INCREASE / Kerstin Neumann (DE), Roberto Papa (IT), Photo: Elisa Bellucci & INCREASE consortium
2024 Winners
The European Union’s 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. The European Commission has entrusted Ars Electronica in Linz with the task of staging this prestigious and highly remunerated competition.
Congratulations to the prize winners!
Grand Prize
Diversity & Collaboration Award
Digital Communities Award
The 2024 Jury & Jury Statements
Grand Prize
Awarded for outstanding achievements in the advancement of knowledge through the empowerment of civil society and citizens in the development of the future.
INCREASE: Intelligent Collections of Food-Legume Genetic Resources for European Agrofood Systems
INCREASE Citizen Science Experiment (CSE)
Kerstin Neumann (DE), Roberto Papa (IT)
Intelligent Collections of Food-Legume Genetic Resources for European Agrofood Systems
“With its strong scientific foundation, this project exemplifies excellence in research that embraces citizen science. (…) The INCREASE project raises awareness of agrobiodiversity and nutrition. It educates participants and policymakers on sustainable agri-food production and consumption. (…) Finally, the project’s collaboration between citizens and major research centres is outstanding, and it exemplifies how top-tier centres are opening up their research processes for scientific excellence and social inclusion.”
Photo: INCREASE consortium
Diversity & Collaboration Award
Awarded for excellence in grassroots approaches, explorative collaboration, cultural and gender diversity, community participation, stakeholder engagement and social inclusivity.
SeaPaCS: Participatory Citizen Science against Marine Pollution
Chiara Certomà (IT)
“SeaPaCS is especially exemplary for centring a community-led grassroots approach and for its attention to overcoming extractive tendencies in Citizen Science (citizens as “sensors”), by involving citizens beyond plastic sampling and data collection (…) SeaPaCS hereby demonstrates how we can involve citizens not just in mapping problems but also in taking collective action towards restoring biodiversity and ecological resilience in European oceans, with attention to social inclusion and cultural diversity.”
Photo: Giuseppe Lupinacci
Digital Communities Award
Awarded for demonstrating excellence in creating and supporting communities, delivering social benefits, and fostering an open and inclusive civil society through the innovative or alternative use of digital technologies.
CoAct for Mental Health
OpenSystems group (ES)
“CoAct for mental health stood out to us as an excellent example of citizen social science, involving patients with lived experience of mental health issues, and their families (…) These citizen researchers contributed their daily micro-stories to create a body of evidence that aims to shift the paradigm for mental health care away from a biomedical approach towards personalised medicine and a community-centred approach (…) This project allows citizens to play an active role in research that directly impacts their lives and harnesses the power of technology to include marginalised voices as active participants in the transformation of mental health care. (…)”
Photo: Sara López
Honorary Mentions
ASD Publics: Playable cities for all
Raquel Colacios (ES), Blanca Calvo Boixet (ES)
“The ASD Publics project in Barcelona embraces citizen science principles, actively involving autistic children and families in intervention design of parks and playgrounds. (…) Empowering autistic individuals as co-creators promotes inclusivity and understanding, echoing the ethos of citizen science in amplifying diverse voices.”
Bellingcat: A Collective Of Citizen Journalists Using Open Source Data To Investigate Matters Of Public Interest
Bellingcat (NL)
“Global community of over 23,000 citizen journalists from more than 20 countries combining the art of writing with the scientific accuracy of investigative journalism. Its latest investigations use open tools to cover many facts like war crimes in Ukraine or state violence all around the world.”
BP100: Community and Architecture Festival
Hungarian Contemporary Architecture Centre (HU)
“BP100 is an annual festival in Budapest which celebrates the city’s heritage by asking citizens to open up their historic buildings, and sharing personal experiences of the architectural history. With 13 years and 160,000 visitors, this project shows the power of citizen science to gather typically hidden knowledge from citizen historians in an accessible way.”
Carnivore Tracking Project: Involving volunteers in wolf and lynx monitoring
Miroslav Kutal (CZ), Michal Feller (CZ), Romana Uhrinová (SK), Barbora Černá (CZ), Carnivore Conservation Programme, Friends of the Earth Czech Republic (CZ)
“Monitoring programme for three large carnivore species –wolves, lynx and bears– in the Czech and Slovak Republics engaging local communities in multiple ways and providing significant scientific results since 2002. (…) ts communication and engagement models mark this as a remarkable example of how to bring together different groups (…)”
CITIZENS FOR SDG 15.1
Ivana Radović (RS)
“This Serbian initiative, led by the NGO Ecological Movement “Frame of Life,” focused on expanding the protected area of the Monument of Nature Ribnica through citizen science. Citizens for SDG 15.1 empowers diverse communities to monitor and protect biodiversity around protected areas. (…) Based on the discoveries of the citizen scientists, recommendations were submitted to the relevant legal entity to expand the protection of this unique ecosystem to an area about five times larger.”
Cultural Reforesting: How can we (in the west) renew our relationship with nature?
Dr. Sarah Edwards (GB), Andrew Franzkowiak (GB), Dr Kim Salmon (GB), Arji Manuelpillai (GB), Adam Kammerling (GB), Jess Ihetojeh (GB), Dr Will Pearse (GB), Dr Tilly Collins (GB), Stephanie Hot (GB), Heather Ackroyd (GB), Dan Harvey (GB), Eloise Moody (GB), Vicky Long (GB), Abigail Hunt (GB), Finn Chatwyn-Ross (GB), Kinship Workshop (GB), Harun Morrison (GB), Kim Coleman (GB), Connor Butler (GB), Dawn Stevens (GB), Andrew Merritt (GB), Bryony Benge-Abbott (GB), Nestor Pestana (VE)
“This UK-based initiative, Cultural Reforesting, offers a holistic approach to addressing the ecological crisis by engaging citizens in reconnecting with nature. Through collaborations with artists, scientists, and diverse communities, the project fosters awareness and understanding of our impact on ecosystems. By integrating participatory citizen-led programs, including exhibitions, artist commissions, and scientific research, Cultural Reforesting empowers citizens to take action in combating climate change. (…)”
Domestic Heat Comfort for Energy Poverty and Climate Adaptation
Yağız Eren Abanus (TR), Sinan Erensü (TR), Duygu Dağ (TR), Cemre Kara (TR), Barış Türkdoğan (TR), Meryem Uyaver (TR), Elif Bengi Güneş (TR), Oğulcan Kınalı (TR), İlknur Akgül (TR), Daniela Kızıldağ (TR), Gülnaz Yücel-Durmuş (TR), Merve Özhan (TR), İdil Besler (TR), Tuğba Uçar (TR), Mekanda Adalet Derneği (Center for Spatial Justice) (TR)
“This project focuses on addressing energy poverty and extreme heat vulnerability through a participatory research framework. By engaging citizens from diverse backgrounds in Istanbul, the initiative aims to quantify disparities in domestic heat comfort and resilience to extreme heat events (…) the initiative contributes to climate justice advocacy and informs policy discussions on climate adaptation and urban resilience.”
Dreamachine: A major interdisciplinary programme fusing world class artists with leading scientific researchers.
Collective Act (GB), University of Sussex (GB), University of Glasgow (GB)
“Immersive experience and large-scale global study that allowed thousands of visitors and participants to engage with academic researchers in a pleasant way. This programme allows to co-create an artwork while helping researchers to address new scientific questions around topics like consciousness or perception.”
Eco-Bot.Net – Defending The Digital Environment
Barnaby Francis (GB), Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja (GB), Dale Vince (GB)
“This multi-stakeholder initiative involving researchers, artists and journalists aims to identify and classify online content as corporate greenwashing or climate change disinformation. An innovative conjunction of collective empowerment and technology usage, this project addresses intersecting challenges–mis and disinformation and the role of media in our society (…)”
GALLANT: Empowering Glasgow Communities for Climate Resilience and Biodiversity Conservation
Ria Dunkley (GB), Florence Halstead (GB), Sarah Gambell (GB), Becky Duncan (GB)
“GALLANT project empowers Glasgow communities through citizen science, fostering collaboration and addressing social, environmental and economic challenges. GALLANT drives positive change through engagement activities, qualitative research and policy advocacy. (…)”
HistorEsch: Citizen History Activities in the city of Esch-sur-Alzette
Thomas Cauvin (FR), Joella van Donkersgoed (NL)
“The HistorEsch project in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg, democratizes city history by engaging citizens in co-creating narratives via murals, audio tours, and exhibitions. (…) With over 2,000 active citizens (5.9% of the population), its alignment with European Capital of Culture status signals broader policy impact. It fosters diversity and collaboration, involving citizens, institutions, associations, and researchers. (…)”
iesaisties.lv: Citizen Science Platform for Humanities and Arts in Latvia
Krišs Salmanis (LV), Sanita Reinsone (LV), Eva Eglāja-Kristsone (LV), Ginta Pērle-Sīle (LV), Rita Grīnvalde (LV), Ieva Weaver (LV), Uldis Ķirsis (LV), ILFA’S DH GROUP (LV)
“”Iesaisties.lv” is a decade-long citizen science initiative led by the Institute of Literature, Folklore, and Art (ILFA) at the University of Latvia. This digital platform fosters public engagement in humanities and arts projects, (…) It offers diverse activities such as transcribing historical manuscripts and creative-response campaigns, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and societal inclusion across age groups and backgrounds. (…)”
Intelligent Instruments in Citizen Science: Understanding Contemporary AI through Creative Practice
Thor Magnusson (IS), Jack Armitage (GB), Halla Steinunn Stefansdottir (IS), Victor Shepardson (US), Nicola Privato (IT), Miguel Angel Rozzoli (AR), Halldor Ulfarsson (IS), Sean O’Brien (US), Marco Donnarumma (IT), Sophie Skach (AT), Giacomo Lepri (IT), Intelligent Instruments Lab (IS)
“The Intelligent Instruments project in Iceland (2021-2026) uses music to explore the impact of AI on creativity and society. The project addresses important questions about the implications of AI in relation to ethics, technology development and access to technology. (…) It engages citizens via open lab sessions, workshops, and performances, excelling in all aspects. (…)”
kafsimo@karditsa, Activating citizens through biomass recycling into heating pellets
incommon (GR), Energy Community of Karditsa (GR)
“The project aims to create a circular economy model by converting coffee waste into renewable heat, promoting sustainability, and fostering community engagement. It involves collecting coffee waste from local cafes, combining it with municipal prunings, and producing heating pellets. These pellets cover the thermal needs of a kindergarten and are distributed free to customers of a social grocery. (…) By diverting coffee waste from landfills and reducing CO2 emissions, it aligns with European policies on the circular economy and sustainability.”
Language Checkers – This is how we speak in Neckarstadt: Die Sprach-Checker – So sprechen wir in der Neckarstadt
Janin Roessel (DE), Christine Möhrs (DE), Elena Schoppa-Briele (DE), Rahaf Farag (EG), Heike Chan Hin (DE), Theresa Schnedermann (DE), Sprach-Checker team at the IDS (DE)
“This initiative, based in Mannheim, Germany, is a commendable effort to explore and celebrate multilingualism, particularly within diverse communities often underrepresented in linguistic research. By engaging children and adolescents from varied backgrounds, the project aims to shift perceptions of multilingualism from deficit-oriented views to appreciation and empowerment. By involving citizen scientists (…) the project fosters a sense of ownership and pride in linguistic heritage among participants.”
Let´s go out with Pl@ntNet app!
Ivana Polackova (SK), Pierre Bonet (FR), Tereza NGO(CZ)
“The Secret Life of the City project in Slovakia, ongoing since 2016, involves over 200 schools and 18,000 students in urban biodiversity protection using the Pl@ntNet app. (…) encouraging young learners to become researchers and actively participate in data collection fosters a deep understanding of biodiversity. (…)”
Obstetric Coevolution: Coevolving obstetric practices to improve the childbirth experience
Irene Lapuente (ES), Anna Fosch Masllovet (ES), Dídac Roger i Homs (ES), La Mandarina de Newton (ES)
“Obstetric Coevolution (OBCOE) is a pioneering citizen science initiative focused on enhancing women’s mental well-being during childbirth. Through innovative methodologies and a transdisciplinary approach, OBCOE strives to revolutionise obstetric practices, guided by Open Science principles for transparency and collaboration. (…)”
OdourCollect and D-NOSES: Citizen Science to foster environmental governance and tackle odour pollution
Fundación Ibercivis (ES), Science For Change (ES)
“D-NOSES addresses the overlooked issue of odour pollution in environmental policy. It engages 5,000 citizens from affected communities in 10 pilots across Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy, UK, Germany Bulgaria, Chile and Uganda (…) the project produces new scientific knowledge on the issue and proposes policy solutions at national and transnational levels within Europe (…)”
ParKli: Participatory climate research to develop local early warning systems for climate protection
ParKli Team (INT) ParKli Team (DE), Reutlingen University, Herman Hollerith Center (DE), open science for open societies – os4os (DE)
“ParKli, a German initiative, employs co-design to engage citizens in documenting climate change impacts on biodiversity in natural and urban environments. (…) the project has involved 1,500 citizens and school students in defining local ecological issues, collecting environmental data through mobile apps, and creating new technologies such as sensor buoys and data dashboards that close knowledge gaps in environmental informatics. (…)”
RadoNorm Citizen Science Incubator
Tanja Perko (SI), Meritxell Martell (ES), Warren John (DE)
“The H2020 project RadoNorm addresses radon, a significant indoor air pollutant causing over 21,000 lung cancer cases annually in the EU. With approximately 600 citizens and 57 research organisations involved, it pioneers a Citizen Science Incubator to tackle radon risks. With citizen science projects across Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain, RadoNorm employs diverse approaches to improve radon measurements and mitigation (…) The collaboration brilliantly bridges research, community engagement, and advocacy, contributing to long-term policy objectives aiming to reduce lung cancer cases.”
SEED LIBRARY
Saša Vidmar (SI), Ana Kosič (SI), Irena Škvarč (SI), France Bevk Public Library (SI)
“Seed Library addresses the negative impacts of the agricultural industry on native ecology and biodiversity. With seed libraries in 20 public libraries across Slovenia, the project aims to preserve the biodiversity of local indigenous plants through free seed circulation, using a digital tool to record the lending of seeds, ensure their traceability and classification, and collect agronomic data about where individual plants grow and thrive. (…)”
Sicily’s Indigenous Cyber Tracker
Collettivo Rewild Sicily (IT), CyberTracker Italia (IT), Sicily Environment Fund (IT), Astrid Natura (IT)
“Exploring the biodiversity crisis, this project addresses Sicily’s potential for rewilding by creating an open, comprehensive wildlife database to stimulate a long-term ‘pro-rewilding’ culture among decision-makers in the region. (…) Through workshops, the project puts such local knowledge into dialogue with researchers, NGOs, and decision-makers, advocating for policy changes, establishing the Collettivo Rewild Sicily, and promoting inclusive, community-driven rewilding efforts in Sicily.”
Social inclusion and participation of Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults in Citizen Science for Climate Change (CitSci4All)
Katerina Zourou (GR)
“CitSci4All is an initiative that empowers Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) people to participate in citizen science efforts actively focused on climate change. Through workshops, materials, and community engagement efforts, the project improves scientific understanding and promotes inclusivity, diversity, and meaningful contributions (…)”
The Home River Bioblitz
Jens Benöhr Riveros (CL), Vera Knook (NL), Carlos Velazco (MX), Enya Roseli (MX), Jelena Belojević (ME)
“The Home River Bioblitz empowers communities to become stewards of their local rivers. By engaging in citizen science activities such as biodiversity documentation and data analysis, participants contribute to scientific research and gain a deeper understanding of the importance of river conservation. (…)”
The Russian airstrike on the Mariupol Drama Theater
The Center for Spatial Technologies (UA)
“The Mariupol Theater Project merges art, technology, and activism to honour the resilience of the Mariupol community post-tragedy. (…) it redefines documentation through multimedia installations and witness testimonies, inviting audiences to engage empathetically. (…)”
The State of Our Trails (SoOT) Report: understanding and responding to single-use pollution (SUP) in recreational trail ecosystems through citizen science
Dom Ferris (GB), Trash Free Trails HQ (GB)
“The Sustainable Trails Initiative focuses on reducing single-use pollution (SUP) on UK recreational trails. Its impact lies in comprehensive research, utilising over 700 datasets and engaging 4,250 citizen scientists. (…) This initiative empowers community involvement and aligns efforts with global plastic treaties. (…)”
Youth partnership in suicide prevention research: fostering authenticity, collaboration and empowerment.
Maria Michail (GR), Niyah Campbell (GB), Rowmell Hunter (GB), Zaynab Sohawon (GB), Jamie Morgan (GB), Beckye Williams (GB), Kalen Reid (GB)
“This UK-based project pioneers youth involvement in suicide prevention research, showcasing how young people with lived mental health experiences become leaders in shaping clinical practice. The Institute for Mental Health Youth Advisory Group (YAG) (…) members disseminate resources widely, influencing policy and empowering peers. With 12 engaged citizens, this initiative exemplifies meaningful youth engagement in driving mental health advocacy and systemic change.”
The Jury
From left to right: Fermín Serrano Sanz, Snežana Smederevac, Sofie Burgos-Thorsen, Luciana Marques and Mairéad Hurley.