Photo taken by Isabell Charis Wuthenow.
By Kat Austen, Annelli Janssen, Julia Wittmayer, and Franz Hölker.
Our world is facing serious issues, and while current day science plays a crucial role, we argue that it’s not adapting as fast as our rapidly changing society. In our research, we propose that citizen science can bridge this gap, connecting scientific research with real-world situations.
Citizen science is a way for people to actively contribute to scientific discovery. It goes beyond the formal structures of current day science, making it more dynamic and responsive. This is vital because many environmental problems are complex and require not just data but also public and policy engagement.
We’ve seen citizen science in action, specifically eight European projects that deal with pollution. Citizen science is not just about collecting data; it’s about embedding knowledge in the community and encouraging different ways of doing science. By bringing in diverse perspectives, citizen science broadens the horizons of current day science, sparking innovation and creating more impact.
However, there’s a clash between the logic of citizen science and how current day science operates. Our paper highlights this clash and suggests ways to improve the dialogue. We propose that current day science can learn from citizen science, especially its open research practices, transdisciplinarity, its organizational model, and the way it challenges colonialism and promotes inclusive participation.
In a nutshell, citizen science holds some of the remedies for addressing environmental challenges. It involves everyday people in the scientific process, making research more relevant and responsive. Our findings show that embracing citizen science can lead to a more sustainable future, where science and society work hand in hand to solve our pressing problems.
Relational Thinking 