Photo: Xenia Kentz

2024 Jury

The European Union’s new Citizen Science Prize makes a statement. It honors, presents and supports outstanding projects whose social and political impact advances the further development of a pluralistic, inclusive and sustainable society in Europe.

Photo: vog.photo

This is the jury of the European Union Prize for Citizen Science 2024:

Fermín Serrano Sanz (ES) coordinated the White Paper on Citizen Science for Europe and managed the Spanish portal ciencia-ciudadana.es. At the Ibercivis Foundation, he has led or supported tens of projects integrating science, policy, society, art, and technology. Participant of the Future Innovators Summit, he also was Commissioner for the Agenda 2030 in Aragon and now chairs the Working Group on Policy, Strategy, Governance, and Partnerships at the European Citizen Science Association.

Luciana Marques (BR) is the Head of Communication at a biotechnology company. She is a journalist focused on science communication, with experience in the medical field and involvement in many European projects. Luciana’s academic journey includes publishing in scientific journals and presenting at conferences.

Snežana Smederevac (RS) is Full Professor at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad, and Coordinator of the STAR Center of Excellence for Behavioral Research in Psychology. As former Vice-Rector for Science at the University of Novi Sad, she coordinated the first Open Science projects in Serbia, resulting in the National Open Science Policy. She is author of the first Open Science Manual and Guide for Citizen Science in Serbia. Her research focuses on personality psychology and behavioral genetics.

Mairéad Hurley (IE) is Assistant Professor in Science Education in Trinity College Dublin. With her colleagues in Trinity’s Science and Society Research Group, her work explores the role of science learning in shaping socially and environmentally just and sustainable futures, using participatory and transdisciplinary approaches. She integrates her own creative practice as a traditional musician to explore the potential for Irish traditional arts and folklore to inform contemporary environmental education and engagement.

Sofie Burgos-Thorsen (DK) is a sociologist and PhD who has worked across urban strategy, participatory design, and digital innovation for the last 10 years. With projects like Urban Belonging and South Park Youth Vision, she tackles social and environmental justice issues and works with local communities to create equitable and resilient cities. She has been a scholar at MIT and R&D specialist in Gehl Architects, before taking a role at the Techno-Anthropology Lab, researching Generative AI for citizen engagement.

Elevating communities and excellent research through citizen science – Paving the way for radical societal transformation.

Statement by the jury of the European Union Prize for Citizen Science 2024:
Mairéad Hurley (IE), Sofie Burgos-Thorsen (DK), Snežana Smederevac (RS), Fermín Serrano Sanz (ES), Luciana Marques (BR)

2024 is the second year that we recognize the outstanding citizen scientists in Europe. Citizen science, a collaborative approach involving volunteers from diverse backgrounds in scientific research, represents a trend and a key paradigm shift in contemporary science. At its core, citizen science embodies the democratisation of knowledge. Inviting participants from all walks of life to participate in scientific discovery transcends traditional boundaries of expertise, inspires curiosity, catalyses innovation across various disciplines, and empowers communities to actively contribute to our understanding of the world. This inclusive process fosters a sense of global citizenship, pride, ownership,

empowerment, inclusion, and shared responsibility among participants. It enriches the scientific process with new perspectives, insights, and evidence-based decision-making while often driving social innovation,building capacity in local communities, and countering apathy and civic disengagement. Furthermore, citizen science is a powerful tool for scientific communication and education. It fosters a deeper appreciation of scientific methods and nurtures a society of informed, scientifically active citizens.

Citizen scientists contribute significantly to co-designing research methods, posing relevant questions, developing innovative tools, collecting data, collectively interpreting findings, and providing policy recommendations through hands-on research experiences and online platforms, performances, or workshops. As a result, the reality of citizen science in Europe today transcends the consolidated idea of projects being a mere database of collected georeferenced points on a map: citizen science is building strong bridges between policies and societies in Europe. This collaborative approach helps to close the gap between scientific expertise and public understanding, leading to more effective and inclusive policy-making processes. Nowadays, this is a crucial aspect, given the nature of contemporary challenges such as political polarisation, increased social marginalisation of minority groups, anti-European sentiments, or anti-science narratives which pose risks to our democracy, collaboration, and trust in science. In an era marked by the proliferation of fake news, right-wing populism, and distrust in sciences, engaging different groups directly with science contributes to generating reliable data and results, safeguarding democratic values. By empowering citizens to participate actively in the scientific process, these initiatives promote a culture of openness, accountability, and critical thinking —essential pillars of a healthy democracy. Through engagement in research activities related to issues that directly impact their communities, citizen science projects cultivate a sense of ownership and investment in the democratic process.

As jury members, the range of projects we reviewed allowed us a unique insight into the transformative potential of citizen science to shape the future of Europe. These awards are testament not only to the achievements of individual citizen scientists, but also to the collective spirit of collaboration and discovery that drives this movement forward. We respect the dedication and passion of all participants in this competition, while highlighting those projects that have achieved excellence in citizen science. The winners and honourable mentions showcased here come from more than 30 different countries. They exemplify ways that European citizens generate valuable knowledge across various scientific domains, addressing pressing societal issues. Congratulations to all. These initiatives demonstrate exceptional achievements, showcasing innovative methodological approaches and interdisciplinary collaboration…

We are living through profoundly turbulent times, and the events of recent years have shed light on the many processes and practices that need to be completely overhauled, given a tune up, or put out to pasture. It is clear that doing things the way we

have always done them will no longer serve us. Instead, we need to pay heed to the voices on the edges of those who are doing things differently, rebelling, imagining the world as if it could be otherwise, and most importantly, taking action. The projects we have recognised are these trailblazers who can act as a beacon for others to follow – whether they are using emerging or immersive technologies in unexpected ways, embracing circular economy, taking control of healthcare, or fighting against the many forms of injustice and oppression by generating knowledge and furthering education.

It’s crucial to underscore the ethics, transparency, and excellence in these initiatives especially those that aim to safeguard citizens‘ basic human rights and to uphold research integrity in the digital age.

What’s next for Citizen Science?

While the projects we reviewed were all inspiring, they also indicate areas where there may be room for further developments that would allow citizen science in Europe to be more impactful.

First, on the level of citizen science methods, we advocate for more ambitious and inclusive approaches. Many citizen science initiatives could take inspiration from projects such as Diversity & Collaboration prize winner SeaPaCS, and others, to allow and support citizens to engage in all project phases, from inception to completion. This is just one step that can improve collaboration and participation of citizens in science. Another step to overcoming extractive tendencies involves investing in a reciprocal, rather than one-way, relationship between citizens and scientists. This might entail designing capacity building, educational outcomes, or accountability metrics into the project scope, ensuring that scientists give back to the communities, whose participation and labour they rely heavily upon.

Second, on the topical or thematic level, we encourage more citizen science projects to address technological issues in society. While many projects use sensor technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and digital media as tools or means to study other issues, very few projects investigate technological problems as their topic of concern. Yet, honorary mention recipients such as ‘Intelligent Instruments in Citizen Science’ and ‘Eco-Bot.Net’ exemplify that citizen science has much to offer to our understanding of the implications of AI, Generative AI, surveillance systems, social media platforms, and other digital technologies, in relation to democracy, environmental policies, urban planning, social justice, and other burning issues. Here, citizen science could help us challenge and address the biases in digital technologies, and their power and role in society.

Third, citizen science could evolve further by integrating artistic practices, reconfiguring how knowledge is produced and going beyond conventional, linear scientific data collection and analysis modes. Honorary mention recipients like ‘Dreamachine’ exemplify this potential by using artistic installations and drawing exercises to invite

citizens to report in new ways about their sensory experiences, allowing for novel scientific research within cognitive science. This demonstrates that art and citizen science can inform and inspire each other, creating a citizen science that transcends traditional boundaries. While many citizen science projects currently focus on documenting their rigour in methods and data, the field could benefit from an increased focus on exploring what the integration of artistic practices could do to reconfigure knowledge production through creativity and playful research.

In line with European values, citizen science projects must consider their impact on all members of society. Citizen science should both serve and meaningfully engage with communities distant from science to avoid detachment. By bridging these gaps, citizen science can become more inclusive and impactful, breaking down barriers and fostering social justice.

Pre-evaluation
Jury

Photo: Enza Lissandrello

Enza Lissandrello is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sustainability and Planning at Aalborg University in Denmark. She has an academic background in urban planning, public policy, human geography, and the governance of socio-technical system innovation and transitions. She has been a senior lecturer in Italy, The Netherlands, Denmark, and France. Her main interest lies in planning to promote citizen participation and address issues of representation. Additionally, she serves as the research coordinator of the Urban Europe Research Alliance (UERA).

Photo: WAHLUNIVERSUM

Dr. Susanne Hecker is First Chair of the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) and head of the science programme Society & Nature at the Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany. With a background in communication science, her research interests lie in citizen science and participation at the interface between science, society and politics and the role of communication in participative research projects.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/enza-lissandrello-8b150415/ 

Photo: Maria Leão

Maria Leão is, since 2022, the coordinator of Ciência+Cidadã (C+C) Programme (https://linktr.ee/cienciamaiscidada), implemented in a close partnership between NOVA ITQB, Gulbenkian Science Institute and Oeiras Municipality, with the mission of implementing a citizen science strategy in scientific institutions and local communities. She was for 10 years, between 2012 and 2022, one of the Executive Directors and Vice-President of Maratona da Saúde a non-profit association that aimed to raise awareness and funds for biomedical research in Portugal. She has a degree in Biology from Coimbra University, an International Master in Biotechnology by De Montfort University, a PhD in Virology and Cancer from Imperial College / Gulbenkian PhD Programme in Biology and Medicine (PGDBM) and a post-doc in breast cancer from the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Centre.

Photo: Ana Macedo

Ana Macedo, Medical doctor. PhD in Pharmacology. Invited Associate Professor. President of the Ethics Committee of the Algarve Biomedical Center. In 2023, she founded the WGSC, dedicated to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Author of several books and more than five dozen scientific articles; responsible for the research line, ‚LGBTQIA+ Health and Medical Education Research Group‘, having won the 1st call of IMPETUS 2023, with the project ‚Health Equity for LGBTQIA+ People‘.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-moita-de-macedo/

Photo: Sofia Morazz

Sofia Morazzo

International Clinical Research Center, St.Anne’s University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic
Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno Czech Republic

My involvement with citizen science has been mostly focused on motivating and inspiring young students at the high school level or initial years of university, to understand how we investigate, in my case, metastatic cancer. I believe that reaching out to young citizens could inspire them to pursue science but most of all equip them to better understand how research is done and enable them to be more critical about it.

My new involvement with citizen science is through the Echos Project (https://cancermissionhubs.eu/), a European Union project that aims to establish National Cancer Mission Hubs across Europe, to operate at local, regional and national levels, to bridge the gap between all the different stakeholders and facilitate the EU Cancer Mission.