Citizen Science Training School Erice

Citizen Science Training School: 
Where Science meets Society - Citizen Science as an emerging tool to expand research horizons

Organized by the International School of Ethology “Danilo Mainardi”, Ettore Majorana Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture & the COST Action - CA15212 Citizen Science to promote creativity, scientific literacy and innovation throughout Europe

Program: Click here for the preliminary Programm and Speakers
Dates:  26th November 2018 (Arrival Day – No school Activities) - 1st December 2018 (Departure Day – No School Activities)
Location:  Ettore Majorana Centre, Via Guarnotta, 26, I‑91016 ERICE, Italy
Official Website: www.citizenscienceaterice2018.wordpress.com
Deadline for registration and fee payments: November 1st, 2018

School Directors

• Andrea Sforzi (Natural History Museum of Maremma, Italy)  http://www.museonaturalemaremma.it/index.php?id=69
• Cristina Castracani (University of Parma, Italy)  https://myrmecologylab.wordpress.com/people/cristina-castracani/
• Rick Bonney (Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA)  http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1735&id=16

Purpose

Over the past decades, there has been a rapid increase in the diversity and scale of Citizen Science (the involvement of volunteers in science). Initiatives range from crowd sourcing activities, in which the time and effort of large numbers of people help to solve a problem or analyse a large dataset, to small groups of volunteers, collecting and analysing environmental data and sharing their findings. When correctly planned and executed, Citizen Science can increase scientific knowledge and raise people’s awareness of their environment. It can be beneficial to both people and researchers. The main purpose of the course is to provide insights of specific cases/projects/experiences, with the aim of giving to the participants the opportunity to investigate best practices and lessons learned of a very dynamic and promising field.

Most of the speakers of the school are leading important citizen science projects in their countries or have developed experiences on different approaches to CS projects, both from the scientists (data quality) and people (motivation) points of view. This dual remit is an essential contribution to the course, whose main purpose is to provide the participants with in-depth insights of this emerging field, at the interface between science and society.

The existence of a COST Action – 15212: To promote creativity, scientific literacy, and innovation throughout Europe give the opportunity to activate a collaboration with two working groups that are directly interested by the topics of the course:

• Working group 1: Ensure scientific quality of Citizen Science
  This working group focuses on the outcomes of CS projects for scientists. The main objective is to provide a sound understanding of current practices involving the collection, description, and validation of data gathered and analyzed by citizens.
• Working group 4: Enhance the role of CS for civil society
  This working group focuses on issues that are relevant to the volunteers in citizen science. The objectives of this working group are to raise awareness of the volunteers’ aims, needs and requirements from citizen science and the results that citizen science contributions have in their lives, as well as the implications for developing social innovation interventions.

Call for applications

We are inviting applications from young researchers, who are at an early stage of their careers, either doing their PhD or having their MSc or MA just completed. Applicants must be based in COST Member and Cooperating States or from Near-Neighboring Countries, whose participation has been approved by the Action Management Committee of this Action.  At present, only applicants from Albania are eligible to apply, among the Near-Neighboring Countries. About 10-15 participants will be selected to participate to the training school with financial support from the Action.

Candidates are requested to:

• Fill out the application form
• Prepare and upload a 300-word motivation letter explaining their interest
• Prepare and upload a short CV - max 2 pages
• Fluent English is required and gender and cultural diversity will guarantee a wide variety of inputs and perspectives

CV and motivation letter can be uploaded in the application form!

Deadline for submissions

30th September, 2018 | Candidates accepted will be covering a wide range of disciplines.

School format

The all-inclusive cost of the workshop (accommodation, meals and participation) will be covered. Travel will be partially covered. The school will be grounded on the basis of the analyses of several study cases taken from some of the most significant citizen science projects and  leaded by the teachers. Each study case will be analyzed by a three-step procedure: First, a plenary lesson lead by the teacher will introduce the structure of the project. Second, in a working group session, candidates will be divided into groups in order to discuss several aspects of the project. Finally, in a result sharing session, working group representatives will provide feedbacks from the working group in order to end with a plenary discussion of the results.  

The school plans to have a publication as an outcome to be submitted to a journal during the months after the end of the school.

For more information please contact

Cristina Castracani – cristina [dot] castracani [at] unipr [dot] it
University of Parma (Italy)

Program

Click here for the preliminary Programm and Speakers

Credits 

The school is possible thanks to the support of the COST Action - CA15212 Citizen Science to promote creativity, scientific literacy and innovation throughout Europe; and the International School of Ethology “Danilo Mainardi”, Ettore Majorana Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture
 

Workshop Report

and also as a blog entry from a participant here.