Webinar: Unlocking the Potential of Citizen Science Collaborations

This webinar is designed to discuss different approaches to citizen science by LIBER and ECSA Citizen Science Working Groups together with Leiden University, with the purpose of discovering synergies and potential opportunities for collaboration. During the webinar, speakers will cover: (1) achievements in advancing citizen science at libraries and universities; (2) the organisation of citizen science activities in universities, including a citizen science ‘engine room’ at the University of Southern Denmark; (3) how to embed citizen science activities for research and education purposes through sharing best practices, policies, and ‘sharing’ programmes; (4) finding the ‘sweet spot’ for citizen science in the matrix of faculty silos, top-down research, and bottom-up collaboration. We will hear the insights of four amazing speakers: Tiberius Ignat, Director of Scientific Knowledge Services (SKS); Anne Kathrine Overgaard, Head of External Projects at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark; Thomas Kaarsted, Deputy Library Director at the University of Southern Denmark; and Margaret Gold, Coordinator of the Citizen Science Lab at Leiden University.

Analyzing Citizen Science Projects using Web-based Tools

This workshop is about exploring a web-based tool (analytics workbench) that can be used to collect information about citizen science projects. It is based on current work in the European CS Track project, which seeks to increase the knowledge on CS using web-based analytics (computational analyses based on projects’ manifestations on the web and social media) and questionnaires, combined in a multi-perspective analysis. The analytics workbench can be used by the participants of the workshop to explore the landscape of online citizen science projects and to analyze projects with methods of text mining/analytics and social network analysis.

The uptake of data by citizen scientists, aggregators and end-users: successes, challenges and gaps in the dataflow

We are organising an hybrid scientific session at the Ocean Science Meeting, 27 Feb - 4 March 2022 on ‘The uptake of data by citizen scientists, aggregators and end-users: successes, challenges and gaps in the dataflow’ and are inviting you to submit an abstract by 29 September 2021. Please find more details of the session below. OD11 The uptake of data by citizen scientists, aggregators and end-users: successes, challenges and gaps in the dataflow Keywords: Citizen science, marine data, dataflow, interoperability, acceptance, engagement, policy, data management, validation, end user needs, sustainability, impact Organizers: Patrick Gorringe, patrick.gorringe@smhi.se, James Sprinks, jsprinks@earthwatch.org.uk, Peter Thijsse, peter@maris.nl, Emilie Breviere, emilie.breviere@smhi.se Citizen science is a particularly impactful channel to collect data and its utility has been proven on small scales, yet the groundbreaking, and absolutely necessary, potential of citizen science has yet to be realized. Over the last decade, marine citizen science projects have provided a cost-effective means to collect extensive data sets covering vast spatio-temporal scales where conventional data collection is limited in operation, such as coastal seas. However many initiatives fail to be sustainable, and fail to reach acceptance of their data by scientists and by policy makers. To be efficient and successful a project should provide data with sufficient quality, structure and availability to be used by professionals and ensure that citizen scientists realize and appreciate the impact of their contribution towards the understanding of the scientific big picture. When studying the flow of citizen science data, it follows a series of steps from the providers to the users, via data aggregators. The essential steps of this process are the acquisition, management, flow in key infrastructure, evaluation and impact analyses, use in ocean models, research and forecasting, and public visualization. The objective of the co-organizers is to provide a session during which participants will share experiences on successes and failures, needs and limitations in the data flow chain. The session wishes to be a unique niche for the numerous actors of the data flow in marine citizen science initiatives to meet and exchange. It will explore current and future collaborations, hear from invited experts about wider citizen science initiatives and discuss how marine data aggregators in its next phase can more systematically link with citizen science to not only expand the data provision from citizen science, but also find ways to encourage citizen science to work closer with data aggregators across the full value chain.

Webinar: Data protection, vulnerable groups and citizen science

This interesting webinar will shed some light on the challenges and possible solutions of data protection of vulnerable groups. In the first part, the webinar will focus on the guidelines and desirable practices when working with vulnerable groups to assure their rights are protected. Then, representatives of citizen science projects that work with vulnerable groups will give their insights. Afterwards, there will be an interactive exercise followed by a final discussion. This webinar is jointly organised by ECSA and Panelfit. Whether you want to participate in the discussion or just listen, you are very welcome. You can see the program and register in the link below.

ESCAPE 1st Citizen Science Workshop

The First ESCAPE Citizen Science Workshop will feature showcases of successful citizen science projects in several research fields covered by the ESCAPE Science Partners. There will also be a series of hands-on tutorials in which you will learn how to build your own citizen science project, implement advanced statistical aggregation methods and integrate machine learning.

The future of citizen science: sharing experiences from the European community

The future of citizen science: sharing experiences from the European community is a gathering of the global citizen science community. It is aimed at sharing experiences and stimulating debates about the role citizen science can play in supporting a sustainable, just and green Europe. Over two days you will hear from a great variety of speakers, be able to share your ideas and meet like-minded individuals. Here are some of the highlights you can look forward to: hear from over twenty different speakers from across Europe, take part in the satellite high-level policy event, take part in discussions during a variety of interactive sessions, check out the booth area for some inspiring citizen science projects and enjoy the networking moments, culinary experiences and social rooms. This online conference is jointly organised by the ACTION and the EU-Citizen.Science projects and proudly supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme. The event will take place online from 11:00 to 16:30 CET on 24 November and from 10:00 to 13:00 CET on 25 November.

Incontro Nazionale di Citizen Science Italia

Con grande piacere comunichiamo che l’11-12 novembre 2021 presso il Museo di Storia Naturale della Maremma (Grosseto) si terrà un incontro Nazionale di Citizen Science organizzato in collaborazione con EU-Citizen.Science e Action. Sarà l'occasione per aggiornare la comunità italiana di CS sulle principali novità dei progetti italiani e internazionali. Gli interventi per la presentazione dei progetti saranno strutturati come "speed-talk" di pochi minuti, oltre alle domande. Verrà fatto circolare più avanti un template per le presentazioni. Stiamo lavorando per organizzare l'evento in presenza, nel rispetto della vigente normativa anti-Covid. L'incontro sarà in ogni caso fruibile anche in streaming sulla pagina Fb di CSI e sul sito del museo. Tuttavia vi invitiamo, se possibile, a intervenire di persona (soprattutto se avete un progetto da illustrare). Siete pregati di comunicarci la vostra adesione il prima possibile, tramite il seguente modulo [ https://forms.gle/hWVD13zHRDQjzmoa9 ], entro e non oltre il 10 ottobre. Il programma di massima prevede una prima giornata (11 novembre) dedicata alla presentazione dei progetti. Il secondo giorno (12 Novembre) ci saranno due sessioni parallele: una come prosecuzione della presentazione dei progetti del giorno precedente, l’altra, a numero chiuso e su invito, una policy masterclass dedicata ai policy makers organizzata da Action. Il pomeriggio del secondo giorno sarà dedicato a individuare una soluzione che possa formalizzare la realtà di CSI, iniziando a valutare concretamente l'opportunità di fondare una Associazione Italiana di Citizen Science. Vi invitiamo a fornire anticipatamente contributi in questo senso. Maggiori informazioni prossimamente qui https://www.facebook.com/citizenscienceitalia https://www.facebook.com/museostorianaturalemaremma https://www.museonaturalemaremma.it/ With great pleasure, we announce that the National Citizen Science meeting organized in collaboration with EU-Citizen.Science and Action will be held on 11-12 November 2021 at the Maremma Natural History Museum (Grosseto, Italy). We are working to organize the event in presence, in accordance with the current anti-Covid legislation. In any case, the meeting will also be available in streaming on the CSI Fb page and on the museum website. The general program includes a first day (11th of November) dedicated to the presentation of the projects. On the second day (12th of November) there will be two parallel sessions: one as a continuation of the presentation of the projects, the other, by invitation, a policy masterclass dedicated to policymakers organized by Action. On the afternoon of the second day, we will evaluate the opportunity to found an Italian Association of Citizen Science. More information soon here https://www.facebook.com/citizenscienceitalia https://www.facebook.com/museostorianaturalemaremma https://www.museonaturalemaremma.it/

What’s new in citizen science training: from open science to public engagement

EU-Citizen.Science contains a wide array of free, self-directed training modules on citizen science on its Moodle page. The themes of the training modules range from introduction to citizen science over research design and methods, engagement and impact to communication and regulations and ethics. At this event, we will showcase three of these training modules and offer the opportunity to meet the trainers who developed them. We will launch the final version of the EU-Citizen.Science platform and show its new features. Finally, the winners of the #MonthOfTheProjects campaign will be presented.

CitSciOz21 Virtual Conference

“CitSciOz21: Celebrate, Communicate, Co-create” is an online virtual conference organised by the Australian Citizen Science Association that will take place 27 – 29 October 2021. Centered around the themes of Celebrate, Communicate, and Co-Create, this virtual experience will invite participants to explore, investigate and showcase successful citizen science projects from Australia and the rest of the world. Moreover, different citizen science communication techniques for maximum impact will be showcased. The virtual conference will ensure a highly interactive and engaging event, with the capacity to network with your fellow attendees, speakers, and sponsors as well as providing you with the learning outcomes and benefits you would come to expect from an in-person event.

Methodologies & Evaluation: Setting up Youth Citizen Social Science

Young people in Europe are facing many challenges with regard to social inclusion (e.g. social participation, employment, social belonging). There is a pressing need to develop more knowledge and innovation to create more inclusive and youth-friendly societies. One way to contribute to this is through Citizen Social Science with young people - Youth Citizen Social Science (Y-CSS). This webinar offers an opportunity for exchange on doing Y-CSS in practice and it seeks to mobilise your expertise and feedback for the YouCount project. Members of the project are developing a framework for setting up case studies in several countries. The challenge is to translate the many ideas surrounding youth citizen social science into practical research and innovations. They will present their concepts and seek your feedback and discussion on how local case studies and integrating frameworks can be designed. Claire Murray (ECSA) will get us started with essential points for practically preparing for youth participation. To illustrate an ambitious ways of how this can be done in a European project, Julie Ridley (UCLan) will give us an overview on the multiple case study approach that is used in YouCount. Then there will be a series of in-depth discussions on key aspects of setting up Y-CSS projects in practice.

Engaging the society beyond data collection

The challenges of ocean monitoring require data from everywhere at all times, we need to involve society in all steps of the process to achieve the information necessary to implement evidence-based policies in coastal and ocean management. This workshop is a Satellite Activity of the Event “A Predicted Ocean”, an Ocean Decade Laboratory organized in the framework of the United Nations Decade of Ocean for Sustainable Development. The workshop will analyse different challenges in volunteer participation in ocean monitoring projects: from potential barriers for volunteer participation up to how to improve the management of the cost and oceans developing evidence-based policies using in some cases the information generated in these participative processes. REGISTER HERE: https://www.eventbrite.es/e/entradas-workshop-engaging-the-society-beyond-data-collection-in-citizen-science-168961358973 The workshop “Engaging the society beyond data collection” will be divided into two parts: - First part: an overview of lessons learned in previous and ongoing projects. - Second part: moderated discussion (both in English and Spanish) with all the involved actors, including academia, industry, policymakers and civil society WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? This workshop is aimed at all the communities interested in participatory coastal monitoring: Academia, Industry (particularly SMEs), Policy Makers, and Civil Society (NGOs, local groups, environmental associations, Schools, …). PRELIMINARY AGENDA: 1- Welcome and introduction: Jaume Piera (ICM-CSIC) 2- An overview of previous and ongoing experiences: -Ocean Cities. Josep Lluís Pelegrí (ICM-CSIC) -Australian Coasts. Libby Hepburn (CSA) -Wadden Sea. Soledad Luna (W-S World Heritage) -Our Coast. Luigi Ceccaroni (EarthWatch-UK) -Reef Monitoring. Phanor Montoya (Corales de Paz) -Urban Beaches. Andrea Comaposada (Anel·lides) 3- Interactive session: going beyond data collection: -Breakout Room 1. English session -Breakout Room 2. Spanish session

Introduction to Citizen Science in Libraries Webinar

The Introduction to Citizen Science in Libraries Webinar will provide a general introduction to citizen science and explore how libraries can become partners in citizen science engagement. Learn how to access SciStarter’s library resources, build kits, and connect existing programs and communities to projects on SciStarter. This webinar is part of the Professional Development for Libraries Series hosted by the National Citizen and Community Science Library Network.