haben, der für jeden zugänglich ist. -ENG- Which potato varieties are resistant to dry rot, black dot and silver scurf? These are the different diseases that the PataFEST project deals with. To give an insight into the world of potato research, ECSA, together with the Natural History Museum Berlin, invites potato growers to bring in their own potato leaves. You can then test them for disease resistant genes. Together with the team from the laboratory, the different stages of DNA analysis will be explained and carried out: Isolation of DNA, quantification, PCR and DNA sequencing. Curious? Then write to us at patafest@ecsa.ngo You can also register here: https://forms.monday.com/forms/b293b6583af626453f7e5c57b675a190?r=euc1 Unfortunately, people, who are pregnant, breastfeeding or under the age of 18 cannot enter the lab. We will have a separate booth in the exhibition hall of the museum accessible for everyone.

Citizen science meets potatoes

Join the very first PataFEST Webinar! 📅 Date: Thursday, March 27, 2025 ⏰ Time: 16:00 CET We will explore the intersection of citizen science and the Agri-Food sector! 🔹 Christian Ghidelli (Funditec) will introduce the PataFEST project and its key goals. 🔹 Leo Mensel (European Citizen Science Association) will showcase a variety of engaging activities, including workshops and hands-on molecular biology experiments. 🔹 Anna Verones (European Citizen Science Association) will present the concept of citizen science, sharing inspiring best practices from the Open Soil Atlas and its potential applications in Agri-Food research. Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and get involved! You can register now and be part of the conversation

ECS Collaboration Session - Citizen Science and Ethics

Do we ever stop to consider the ethical issues and dilemmas that arise within citizen science and other participatory processes? And what are the causes of, and possible solutions to, such issues? Are our organisations even adequately equipped to navigate these issues? Join our Collaboration Session on ethics in citizen science to discuss and work through these key issues. For this session, we will welcome the contributions of Stefanie Schuerz and Matimba Swana, who will share some of their experiences working on this topic. The session will consist of a presentation from the speakers, as well as a participatory group activity related to the topic. Information about the speakers: Stefanie Schuerz is a sociologist who works as a researcher and project manager at the Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI). Her primary focus is on evaluation and impact assessment, multi-stakeholder engagement and citizen science, research ethics and integrity, as well as data ethics and open science. Stefanie has coordinated processes for the co-design of R&I policy recommendations and has collaborated with funding agencies in the development and evaluation of ethical participatory activities. Matimba Swana is a PhD student at the University of Bristol with experience working in the UK Government Office for Science, Stemcell Technologies, and the Medical Research Network. Her research centres on cancer nanomedicine, swarm robotics, and bioethics, particularly regarding regulatory frameworks for cancer trials using nanoswarm technology, with a focus on Patient and Public Involvement. She co-founded PROTEAS to promote sustainable practices in robotics and Black and Brown in Bioethics to advance racial equity in the UK bioethics community, and serves on various committees related to cancer research and the arts.

Best practices in citizen engagement and knowledge transfer in support of Mission Ocean objectives in BlueMission

Are you interested in citizen engagement in biodiversity restoration and blue economy? Join a virtual panel discussion on October 17th (2024) which may interest you 😊 We will be discussing best practices in citizen engagement and knowledge transfer in Citizens Assemblies and workshops. Looking at the example of the 2022 Irish Children and Young People's Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, and the BlueMissionBANOS local arena workshops, this panel will discuss innovative methods and best practices for citizen engagement in pursuit of Mission Ocean objectives, particularly restoration and blue economy. 📅 Date: October 17th 13:00-14:30 UTC 🎤 Online, register here: https://lnkd.in/ecvEy_EX 🔴 Stream on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/e9cZJcSw More information: https://lnkd.in/e2P7bqDB

Wetland Watchers workshop - Empowering Citizen Science for Climate Action

The Wetland Watchers workshop is an opportunity to bring together various researchers and stakeholders with a shared interest in wetlands. Invited speakers: Barbara Sowinska-Swierkosz (PL), Milena Holmgren & Juul Limpens (NL), Rosa Arias (ES), Gitte Kragh (DK) Objectives: * Explore the integration of citizen science into wetland and climate research * Share recent findings and technological advancements * Promote collaboration, innovation and public engagement in climate change mitigation efforts. Program 08:30 - 09:00 | Registration and Welcome Coffee Participants arrival and registration Informal networking over coffee 09:00 - 09:15 | Opening Remarks Welcome by the Workshop Organizer – Lorenzo Pugliese and Shubiao Wu Introduction to the Workshop Objectives 09:15 - 10:30 | Citizen Science Research & Methodology (Gitte Kragh) Introduction to citizen science research design and methodologies/interactive session 10:30 - 10:45 | Coffee Break 10:45 - 11:15 | Communication & public engagement (Rosa Arias/online) Effective communication and engagement 11:15 - 12:00 | Education and Awareness (Gitte Kragh) Raising awareness among researchers, volunteers and stakeholders/interactive session 12:00 - 13:00 | Lunch Break 13:00 - 13:30 | Citizen Science in restored wetlands (Barbara Sowińska-Świerkosz) Citizen science task and toolkit in relation to wetland 13:30 - 14:00 | Citizen Science in the WaterLAND project (Milena Holmgren & Juul Limpens) The WaterLand co-creation method Action sites 14:00 - 14:15 | Coffee Break 14:15 - 15:15 | Citizen science in wetland restoration: overcoming barriers and enhancing methodologies (World café led by Gitte Kragh) Identifying and overcoming barriers Enhancing data collection methodologies Collaborative frameworks: building partnerships between researchers, local communities, and policymakers 15:15 - 15:30 | Closing Remarks and Future Directions (Shubiao Wu/Lorenzo Pugliese) Organiser: Wet Horizons / Aarhus University

Citizen science and public libraries: networking session

ECS Academy, SciStarter and Public Libraries 2030 are organising an online networking session for public library staff to share their experiences, challenges, and exchange with members of the citizen science community. Join us to kickstart the building of a stronger, more connected European citizen science library community. 🗓️ September 19 ⏰15:00 (CEST) 🔗Register: https://forms.gle/1G5hBfyt7StC11vH9

Enhancing Air Quality Sensor Networks for citizen science. Clustering approaches by COMPAIR, FunSNM and SOCIOBEE

Citizen science (CS) involves public participation and collaboration in scientific research to increase scientific knowledge. Despite its potential, producing CS collected data that is perceived as trustworthy enough to be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and influence policy-making remains a challenge, in part due to issues involving data accuracy and standardisation. For example, the use of mobile field sensors in CS provides us with the opportunity to monitor air quality at a higher spatial resolution, but requires more thorough data analysis. Join us for a webinar featuring three short talks on the lessons learnt and recommendations from leading EU Horizon projects, COMPAIR, FUNsnm and SOCIO-BEE, to improve the reliability of air quality CS sensor networks. The session will conclude with a discussion among the speakers and the audience. This webinar is open to anyone interested in air quality sensor networks and CS. Talks & Speakers: - Local source detection using mobile “low-cost” particle matter (PM) sensors. Bram Verbeek (COMPAIR & VMM) - Metrology, the science of measurement, how does it relate to citizen science? Gertjan Kok (FunSNM & VSL) - Addressing the challenges of citizen science air quality measurements in the SOCIO-BEE project. Sergi Udina (SOCIO-BEE & Bettair Cities) Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpduygrTIoHtb8lISfAYqI48jsvvDCSDqF The event is part of the SOCIO-BEE project. More info here: https://socio-bee.eu/

Nature Observation Marathon

Nature observation marathon invites naturalists to explore the biodiversity in their favorite area. The maraton is following format of BioBlitz, an international species recording scheme. In BioBlitz volunteers and researchers will identify as many species of animals, plants and fungi as possible in a given place in a given period of time. BioBlitz usually lasts 24 hours to observe the forms of biodiversity throughout the day. In previous years the marathon was a national event in Estonia, but in 2024 we will also invite other naturalist around Baltic Sea and in Nordic countries to join in. The main event takes place during 24 hours in 8.-9 June, but the observation areas should be registered by May 5th.