Citizen science (Citizen Science is a concept of scientific research that involves non-professional researchers in research in different ways, from different perspectives and in different forms. These can be school and university students, members of various associations, representatives of particular social groups (e.g. representatives of a third age group or representatives from the local community where the research is being carried out), amateur researchers, and any other member of the interested public who is not a professional researcher. Citizen researchers can be involved in different phases of the research, such as research design and formulation of the research problem, collection and generation of research data (the activity in which citizen researchers are most often involved), data analysis and interpretation of the results.
For citizen science projects to be considered research projects, they must respect the fundamental principles of scientific research, such as honesty, objectivity, integrity, caution, sensitivity to peer criticism and judgement, respect for intellectual property, confidentiality, and others.
There is no single definition of citizen science. In the 1990s, the British sociologist Alan Irwin defined citizen science as the evolving concept of the necessary opening up of science and science policy to the wider community. He defined the relationship between science and the wider community in two ways: 1. Science must be responsive to the needs and problems of the wider community and 2. In the same period, the American biologist and ornithologist Rick Bonney defined the role of citizen researchers who, like amateur birdwatchers, volunteer to contribute research data. This description of citizen science therefore contains a more limited role for citizen researchers than Irwin's conception of the term.
History of citizen science
Among the first citizen explorers were scientific pioneers such as Isaac Newton and Benjamin Franklin, who carried out research with their own resources. Charles Darwin, despite his theological training, worked as an explorer-biologist on the voyage of the Beagle. Citizen explorers in the area of present-day Slovenia include Janez Vajkard Valvasor and Žiga Zois. One of the oldest examples of citizen science is the Christmas Bird Count, a census of wild birds in the environment, which began in the USA in 1900. The January Waterbird Count has been carried out in Slovenia since 1988, and in 1997 it was conceived for the first time as a comprehensive, coordinated and standardised waterbird census on the territory of the whole of Slovenia. A turning point in the development of citizen science was the widespread availability of the internet in the late 1990s, when citizen scientists found it easier to share and contribute information, and the number of citizen science programmes increased as a result.
Association European Science Association (ECSA) adopted in 2015 10 principles of community science, which define a qualitative basis for good practice in citizen science. These principles have also been endorsed by Science Europe, confirming their credibility and the legitimacy of citizen science as a form of scientific research.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, this type of research has been gradually gaining ground in Slovenia, known under various names such as citizen, participatory, amateur and community science. The extraordinary attention paid to the concept of Citizen Science in Europe, the USA and elsewhere in recent years is a challenge for Slovenia to join the efforts in this direction. The first step was to translate the term appropriately. This challenging task was successfully solved by the academic Prof. Dr. Zdravko Mlinar, who in his work What does the Citizen Science concept and movement bring us?: making research a part of everyday life. Journal of Science Criticism, 2021, vol. 49, no. 282, pp. 23-63. suggested the use of the term citizen science.
The present and future of citizen science
Although the concept of citizen science is most commonly used in research related to biology and ecology, it can be applied to research in all scientific fields. With new policies of scientific research funders and technological opportunities, citizen science is increasingly emerging as a legitimate concept for scientific research. Every day new networks and communities of interested citizen researchers are emerging with the common goal of expanding knowledge and understanding of the world we live in.
FAQ
WHAT IS CITIZEN SCIENCE?
Citizen science involves the participation of the general public in data collection, observation, analysis or other activities that are part of the research process. This type of research allows people who are not professional scientists to contribute to research projects and thus help to advance science.
WHY CITIZEN SCIENCE MATTERS?
Science must respond to the needs and problems of the wider community, and non-professional researchers can also contribute to new scientific knowledge. By involving the public in research processes, citizen science increases the appreciation of scientific endeavour within communities.
WHO ARE CITIZEN RESEARCHERS?
- Students, male and female students, members of various associations,
- Representatives of particular social groups (e.g. third age groups or the local community where the research is being carried out),
- amateur researchers and
- people who have no professional interest in science but are interested in it.
WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH PARTICIPATION DOES CITIZEN SCIENCE ENABLE?
- They plan the research and formulate the research problem,
- collect and generate research data,
- analyse data and interpret results,
- respect the fundamental principles of scientific research, including honesty, objectivity, integrity, caution, sensitivity to peer criticism and judgement, respect for intellectual property, confidentiality.
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
You can be involved in collecting and submitting the research data, or you can use your knowledge to help interpret and edit the research results. You can also find information on our website about projects on citizen science and all the information needed to participate, and Calendar with current events and presentations.
YOU CAN INITIATE A PROJECT TOO!
If you want to start a citizen science project but don't know how to go about it, we've put together Handbook. Join in Citizen Science Networkwhere you can network with other members who have a lot of experience of this kind.
WHO CAN YOU CONTACT FOR HELP?
Information on local projects and Trainees are available on our website, on the Citizen Science Network's social media channels and in many libraries. We have also a digital library, which contains a variety of online resources that can help you create and implement citizen science projects.
WHERE CAN I GET EQUIPMENT TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS?
List of infrastructure covers the various facilities, instruments, services and premises provided by partner organisations for the implementation of citizen science projects. These include various measuring instruments that can be borrowed, a laboratory and workshops where project work can be carried out, meeting and presentation rooms, access to literature, software and various consultancy services. Most of the above infrastructure is citizen science projects If you have any of these types of infrastructure and are willing to make it available (at least occasionally) for citizen science, we invite you to contact us and become a partner of the Citizen Science Network.
Contact
You can contact us by email:
main contact email: obcanskaznanost@ctk.uni-lj.si
- Dr Uroš Kunaver, tel. 01 2003 444, e-mail: uros.kunaver@ctk.uni-lj.si
projects, technical support
- Til Mlakar, tel. 01 2003 416, e-mail: til.mlakar@ctk.uni-lj.si
projects, technical support
- Mitja V. Iskrić, tel. 01 2003 420, e-mail: mitja.vovk-iskric@ctk.uni-lj.si
projects, technical support
