Citizen researchers in action: This is how citizen science is changing our society!

Citizen researchers in action: This is how citizen science is changing our society!

A current study by ESMT Berlin reveals new insights into how citizens evaluate research projects and which factors play a role. In the publication in the specialist journal Research policy appeared, over 2,300 citizen evaluators evaluated four real-world research proposals on topics such as COVID-19 drug discovery, Alzheimer's disease, otter-human conflict in Florida, and economic preferences across demographic groups.

The evaluation methods included both recommendations for advising a funding agency and crowdfunding, with citizen participation encompassing diverse aspects of scientific engagement and social benefit. Citizens evaluated the applications based on three basic criteria: scientific quality, social impact and team qualifications. It turned out that social impact and scientific quality were given almost equal weight, while team qualifications played a smaller but important role.

Influence of assessment methods

An interesting aspect of the study was the influence of the assessment method on the participants. Crowdfunding primarily attracted wealthier and more educated individuals, while referral scoring enabled broader and more inclusive participation. This highlights the challenges associated with involving citizens in science governance.

The study highlights that personal connections can influence citizens' perceptions. Participants who had a direct connection to the issues were more likely to support the suggestions. This raises questions about the variability of evaluation criteria and patterns and highlights the complexity of citizen participation processes.

Hybrid systems suggestion

The authors of the study propose developing hybrid systems that combine expert assessments with public input. The aim is to improve the quality and legitimacy of research funding decisions and to establish a thoughtful process for incorporating citizen input into science.

These research results are particularly relevant to the increasing importance of citizen science in various disciplines. According to another article on PMC Citizen Science is an approach in which citizens are actively integrated into all aspects of the research process, from conceptualization to data collection to knowledge dissemination and evaluation. Particularly in population research, citizen science plays an important role in addressing complex health problems and can be used in combination with community-based research to combat health inequities.

Modern technologies, especially smartphones, make it easier to involve citizens in research projects. This development could help improve data collection and help address health inequalities. However, there are ethical considerations, particularly regarding data protection and the quality of the data collected.

Social responsibility of science

In Germany there is a remarkable trend towards opening up universities to society and promoting citizen science. Universities are required to communicate their research in an understandable manner and to create a direct social benefit. Formats such as Long Nights of Science and official open days offer opportunities to involve citizens in the research process. These initiatives are designed not only to share knowledge, but also to promote social justice and democratic processes.

In summary, integrating civic engagement into the research process not only enriches science, but also empowers citizens to participate in important social decisions. However, these developments also raise questions about the quality of research and the ethical implications of participation that need to be addressed in order to fully exploit the potential of citizen science.