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CS Co-labs Discussion Series

Join us for topic-based discussion sessions on citizen science.

CS Co-labs is running a series of topic-based discussion sessions running September 2026 - March 2027. In each session, members of our team will give a brief presentation sharing our experiences and understanding of the topic, before inviting reflections from participants and facilitating discussion for collective learning.

Details of upcoming sessions and notes from past sessions are available below.

Join the CS Co-labs mailing list to receive invitations to sessions.

List of session dates and topics
Session Date & Time Topic
1 9 September 2026, 1-2 pm Introduction to Citizen Science
2 8 October 2026, 12-1 pm Inclusion in Citizen Science
3 10 November 2026, 1-2 pm Equitable collaboration in Citizen Science
4 8 December 2026, 3:30-4:30 pm Digital Tools in Citizen Science
5 26 January 2027, 3:30-4:30 pm Data in Citizen Science
6 TBD Citizen Science & Policy

 

Notes and slides from past sessions

Session 1. What is citizen science and how does it relate to other participatory methods? (9 September 2026)

In this first session, Sarah West presented a short introduction to Citizen Science and attendees shared their experiences of citizen science. 

Presentation

In Sarah's presentation, she highlighted:

  • the dual origins and contested definitions of the term citizen science;
  • the range of ways citizen science may be used in projects, with the contribution of members of the public ranging from data collection only to participating in multiple or all stages of the research process;
  • the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA)’s Ten principles of citizen science, which provide a useful framework for carrying out responsible citizen science; and
  • the Inclusive Citizen Science group’s definition of what citizen science is for us - acknowledging that others will define it differently.

Discussions

In the breakout discussions, we heard about a range of applications for citizen science, including topics such as: identifying cotton crop disease in Pakistan; biodiversity monitoring in UK/global; air quality monitoring in India and Vietnam; water quality in the Philippines and York; microplastics in Nigeria; medical health in the UK; and understanding school food environments. 

We discussed questions of resourcing (e.g. to what extent co-created citizen science can be done on a project with a short time scale), data (how to get decision makers to accept the integrity of your citizen science data) and overlap with other disciplines, such as behavioural science and PPIE (Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement).

Additional resources

Below are links shared in or before the discussion session

Research shared by participants: 

Examples showcasing how citizen science can support data for SDG 14 indicators: 
Fraisl et al 2023: The contributions of citizen science to SDG monitoring and reporting on marine plastics.   

Research shared by the CS Co-Labs team:

Pre-reading

Useful resources on citizen science methods:

You can find a range of resources on the CSUK website, including these accessible reads:

Key journal papers include:

Session 2. Broadening equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in Citizen Science projects. (8 October 2026)

On the 8th of October, we enjoyed our second CS Co-labs Discussion Session. Elizabeth Carper, Alison Dyke and Sarah Moore reflected on diverse and inclusive participation in citizen science projects and we then moved into breakout rooms where attendees were invited to share their thoughts on diversity, inclusion and representation. 

Presentation

The presentation covered the following topics:

  • The difference between diversity and related concepts of equity, inclusion and belonging, illustrated by the quote from Verna Myers et al. “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance. Belonging is dancing like no one's watching.”
  • Findings from a wide-reaching 2016 study on the diversity of citizen science participants, which showed the lack of diversity in citizen science participants in environmental sciences, and examined how using an intersectionality lens can help pinpoint more missing groups. The lack of diversity carries through into environmental science careers too.
  • Experience and reflections from the AQuA project. AQuA’s community of citizen scientists is made up of people who were drawn to, and recruited by, the project largely based on geography, mutual interest, their existing work, shared understanding and word-of-mouth. The project team have endeavoured to adapt to different participant needs in terms of their time availability, understanding of the science and comfort with technology. This has led to the project offering a variety of roles in which the community can be involved in the project beyond just data collection.
  • Experience and reflections from Elizabeth’s doctoral research studying what inclusive participation in energy transitions would entail in northwestern India. Elizabeth collected farmer and stakeholder perceptions of, and lived experiences with, agrivoltaics, a space in which their perspectives are not commonly included in policy and decision-making.   

Discussion

In the breakout discussions, we heard how some neurodivergent participants particularly enjoy digital citizen science projects if they fit with their special interests or they are able to hyperfocus on them. 

Attendees also highlighted the importance of asking participants what would make projects more accessible/inclusive for them. For example, for projects involving physical outdoor work, it may be providing information that “there is a toilet, a bench, a break time in the activity”. Or it could be providing information in alternative  languages or offering in-person support. These may seem like small things but are practical details that make a difference to participants and demonstrate a commitment to inclusion. 

Several attendees reflected on the importance - and challenges - of building trust with the communities you want to work with. It can help to include people in the project team who come from that community or who share similar characteristics with them. Attendees noted the challenge, but importance, of  getting the right people involved at the planning stage, to make good use of relevant local, traditional or lay knowledge and to avoid reinventing the wheel. The Valuing Voices project and tool provide guidance on ways to facilitate and work with groups of people, which may be helpful in Citizen Science projects. 

Additional resources

Useful links shared during the session: