Culture, Education, Science and Community

The Gabriel García Márquez Library has been the meeting point for research and scientific dissemination professionals on the Citizen Science Day held in Barcelona on the 10 October

The Citizen Science Day held in Barcelona has been a space for participation and exchange of experiences, where common challenges have been shared from both European and Latin American perspectives.

The Gabriel García Márquez Library, in the district of Sant Martí, was the meeting point for research professionals, science communicators, and public administrations on Citizen Science Day held in Barcelona on October 10th. True to its participatory essence, the event was conducted through workshops, expert dialogues, and dynamics focused on the challenge of involving citizens in citizen science projects. The event also featured virtual participation from speakers in Argentina and Colombia, who enriched an open debate on the differences and similarities between Europe and Latin America in the implementation and continuity of such initiatives.

The head of the Department of Science and Innovation, Anna Bröll, inaugurated the event, which began with the presentation of four citizen science projects by the entities and research groups themselves. First, Anne-Sophie Gresle, patient participation project manager at Hospital Clínic and ISGlobal, presented the ‘EndoHealth’ project, led by Hospital Clínic and ISGLOBAL in collaboration with the EndoCat association, aimed at improving care for people affected by endometriosis. This initiative is funded by the research and innovation line of the Barcelona City Council and the “la Caixa” Foundation. Second, Isabelle Bonhoure, member of the interdisciplinary research group OpenSystems at the University of Barcelona, presented ‘Heat Chronicles’, a project funded by European funds that promotes equity in the face of extreme heat events by involving different population groups through civic entities, among others. Third, Sonia Liñán and Marina Torres, members of MINKA, presented this initiative that promotes citizen participation in monitoring marine biodiversity, led by the EMBIMOS group (Environmental and Sustainability Participatory Information Systems) at the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC). Finally, ‘Forest Sentinels’ was presented by Pau Fortuño of CREAF, a project that connects citizens with the citizen science project ‘Forest Alert’, coordinated by the same center to monitor the health of forests, in collaboration with the Federation of Hiking Entities of Catalonia.

Next, a working session was held to reflect on the difficulties of involving citizens and, at the same time, to foster an open and innovative attitude in the search for solutions. In a cooperative and co-creative manner, the participants themselves presented their proposals, from the most realistic (problem-oriented) to the most far-fetched (enhancing innovation).

To close the event, the roundtable discussion “Shared Visions and Challenges in Citizen Science from a European and Latin American Perspective” was held, moderated by Karen Soacha of the EMBIMOS group (ICM-CSIC), with contributions from María del Carmen Llasat, of the GAMA research group at the University of Barcelona; Óscar González, from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC); Guillermina Actis, from the School of Economics and Business at the University of San Martín (CENIT), and Jasbleady Castañeda, from the Bogotá Bird Collision Network (REBECA, Colombia).

Take-home messages

The experiences shared during the event generated exchanges, new ideas, and a set of key messages that were summarized at the close of the roundtable discussion. For example, the risk of so-called ‘community fatigue’ in citizen science, due to time repetition or not obtaining results quickly, is a challenge that should be addressed by seeking more innovative methodologies to motivate the population and try to include younger audiences. Equally important is data communication, as ensuring that the information generated in research and citizen science projects builds trust among people and entities with decision-making power is one of the greatest challenges to achieving evidence-based policies. Regarding decision-makers, it was noted that they are not limited to the political sphere; even children can play a role in decision-making, and it is important to consider education in this regard.

On the other hand, it was noted that the role of citizen science is growing in importance in regions where there is a greater lack of data, such as in Latin American countries, where the use of sensors is generally less widespread. However, it is in these countries where citizen science is less ‘institutionalized’ and therefore receives fewer resources and funding from administrations. In this regard, Brazil was mentioned as an example, where a citizen science institute has been established, which may be a first step toward its visibility and recognition by society. In general terms, the consensus was that not only economic investment but also adaptation to different socio-cultural contexts are essential when approaching both citizens and intermediaries and interest groups, ensuring both the continuity of research and achieving a real impact.

12 years of Citizen Science at the Barcelona City Council

The Citizen Science Office’s mission is to support research carried out, in part, by non-specialists, taking place in Barcelona and surrounding areas. Its mission is achieved through advising, supporting, and promoting scientific projects that have a study object or an application area in the city and its metropolitan area. The office also develops actions aimed at bringing citizens and research closer together and strengthening connections with new civic and cultural agents.
To contact the Office, the email is cciutadana@bcn.cat.