SHINE 2Europe Presents Citizen Science Protocol at International Geographical Congress

On August 28, 2024, Inês Saavedra from SHINE 2Europe showcased the Citizen Science activities protocol at the 35th International Geographical Congress in Dublin. This presentation is part of SHINE’s contributions to the OneAquaHealth project, where SHINE leads the Citizen Science Work Package. Titled “Engaging Citizens to Monitor Urban Aquatic Ecosystems: The OneAquaHealth Case,” the talk detailed the protocol’s methodology, including recommendations for recruitment, training, data collection, handling, reporting, quality assurance, and communication. Insights from the literature review and the co-creation process with the consortium during the recent Transnational Project Meeting were also shared.

The presentation was part of the panel “Research Methods: Community Engagement through Citizen Science Environmental Monitoring: Nature Restoration and Climate Adaptation 2.” Attendees raised thought-provoking questions, such as how to integrate elements of surprise beyond predefined parameters in the app. These suggestions will be considered in the protocol’s ongoing development.

The next steps involve adapting the protocol to meet the specific needs and characteristics of each research site. Citizen Science activities will then be implemented in the five research cities. Based on the results, the protocol will be further refined and disseminated more widely to enhance knowledge of urban stream ecosystems through standardized data collected by citizens.

Author(s): Harm op den Akker, PhD, SHINE