Project description
A set of initiatives that fulfil the European vision of 'science for the people, by the people'
Citizen science, a key element for the democratisation of science, refers to citizen engagement that ranges from being better informed about scientific matters to taking part in the scientific process itself. The EU-funded STEP CHANGE project will highlight the broader societal and scientific role that citizen science can play in fields of research where human and non-human factors are deeply intertwined. To this aim, STEP CHANGE will implement five Citizen Science Initiatives in the areas of energy, environment, health and infectious diseases, including participatory and self-reflexive analysis and evaluation of the collaborative research processes, scientific outcomes and societal impacts.
Objective
STEP CHANGE (Science Transformation in EuroPe through Citizens involvement in HeAlth, coNservation and enerGy rEsearch) replies to the H2020 Topic SwafS 27 on “Hands-on citizen science and frugal innovation”, Sub-topic A, citizen science. The project, coordinated by the University of Primorska, is based on the assumption that citizen science (CS) can play an even broader societal and scientific role than it is generally acknowledged, particularly in those critical fields of research (like Energy, Health and the Environment) where human and non-human factors are deeply entangled. In these areas, a set of highly-contested, socially relevant research fields is emerging where CS can play a pivotal role by making science more socially robust, inclusive and democratic while strengthening the capacity of scientific investigation over emerging phenomena that cannot be easily caught within narrow disciplinary boundaries. Then, STEP CHANGE was designed to contribute to making the most of CS potentialities, while at the same time identifying, analysing, and tackling such limitations and risks. In this regard, STEP-CHANGE is based on the implementation of five Citizen Science Initiatives (CSIs) in the areas of Energy, Environment, Health and Infectious Diseases, through the participatory and self-reflexive analysis and evaluation of their collaborative research processes, scientific outcomes and societal impacts. The CSIs regard: 1) wildlife conservation in Slovenia (UP); 2) non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the UK (TGI, NIHR and OUXF); 3); energy communities in Germany (WECF); 4) infectious disease outbreak preparedness in Italy (UNITOV); 5) off-grid renewable energy in agriculture in Uganda (ARUWE). Horizontal activities are also foreseen: Scoping process (SfC), Participatory evaluation (K&I, AU), Mutual learning and training (ZSI), Stocktaking (ECSA) and Communication (EUSEA). The consortium is geographically balanced and formed by 13 partners, from 7 European countries and Uganda.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energy
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseases
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinehepatology
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculture
- social sciencespolitical sciencespolitical policiescivil society
Keywords
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.5. - SCIENCE WITH AND FOR SOCIETY Main Programme
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
6000 Koper
Slovenia