TRAINING in German: CAS Citizen Science and Public Engagement

Hast Du eine Idee für ein partizipatives (Forschungs-)Projekt und fragst Dich, wie Du diese am besten umsetzen kannst? Steckst Du mitten in der Projektarbeit und merkst, dass die Dinge nicht ganz so laufen, wie Du es Dir vorgestellt hast? Oder bringst Du schon einiges an Erfahrung mit in partizipativen Projekten und möchtest über Deinen Tellerrand schauen? Dann bist Du hier richtig - egal ob ganz am Anfang einer vagen Idee oder schon mittendrin. Denn: Gemeinsam wissen wir mehr. Vielschichtige Perspektiven & Erfahrungen Neben Inputs zu zentralen Themen rund um partizipative Projektarbeit lebt der CAS von den vielschichtigen Perspektiven und Erfahrungen der Teilnehmenden. Diese kommen aus ganz unterschiedlichen Bereichen: zum Beispiel aus der Forschung, Museen, Bibliotheken, Archiven, NGOs, der Verwaltung oder dem Gesundheitsbereich. So vielfältig diese Zielgruppe auf den ersten Blick sein mag, sie eint das Interesse an der Umsetzung partizipativer Projekte, an gemeinsamer Wissensproduktion und dem Einbezug der Bevölkerung. Genau in dieser Kombination aus Unterschieden und Gemeinsamkeiten der CAS-Teilnehmenden sehen wir eine grosse Chance für das Von- und Miteinander-Lernen und für die Vernetzung mit Gleichgesinnten, die sich in ganz anderen institutionellen Umgebungen bewegen und zu den verschiedensten Themen arbeiten.

No project is an island|Bridges towards a joint legacy for the future of citizen science in Europe

Citizen science thrives on collaboration between researchers, policymakers, innovators, and the public. Yet within the citizen science community itself, a critical question remains: do we have the infrastructure to enable effective, lasting knowledge exchange across initiatives and projects? No project operates in isolation, and the collective learning generated across the field represents an underutilised asset for science and policymaking alike. At a time when public engagement is increasingly recognised as essential to rebuilding trust in institutions and tackling mis- and disinformation, the connections we build within the citizen science ecosystem matter more than ever. Sharing what works and what doesn't strengthens the community's capacity to deliver the scientific, environmental, and societal benefits that make citizen science a genuine return on investment for Europe. This summer, both the ECS and IMPETUS projects reach their conclusion. Before they do, we want to invite the citizen science community to come together to reflect on how these projects have supported citizen science across Europe and to celebrate the real-world impacts this work has made possible. The event will also provide an opportunity to hear from new and established citizen science projects, alongside stakeholders and decision-makers, ensuring that the momentum built can be sustained and that science continues to serve the society it represents. Building on the Citizen Science Archipelago series from the ECS project, this gathering reaffirms a founding principle of the citizen science community: no project is an island. Mutual exchange is not simply a nice-to-have; it is the foundation on which the continued growth and impact of citizen science depends.

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

Cluster event: Advancing Public Engagement and Citizen Science in the ERA

The event will celebrate citizen science and showcase the value of public engagement, highlighting best practices, guiding future policy, sharing knowledge and building collaboration. The 2025 EU Citizen Science Prize winners will also be announced! REA is proud to co-host a cluster event which will gather researchers and policymakers to discuss the impact of public engagement on evidence-based policymaking. In addition, - The event will provide a platform to showcase successful and innovative citizen engagement strategies, while reinforcing the value of “Bringing science closer to citizens” within the European Research Area. - EU-funded research projects will present their citizen science and public engagement experience and share best practices. - The winners of the EU Prize for Citizen Science will be announced. The Prize rewards outstanding citizen science initiatives that address social, political, cultural, and environmental challenges through the involvement of citizens. The full event will take place in Brussels. Those connected online will be able to follow the plenary session (in the morning) and the winners' announcement (in the afternoon). The event is co-organised by REA and EU-funded projects IMPETUS and ECS.

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

Mainstreaming citizen science at Ecsite2024 conference

In a 3-minutes show, the representatives of ECSA and of the ECS project showcases the potential of citizen science, the way ECSA works and the main characteristics of the ECS project. They use 3 coloured balls of yarn to create a web that unravels during the show and ultimately involve the viewers. The Ecsite conference is one of the main events dedicated to public engagement with about 1000 participants from science centres, museum, universities, associations and private companies.

Ethical and legal aspects of Citizen Science

This webinar will provide participants with a specific Citizen Science case study, which implies different levels of ethical and legal challenges, including GDPR compliance and various ethics dimension (i.e. research integrity, gender perspective, open access, public engagement, etc.). The moderators will take care of presenting the case study as a whole, highlighting the most sensitive aspects of its implementation to focus the participants’ attention on the needed interventions.

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

Reaching out and stepping up: How citizen science and RRI can enhance bioscience research

Since the onset of the COVID19 pandemic, the impact of bioscience research on all of our lives has been made far too clear. However, developments within this field of research will continue to have long-lasting impacts on the world around us long after the current pandemic, from improving food security, mitigating climate change, protecting wildlife and the environment, as well as to continued medical advancements of all types. As the world continues to collide with the field of bioscience research, it has become increasingly important to include societal actors when we approach these fields of study. ResBios and StepChange invite you to join an online conversation about how RRI and citizen science can be used to enhance research, with a particular focus on open science and public engagement in the fields of bioscience research. By combining our shared experiences, we aim to demonstrate the theory and practice of employing these principles while discussing future challenges.

EUSEA Conference 2021

The annual conference of the European Science Engagement Association (EUSEA) is aimed at researchers and practitioners in the fields of science communication and citizen science. This year's edition will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of EUSEA. On this occasion, no conference fees will be charged for participation. During this event, topics such as the importance of citizen and societal engagement in Horizon Europe and the perspectives on public engagement outside of Europe will be tackled. In addition, you can also attend four interactive workshops focused on new and exciting ways of science communication.

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.

Save the Dates: Grace final webinars

As the GRACE project comes to an end, project partners will share their findings and provide stakeholders with useful knowledge to implement RRI in research performing and funding organisations by organising a set of eight thematic webinars. From 26 October to 14 December, these webinars will each address a different topic related to GRACE, with the participation of experts inside and outside of the project. Topics will include: (1) Main considerations to take into account at the start of an RRI project; (2) Making the case for public engagement; (3) GEP in Research Funding organisations; (4) Public Engagement from the research funding organisations’ perspective; (5) Different approaches to Evaluation; (6) Bottom-up RRI initiatives; (7) Ethics and Data Protection in humanities research; (8) RRI and Sustainability.