Interactive engagement is key in Citizen Science projects. But what are the possibilities for interactive exchange in a digital space, and what guiding steps does the facilitator need to take? Taking those questions into account, the SPOTTERON Team has created a Cheat Sheet on Citizen Science Digital Communication. How to Interact When a Cit...
Huge congratulations to the project team of Beweisstück Unterhose (in English: Slip of Evidence) for receiving the Ig-Nobel Prize! It has been a great adventure to support the project with the digital Citizen Science App toolkit running on the SPOTTERON Platform. Simple But Effective Research Method There are several ways how to analyse soil health...
In Austria, as well as in many other parts of the world, we are currently experiencing what is probably the driest summer since measurements began. An unusually high number of hot days, forest fires, extremely low river levels, or even completely dried-up bodies of water – research data shows: such extreme periods of drought and heat as we have exp...
In Austria, we can truly enjoy some great opportunities when it comes to Citizen Science! The Sparkling Science calls for proposals by the OeAD are definitely one of them — and the third edition is just around the corner! On September 1, 2026, the third call for proposals of the research funding programme Sparkling Science 2.0 will officially open....
On the SPOTTERON Citizen Science App Platform, several initiatives are related to Citizen Science projects tackling problems related to marine and freshwater environments. As part of this blog, various aquatic-themed Citizen Science Apps running on the SPOTTERON Citizen Science App Platform will be spotlighted. A special section will be dedicated t...
This year's ECSA Conference 2026 has concluded. We spent two full days traveling across half of Europe—by train, bus, and ferry—to reach northern Finland, more precisely the beautifully snow-covered city of Oulu. There, we experienced just how white snow can be and perhaps also why Finns—surrounded by forests, clean air, the frozen Baltic...
Under the title "Integrated Pest Management of the invasive Japanese Beetle, Popillia japonica", a Horizon 2020 project took place from 2020 to 2024, looking at the impact of invasive beetle species on the plant health. Although the project has successfully been concluded, the results are still actively disseminated, and now also available in a vis...
The year 2025 is coming to a close, and as a tradition, to say a big "Thank you" from the SPOTTERON team, we have designed a special hand-crafted Holiday Card for you just before the winter holidays. For this year's theme of our Holiday Card, we are diving into the microcosmos and reflecting on how atoms join together to create the molecules, from ...
Citizen Science projects often encompass a wide range of participation opportunities. From documenting observations and investigating specific research objects (like in Beweisstück Unterhose), to creating ponds in home gardens to support and study green toads (AmphiApp) — Citizen Science projects on the SPOTTERON platform often go beyond reporting ...
Imagine that all the little things you observe on a daily basis - your daily commute to work, the trees in your street, or the way rain collects on the road - could contribute to bettering your neighbourhood. That's exactly what communiMap - a new Citizen Science project running on the SPOTTERON Plaform aims to do. Led by the University of Glasgow'...
Recently SPOTTERON took part in contributing to a book chapter entitled: "Connecting People and the Ocean Through Street Art and Citizen Science". The chapter was published in a book "Blue Kinships: An Exploration of Society & the Ocean" edited by Chiara Certoma. In this blog, we will introduce the journey of the book chapter as well as spotlig...
Multi-language capabilities have been extended on the SPOTTERON Citizen Science App Platform. From multiple translations of Project Apps, the platform also supports direct multi-language communication by sending direct messages to all participating citizens. Extended language capabilities have also been integrated in the platform's toolkit for inte...
At SPOTTERON we strongly believe that Citizen Science Apps can serve as a space for interactive collaboration in reaching positive change. Multi-level engagement, participatory processes and transdisciplinary approach are also principles shared by the New European Bauhaus which aims to reimagine sustainable living in Europe by bringing various acto...
A few months ago, we at SPOTTERON created beside the COSEA Citizen Science App a new Project Design for TRANSEATION, a marine science project funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme. The main goal of the TRANSEATION project is to show how man-made structures can effectively protect the health of marine ecosystems. These...
As Citizen Scientists, we explore a wide range of species and observe all kinds of perceivable phenomena. These explorations lead to meaningful experiences—experiences that can inspire and shape artistic expression: Art & (Citizen) Science? The connection between experience and art is at the heart of a theory proposed by philosop...
Every so often, the journey is the reward. When it comes to Citizen Science projects that include data about paths and routes traveled by citizens in the research, recording such geospatial data live is a crucial feature. Projects from areas like environmental health, urban transportation, or social science studies can benefit from being able to en...
In many Citizen Science projects, there are geographical location-related events or activities to interact with as a participant. Such activities can, for example, be simply a workshop taking place or something more permanent like an exhibition, a nature trail, or a project-related area that needs highlighting. With the integrated system called "Pr...
One of the most important aspects of Citizen Science is recognizing that participants voluntarily invest their time and effort into contributing to scientific projects—without compensation. While their passion for nature and curiosity about the environment drive participation, another crucial motivator is often overlooked: the desire to engage and ...
On January 15th and 16th, 2025, leading scientists, researchers, and stakeholders gathered in Larnaca, Cyprus, for the latest meeting of the EFFECTIVE Consortium. This international collaboration is dedicated to advancing environmental data management, coastal sustainability, and innovative technological solutions to address ecological challenges i...
How do science, citizen science, and nature reinforce each other to address social issues? This key topic was the focus of a podcast recorded last summer by Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest) and the Athena Institute, a research institute of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Last week, the podcast was published, and given the interesting insig...
