CITIZEN SCIENCE AS A GATEWAY TO OPEN AND INCLUSIVE SCIENCE: WHAT DRIVES PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT? 

Imagine coming across an invitation to contribute to a research project. Perhaps you are asked to classify images of distant galaxies, record observations from your neighbourhood, contribute to a health-related study or help researchers make sense of a large collection of data. 

You may have no formal scientific training, yet through citizen science, you can become part of the research process. 

Citizen science is one way Open Science can bring research and society closer together, giving people opportunities to contribute their knowledge, observations, time and skills to research. 

But open does not automatically mean inclusive. 

Making participation possible does not mean that everyone has the same opportunity or motivation to take part. Research shows that citizen science projects can attract quite different groups of people depending on how participation is organized and communicated. Factors such as age, education, income, digital access, previous knowledge and personal interests all play a role. 

So, if we want science to become not only more open but also more inclusive, it is worth asking: What encourages people to participate? And what supports their engagement? 

WHY DO PEOPLE TAKE PART? 

People may already be interested in the topic. They may want to contribute to research or to an issue they care about. Others are attracted by the opportunity to learn, share knowledge, discover something new, or simply take part in an interesting activity. 

Research across citizen science projects repeatedly points to contributing to research or the wider community and learning and gaining knowledge as important motivations. But motivations can vary considerably between people and between projects. There is therefore no single “typical” citizen scientist, and designing engagement around a single imagined type of participant risks leaving others out. 

JOINING IS ONLY THE BEGINNING 

Getting people involved is one challenge. Creating an experience that encourages meaningful participation is another. 

Research on citizen science suggests that initial and sustained participation are not necessarily shaped by exactly the same factors. People’s values, interests, knowledge, and circumstances can influence whether and how they participate. 

The design of the project also matters. Even projects addressing similar scientific questions can attract different groups and motivations when they use different participation methods or communication approaches. 

For researchers and those designing citizen science projects, this shifts the question from simply “How do we recruit more participants?” to something broader: Who are we reaching? Who might we be missing? And what kind of experience are we creating for the people who decide to take part? 

FROM PARTICIPATION TO MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT 

These questions connect closely with what we are exploring through FEMLEAD: how Open Science practices and research environments can become more inclusive, and how participation can create opportunities for learning, capacity building and meaningful engagement with STEM and research. 

Citizen science provides a useful space for exploring these questions. It can function as an informal learning environment, helping participants develop knowledge, scientific understanding and interest in science, while also creating opportunities for exchange between researchers and communities. 

For inclusive Open Science, however, it also matters who gets the opportunity to participate. Promoting the involvement of women and other groups that remain underrepresented in science and research requires us to consider the barriers they may face, what motivates them and what makes participation meaningful. 

Understanding these experiences starts with listening to the people involved. 

FROM FEMLEAD: LESSONS FROM COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 

As part of FEMLEAD’s Open Science activities, back in April, Babeș-Bolyai University brought together researchers and citizen scientists to share their experiences of community engagement during the event “Without Filters: What Works and What Doesn’t in Citizen Engagement in Science.” Particular attention was given to women’s experiences on both sides of the research process.