The interaction between science, society and politics has been undergoing a profound change for several decades. In many areas of society, a closer involvement of the public in decision-making and problem-solving processes of science and politics can be observed. Citizen Science, broadly understood as the collaboration between citizens and scientific institutions, is a format that can be used to involve the public more closely in science. Citizen Science – translated as citizen science – can be understood as a complement to traditional forms of science communication. Against the background of the wider dissemination of citizen science and the traditionally close relationship between the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and the public, the use of citizen science in UBA’s departmental research seems particularly appropriate. The project aims to investigate the extent to which Citizen Science is applicable in UBA’s departmental research with a view to concrete examples.

In this context, the purposes and forms of Citizen Science are to be analysed, which can be used beneficially in UBA’s departmental research and in environmental policy as a whole. In addition, positive effects for citizens and the social added value of UBA’s Citizen Science projects are to be determined. Finally, it will be analysed how Citizen Science can strengthen the legitimacy, practicability and acceptance of departmental research. The results will be brought together in a concept that offers an introduction to the topic of citizen science and elaborates the conditions for success for its use in departmental research as well as possible fields of application. Furthermore, the interfaces and connection processes for a successful integration of citizen science into departmental research as well as quality assurance procedures will be defined. Finally, the expected benefits and additional costs of using Citizen Science formats are to be estimated.

Duration: 08/2015 – 05/2016
Client: Umweltbundesamt
Team: Nicolas Bach
Project partner:
technopolis group
ISIconsult – Institut für Sozialinnovation Consulting
Museum für Naturkunde Berlin