Citizen science, generally defined as “the inclusion of members of the public in some aspect of scientific research” [1], is currently at the forefront of many research and education policies at the UT, national, and EU levels. Indeed, citizen science can lead to a more inclusive academic culture, to a closer link between research and society, to a higher transparency and democratization of science. Due to the rapid spread of geospatial technologies, an increasing number of citizen science projects in diverse research domains produce geospatial data, and we are witnessing the emergence of a geographic citizen science field that utilizes “geographic information technology to collect, analyse and disseminate data collected by non-professional participants in a systematic and objective way” [2]. ITC, with its long-standing experience in participatory approaches and geospatial science and education, is active in this emerging field, promoting geographic citizen science (Geo CS) education and research in the Netherlands and beyond. Starting in 2021, we engage in educational and research activities that would attract new learners as well as research partners in the area of Geographic Citizen Science and will lead to the creation of a Geo CS Hub at ITC.
1) Eitzel, Melissa V., et al. (2017): Citizen science terminology matters: Exploring key terms.Citizen Science: Theory and Practice 2(1):1, pp. 1-20
2) Skarlatidou, Artemis, and Muki Haklay(eds). Geographic Citizen Science Design: No one left behind. UCL Press, 2021