The power of citizen science: Impacting the environment and empowering the people

Understanding the challenges and opportunities in improving citizen science
Beach clean as part of citizen science project

The power of citizen science: Impacting the environment and empowering the people

Understanding the challenges and opportunities in improving citizen science
Title: The Power of Citizen Science: Impacting the environment and empowering the people
Funding amount: £160,000
Location: UK and Brazil
Dates: 2020–ongoing
Project partners: University of Surrey, University of São Paulo, Federal University of ABC, Marine Conservation Society
University of Plymouth PI: Professor Kayleigh Wyles 
University of Plymouth staff: Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS 
 

Overview

Citizen science (where members of the public can activity be involved in science) is a valuable participatory approach that can help advance science but also have impacts on the volunteers themselves. This work (involving a number of projects) aims to understand and maximise the citizen science approach (specifically in relation to marine litter) so that it has the maximum benefits to science and society.

Objective

To understand the challenges and opportunities in improving citizen science.

Citizen science can be a fantastic way to engage people with science, and we're looking at ways to enhance that.

Kayleigh WylesProfessor Kayleigh Wyles
Professor of Environmental Psychology

 
 
 
Beach clean citizen science Burgh
Beach clean citizen science Sound
Beach clean citizen science Take Ur Rubbish Home

Context of the issue

To understand and tackle the numerous socio-environmental issues facing our world, we need three main factors: 
  1. The science to understand causes, impacts, and potential solutions
  2. Society's understanding, will, and ability to act and push decision making
  3. The political will to get science and society on-board to discuss, design, implement and evaluate public policies.

How the project addresses the issue

Citizen science can be seen as a process to bring these factors together, particularly science and society, having the potential to contribute to the wealth of research under scientific inquiry, as well as engage society directly with socio-environmental issues. 
We are particularly interested in the impacts citizen science has on the citizen scientists themselves. For example, we want to know how it develops their scientific understanding, how it impacts their own health and wellbeing, and how it encourages them to change their behaviour elsewhere.
 
 
 

Centre for Marine Biology and Conservation Science (CMACS)

CMACS unites the University of Plymouth's long-standing and internationally recognised research in marine biology and marine conservation science. 
By providing an inclusive and supportive atmosphere for knowledge exchange and relationship development, CMACS drives ambitious, innovative, interdisciplinary, world-class marine research.
 
Man fishing in small boat above coral reef, CMACS