Citizen science’s transformative impact on science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Authors

  • Julia von Gönner
  • Thora Martina Herrmann
  • Till Bruckermann
  • Michael Eichinger
  • Susanne Hecker
  • Friederike Klan
  • Julia Lorke
  • Anett Richter
  • Ulrike Sturm
  • Silke Voigt-Heucke
  • Wiebke Brink
  • Christin Liedtke
  • Matthias Premke-Kraus
  • Carolin S. Altmann
  • Wilhelm Bauhus
  • Luiza Bengtsson
  • Andrea Büermann
  • Peter Dietrich
  • Daniel Dörler
  • Regina Eich-Brod
  • Laura Ferschinger
  • Linda Freyberg
  • Agnes Grützner
  • Gertrud Hammel
  • Florian Heigl
  • Nils B. Heyen
  • Franz Hölker
  • Carolin Johannsen
  • Thorsten Kluß
  • Thekla Kluttig
  • Jörn Knobloch
  • Martin Munke
  • Kim Mortega
  • Carsten Pathe
  • Anna Soßdorf
  • Tiina Stämpfli
  • Christian Thiel
  • Susanne Tönsmann
  • Anke Valentin
  • Katherin Wagenknecht
  • Robert Wegener
  • Silvia Woll
  • Aletta Bonn

Research Organisations

External Research Organisations

  • Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)
  • Heidelberg University
  • Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
  • IPN - Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education at Kiel University
  • Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries
  • Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science (MfN)
  • Wissenschaft im Dialog gGmbH
  • Helmholtz Association
  • Leibniz Association
  • University of Münster
  • University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU)
  • Forschungszentrum Jülich
  • Fraunhofer Information Centre for Planning and Building (IRB)
  • Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI)
  • Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)
  • University of Bremen
  • Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
  • University of Oulu
  • Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science
  • DLR-Institute of Data Science
  • RWTH Aachen University
  • Stadt Leipzig
  • Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association
  • Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
  • Saxon State and University Library Dresden (SLUB)
  • Science et Cité
  • Universität Zürich (UZH)
  • ETH Zurich
  • University of St. Gallen (HSG)
  • Wissenschaftsladen Bonn e.V. (WILA Bonn)
  • Bundesamt für die Sicherheit der nuklearen Entsorgung (BASE)
  • Friedrich Schiller University Jena
  • German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
  • Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health
View graph of relations

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)11-33
Number of pages23
JournalSocio-Ecological Practice Research
Volume5
Issue number1
Early online date12 Jan 2023
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2023

Abstract

Citizen science (CS) can foster transformative impact for science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes. To unleash this impact, a clearer understanding of its current status and challenges for its development is needed. Using quantitative indicators developed in a collaborative stakeholder process, our study provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of CS in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Our online survey with 340 responses focused on CS impact through (1) scientific practices, (2) participant learning and empowerment, and (3) socio-political processes. With regard to scientific impact, we found that data quality control is an established component of CS practice, while publication of CS data and results has not yet been achieved by all project coordinators (55%). Key benefits for citizen scientists were the experience of collective impact (“making a difference together with others”) as well as gaining new knowledge. For the citizen scientists’ learning outcomes, different forms of social learning, such as systematic feedback or personal mentoring, were essential. While the majority of respondents attributed an important value to CS for decision-making, only few were confident that CS data were indeed utilized as evidence by decision-makers. Based on these results, we recommend (1) that project coordinators and researchers strengthen scientific impact by fostering data management and publications, (2) that project coordinators and citizen scientists enhance participant impact by promoting social learning opportunities and (3) that project initiators and CS networks foster socio-political impact through early engagement with decision-makers and alignment with ongoing policy processes. In this way, CS can evolve its transformative impact.

Keywords

    Data quality, Participatory research, Political uptake, Recognition, Research data management, Social learning

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cite this

Citizen science’s transformative impact on science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes. / von Gönner, Julia; Herrmann, Thora Martina; Bruckermann, Till et al.
In: Socio-Ecological Practice Research, Vol. 5, No. 1, 03.2023, p. 11-33.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

von Gönner, J, Herrmann, TM, Bruckermann, T, Eichinger, M, Hecker, S, Klan, F, Lorke, J, Richter, A, Sturm, U, Voigt-Heucke, S, Brink, W, Liedtke, C, Premke-Kraus, M, Altmann, CS, Bauhus, W, Bengtsson, L, Büermann, A, Dietrich, P, Dörler, D, Eich-Brod, R, Ferschinger, L, Freyberg, L, Grützner, A, Hammel, G, Heigl, F, Heyen, NB, Hölker, F, Johannsen, C, Kluß, T, Kluttig, T, Knobloch, J, Munke, M, Mortega, K, Pathe, C, Soßdorf, A, Stämpfli, T, Thiel, C, Tönsmann, S, Valentin, A, Wagenknecht, K, Wegener, R, Woll, S & Bonn, A 2023, 'Citizen science’s transformative impact on science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes', Socio-Ecological Practice Research, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 11-33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-022-00136-4
von Gönner, J., Herrmann, T. M., Bruckermann, T., Eichinger, M., Hecker, S., Klan, F., Lorke, J., Richter, A., Sturm, U., Voigt-Heucke, S., Brink, W., Liedtke, C., Premke-Kraus, M., Altmann, C. S., Bauhus, W., Bengtsson, L., Büermann, A., Dietrich, P., Dörler, D., ... Bonn, A. (2023). Citizen science’s transformative impact on science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes. Socio-Ecological Practice Research, 5(1), 11-33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-022-00136-4
von Gönner J, Herrmann TM, Bruckermann T, Eichinger M, Hecker S, Klan F et al. Citizen science’s transformative impact on science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes. Socio-Ecological Practice Research. 2023 Mar;5(1):11-33. Epub 2023 Jan 12. doi: 10.1007/s42532-022-00136-4
von Gönner, Julia ; Herrmann, Thora Martina ; Bruckermann, Till et al. / Citizen science’s transformative impact on science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes. In: Socio-Ecological Practice Research. 2023 ; Vol. 5, No. 1. pp. 11-33.
Download
@article{5ba77c555a954c03b8365da953c0bda7,
title = "Citizen science{\textquoteright}s transformative impact on science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes",
abstract = "Citizen science (CS) can foster transformative impact for science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes. To unleash this impact, a clearer understanding of its current status and challenges for its development is needed. Using quantitative indicators developed in a collaborative stakeholder process, our study provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of CS in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Our online survey with 340 responses focused on CS impact through (1) scientific practices, (2) participant learning and empowerment, and (3) socio-political processes. With regard to scientific impact, we found that data quality control is an established component of CS practice, while publication of CS data and results has not yet been achieved by all project coordinators (55%). Key benefits for citizen scientists were the experience of collective impact (“making a difference together with others”) as well as gaining new knowledge. For the citizen scientists{\textquoteright} learning outcomes, different forms of social learning, such as systematic feedback or personal mentoring, were essential. While the majority of respondents attributed an important value to CS for decision-making, only few were confident that CS data were indeed utilized as evidence by decision-makers. Based on these results, we recommend (1) that project coordinators and researchers strengthen scientific impact by fostering data management and publications, (2) that project coordinators and citizen scientists enhance participant impact by promoting social learning opportunities and (3) that project initiators and CS networks foster socio-political impact through early engagement with decision-makers and alignment with ongoing policy processes. In this way, CS can evolve its transformative impact.",
keywords = "Data quality, Participatory research, Political uptake, Recognition, Research data management, Social learning",
author = "{von G{\"o}nner}, Julia and Herrmann, {Thora Martina} and Till Bruckermann and Michael Eichinger and Susanne Hecker and Friederike Klan and Julia Lorke and Anett Richter and Ulrike Sturm and Silke Voigt-Heucke and Wiebke Brink and Christin Liedtke and Matthias Premke-Kraus and Altmann, {Carolin S.} and Wilhelm Bauhus and Luiza Bengtsson and Andrea B{\"u}ermann and Peter Dietrich and Daniel D{\"o}rler and Regina Eich-Brod and Laura Ferschinger and Linda Freyberg and Agnes Gr{\"u}tzner and Gertrud Hammel and Florian Heigl and Heyen, {Nils B.} and Franz H{\"o}lker and Carolin Johannsen and Thorsten Klu{\ss} and Thekla Kluttig and J{\"o}rn Knobloch and Martin Munke and Kim Mortega and Carsten Pathe and Anna So{\ss}dorf and Tiina St{\"a}mpfli and Christian Thiel and Susanne T{\"o}nsmann and Anke Valentin and Katherin Wagenknecht and Robert Wegener and Silvia Woll and Aletta Bonn",
note = "Funding Information: Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. This work was funded by Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU, project grant 37579/01), by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, project grant 01BF1906) and by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv; DFG-FZT 118, 202548816). Additional funding was provided by the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research—UFZ. AR acknowledges support through the MonViA project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).",
year = "2023",
month = mar,
doi = "10.1007/s42532-022-00136-4",
language = "English",
volume = "5",
pages = "11--33",
number = "1",

}

Download

TY - JOUR

T1 - Citizen science’s transformative impact on science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes

AU - von Gönner, Julia

AU - Herrmann, Thora Martina

AU - Bruckermann, Till

AU - Eichinger, Michael

AU - Hecker, Susanne

AU - Klan, Friederike

AU - Lorke, Julia

AU - Richter, Anett

AU - Sturm, Ulrike

AU - Voigt-Heucke, Silke

AU - Brink, Wiebke

AU - Liedtke, Christin

AU - Premke-Kraus, Matthias

AU - Altmann, Carolin S.

AU - Bauhus, Wilhelm

AU - Bengtsson, Luiza

AU - Büermann, Andrea

AU - Dietrich, Peter

AU - Dörler, Daniel

AU - Eich-Brod, Regina

AU - Ferschinger, Laura

AU - Freyberg, Linda

AU - Grützner, Agnes

AU - Hammel, Gertrud

AU - Heigl, Florian

AU - Heyen, Nils B.

AU - Hölker, Franz

AU - Johannsen, Carolin

AU - Kluß, Thorsten

AU - Kluttig, Thekla

AU - Knobloch, Jörn

AU - Munke, Martin

AU - Mortega, Kim

AU - Pathe, Carsten

AU - Soßdorf, Anna

AU - Stämpfli, Tiina

AU - Thiel, Christian

AU - Tönsmann, Susanne

AU - Valentin, Anke

AU - Wagenknecht, Katherin

AU - Wegener, Robert

AU - Woll, Silvia

AU - Bonn, Aletta

N1 - Funding Information: Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. This work was funded by Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU, project grant 37579/01), by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, project grant 01BF1906) and by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv; DFG-FZT 118, 202548816). Additional funding was provided by the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research—UFZ. AR acknowledges support through the MonViA project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).

PY - 2023/3

Y1 - 2023/3

N2 - Citizen science (CS) can foster transformative impact for science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes. To unleash this impact, a clearer understanding of its current status and challenges for its development is needed. Using quantitative indicators developed in a collaborative stakeholder process, our study provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of CS in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Our online survey with 340 responses focused on CS impact through (1) scientific practices, (2) participant learning and empowerment, and (3) socio-political processes. With regard to scientific impact, we found that data quality control is an established component of CS practice, while publication of CS data and results has not yet been achieved by all project coordinators (55%). Key benefits for citizen scientists were the experience of collective impact (“making a difference together with others”) as well as gaining new knowledge. For the citizen scientists’ learning outcomes, different forms of social learning, such as systematic feedback or personal mentoring, were essential. While the majority of respondents attributed an important value to CS for decision-making, only few were confident that CS data were indeed utilized as evidence by decision-makers. Based on these results, we recommend (1) that project coordinators and researchers strengthen scientific impact by fostering data management and publications, (2) that project coordinators and citizen scientists enhance participant impact by promoting social learning opportunities and (3) that project initiators and CS networks foster socio-political impact through early engagement with decision-makers and alignment with ongoing policy processes. In this way, CS can evolve its transformative impact.

AB - Citizen science (CS) can foster transformative impact for science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes. To unleash this impact, a clearer understanding of its current status and challenges for its development is needed. Using quantitative indicators developed in a collaborative stakeholder process, our study provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of CS in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Our online survey with 340 responses focused on CS impact through (1) scientific practices, (2) participant learning and empowerment, and (3) socio-political processes. With regard to scientific impact, we found that data quality control is an established component of CS practice, while publication of CS data and results has not yet been achieved by all project coordinators (55%). Key benefits for citizen scientists were the experience of collective impact (“making a difference together with others”) as well as gaining new knowledge. For the citizen scientists’ learning outcomes, different forms of social learning, such as systematic feedback or personal mentoring, were essential. While the majority of respondents attributed an important value to CS for decision-making, only few were confident that CS data were indeed utilized as evidence by decision-makers. Based on these results, we recommend (1) that project coordinators and researchers strengthen scientific impact by fostering data management and publications, (2) that project coordinators and citizen scientists enhance participant impact by promoting social learning opportunities and (3) that project initiators and CS networks foster socio-political impact through early engagement with decision-makers and alignment with ongoing policy processes. In this way, CS can evolve its transformative impact.

KW - Data quality

KW - Participatory research

KW - Political uptake

KW - Recognition

KW - Research data management

KW - Social learning

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85146163666&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s42532-022-00136-4

DO - 10.1007/s42532-022-00136-4

M3 - Article

VL - 5

SP - 11

EP - 33

JO - Socio-Ecological Practice Research

JF - Socio-Ecological Practice Research

SN - 2524-5287

IS - 1

ER -

By the same author(s)