Citizen science, or participatory science, is the active involvement of citizens in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data for scientific purposes. By focusing on the interface between science and society, Citizen Science embodies the complexity of both, acquiring very different forms. One of the most common definitions describes it as “the involvement of volunteers and scientists in collaborative research activities, to generate new knowledge based on scientific evidence.”

Citizen Science applies to many sciences. From plastic waste to air or water quality, from noise or light pollution to protein structure identification, from plant and animal monitoring (biodiversity) to astronomy, contributing to the classification of celestial bodies or the discovery of meteorites. Other applications range from detecting earthquakes to the study of diseases and other health aspects, to activities involving the humanities and social sciences. Just to give a few examples...