Citizen Science is a growing field where researchers, social partners and citizens come together to participate in scientific research. The European Commission has granted 1,5M Euro to a pan-European consortium brought together by the UT’s DesignLab in the project INCENTIVE. The project was successfully submitted to the ‘Science with and for Society’ call.
FOUR CITIZEN SCIENCE HUBS
INCENTIVE aims to realise sustainable and transdisciplinary hubs for Citizen Science at four universities throughout Europe including UT, ECIU partner Autonomous University of Barcelona, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. These hubs will embed citizen science at the respective research performing organizations as a way of improving the quality, depth and impact of research. These hubs should stimulate and support excellent (Citizen) Science.
CITIZEN SCIENCE
Both at the national and the international level, more and more people recognize the need that citizen science can make to design and carry out responsible research and innovation (RRI). Citizen science is a focus area of DesignLab. “Citizen science requires new approaches and methods for science education and research, but also for successful collaboration with the public and private organisations”, says Sabine Wildevuur, director of DesignLab. With this project, DesignLab wants to demonstrate the potential of Citizen Science Hubs to promote institutional change through responsible and high-quality citizen science.
INCENTIVE
The three-year project is carried out by a consortium of 8 partners throughout Europe with DesignLab in the lead. The Rector’s offices of the four participating universities have expressed their support. Besides DesignLab, TechMed Centre and the faculty of BMS also contribute, as well as many regional-based authorities, NGOs and interest groups. For the Netherlands these are Twentse Noabers, Region Twente, CitizenLab Leiden, Foundation Mijn Data Onze Gezondheid, and Stimuland.
