Leibniz Association: Citizen Science

Citizen science sounds like a new invention but is essentially an established concept – the involvement of members of the general public in the search for knowledge and new information. Centuries ago, passionate amateur researchers were already making contributions to scientific discoveries by conducting experiments to investigate and document natural phenomena or taking part in bird counts.

The options for public involvement in science have expanded rapidly in recent years. New digital technologies enable citizens to take an active part in large-scale research projects, wherever they are. Data can be collected via smartphone apps, for instance, or submitted via online portals. Some research projects would be impossible without this kind of support because scientific evidence often requires large volumes of data, which professional scientists are not really in a position to collect on their own.

In addition, there is an increasing need for citizens to be involved in all stages and processes of research – from defining new research questions and drawing up project concepts through to analysis and publication.

The Leibniz Association promotes citizen science in a number of different areas and plays a leading role in shaping its further development.

Citizen Science Working Group

The Citizen Science Working Group aims to pool the activities and competencies in the field of Citizen Science within the Leibniz Association and to actively introduce the topic of Citizen Science into the scientific and strategic discourse.

Mosquitoes on display — Photo SUSANNE HECKER

Citizen Scientist keeps an eye out for certain plants in the forest

Selected Citizen science projects

Crime Scene Street Lighting is on the trail of nocturnal insect mortality. Street lighting can severely impact nocturnal flying insects, as many insects are attracted to the light from the luminaires and deprived of their proper habitats. Help investigate which insects are affected by street lighting and how environmentally sound lighting solutions can help preserve insect habitats.
Project
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin
Have you found a suitable stretch along a river or stream? Then you can get started! Using the detailed project materials, the types of waste identified by the individual groups (e.g. cigarette butts, pieces of film or packaging) are published on a digital map, thus assisting the scientific community in gradually closing gaps in the existing research on the amount of different types of plastic waste. The fight against pollution from plastic waste, for cleaner water and for preserving natural resources for future generations in a united Europe can only be a success if we – the citizens – actively support joint political initiatives in the places we live.
Project
Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education at the University of Kiel (IPN)
As a result of global trade, tourism and climate change, Germany is seeing a spread of mosquito species, some of which could potentially transmit infectious diseases. The ‘Mückenatlas’ (mosquito atlas) project was set up to record the spread of mosquito species across Germany. Anyone who wants to take part, needs to capture a mosquito carefully, kill it in the freezer and send it off in a box. All specimens will be kept in the reference collection to provide evidence in years and decades to come of where and when each species was to be found.
Project
Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg

Contact

Claire Nicolas
Leibniz Association
Chausseestraße 111
10115 Berlin
T +49 03 0206049 612
nicolas@leibniz-gemeinschaft.de

Links

Citizen science platform: Bürger schaffen Wissen

European Citizen Science Association