Citizen Science: When the Public Goes From Object of Study to Key Player in Research

Citizen science is gaining ground. The idea is to get the expected beneficiaries of research involved in the process, from the initial conception of the study to publication and follow-up.

A group of residents of Trinitat Vella meet to discuss the health-related impacts of urban planning in this Barcelona neighbourhood. Although it has not been a top-priority issue in their discussions thus far, they are fully aware of the amount of traffic that circles this peripheral neighbourhood, which is hemmed in on all sides by some of the busiest roads going in and out of Barcelona. Juan, who lives near a busy square on the edge of the neighbourhood, describes the noise generated by the 150,000 cars that whiz by each day, just 500 metres from his home. Andrea, who lives in the centre of the neighbourhood, says she can sense “pollution seeping through the window” every time a car stops on her street and leaves the engine running.

Video by Oscar Dhooge.

During these meetings, Juan, Andrea and other Trinitat Vella residents discuss the mobility model or the lack of green space and, with the help of scientists, gain an understanding of how these factors affect their health. In these conversations, they explore various questions raised by these issues and dissect specific aspects that they consider worthy of further research. In the end, they decide to focus on air quality and noise. They then set about organising their research: when and where in the neighbourhood they will collect data, what tools and sensors they will use, and how they will split up the work by availability and interest. They install sensors in various public and private spaces and compile the collected data. The result: a co-designed and collaboratively produced diagnosis of air quality and noise in the neighbourhood.

Ensuring that research incorporates multiple perspectives – in terms of gender, generation, profession and socioeconomic status – as well as a range of different interests and experiences leads to higher-quality studies and is essential for pluralistic projects that really improve people’s lives

Urban Health Citizen Laboratory in the Trinitat Vella neighborhood of Barcelona. Photos: Manuela Reyes Guerrero.

Citizen science should not only be advisory

In recent years, researchers across the globe have come to understand the importance of making science more democratic. Ensuring that research incorporates multiple perspectives – in terms of gender, generation, profession and socioeconomic status – as well as a range of different interests and experiences leads to higher-quality studies and is essential for pluralistic projects that really improve people’s lives. However, true inclusion entails more than simply consulting with people. The challenge is to go beyond the most basic levels of participation and take things one step further: getting the people expected to benefit from the research fully involved in it. And when I say fully involved, I mean having them play an active role at all stages, from the initial conception of the project to publication and follow-up. This is what I mean when I say citizen science.

The challenge is to go beyond the most basic levels of participation and take things one step further: getting the people expected to benefit from the research fully involved in it. And when I say fully involved, I mean having them play an active role at all stages, from the initial conception of the project to publication and follow-up

The Urban Health Citizen Lab – a project promoted by ISGlobal's Scientific Culture Unit and described, by way of example, at the beginning of this article – has explored new approaches to participatory research. Funded by the Barcelona City Council’s BIT Habitat Foundation and co-organised by Lichen Social Innovation and ISGlobal, this laboratory has combined citizen science and social innovation to generate successful processes, methodologies and results: people coming together in a collaborative venue for experimentation, learning and practice and working to build a healthier, more resilient and more inclusive neighbourhood. The Trinitat Vella pilot project is now coming to an end, but new opportunities to replicate it on a bigger scale using the developed methodologies are opening up elsewhere.

People who were once an object of study now have the chance to become key players in research. It is time to think about the questions – but this time, collectively. The answer will always be citizen science.

To learn more about the project:

• Video feature on the Urban Health Citizen Lab in Trinitat Vella (Barcelona)
• ISGlobal’s webpage on the Urban Health Citizen Lab project
• Urban Health Citizen Lab website (featuring materials and results)