Citizen science is a new approach to research that involves people outside the scientific community voluntarily participating in scientific activities to produce real scientific results. Citizen participation can take place at various levels throughout the different stages of research (from planning the research question, through data collection and mapping, data interpretation and analysis, to the publication and dissemination of results). These studies typically reflect on the problems of local communities or global challenges and aim to have a concrete impact on improving the quality of life. Its importance has grown in recent years, and researchers have access to an increasing amount of funding.
The university library is an advocate of open science and a strong supporter of an inclusive, democratic, accessible approach to scientific research, which can help build trust in science and promote a wider understanding of scientific methodology. In addition, community science fits perfectly with our university's third mission and can actively support the achievement of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
How can the library help you?
The library's expert support is available to all members of the university community, whether they are starting new projects, seeking to raise the profile of existing initiatives, or are students or researchers with an interest in community science who want to learn more about it, or who want to join ongoing initiatives in some form.
The library can support university projects in the following areas, primarily through its experience in various fields of open science (open access publishing, research data management, open infrastructures), as well as in event organisation, communication, and scientific dissemination, and by channelling the knowledge of the domestic professional network:
- Professional consulting in the planning of initial projects (defining project objectives, stakeholder analysis, resource planning, developing communication plans tailored to different target groups);
- Disseminating information related to open science (with particular regard to research data management);
- Assistance in answering ethical and legal questions;
- Support for project marketing activities;
- Promotion of ongoing campaigns and programs on the library's social media platforms, blogs, and website;
- Providing opportunities for appearances on our Kapocs a tudáshoz (Link to Knowledge) podcast;
- Providing space for project-related events and workshops, organising joint events;
- Placing posters in library spaces.
Citizen Science projects at the University of Pécs
Below, we have compiled a list of projects that showcase the citizen science programs at the University of Pécs.
Mosquito Alert is a non-profit cooperative Citizen Science project, coordinated by different public research centres, including the University of Pécs. The goal is to study, monitor, and fight the spread of invasive mosquitoes capable of transmitting global diseases. Due to climate change, as well as a significant increase in international trade and tourism, this is the main cause behind the emergence of new, tropical species in Europe. Invasive mosquito species are potential vectors of several pathogens, posing a dangerous risk to both humans and domestic animals as well. In order to understand the epidemiological threat, we need to know the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of these species. For this purpose, researchers of the Ecological Research Centre and the University of Pécs launched a mosquito monitoring program (szunyogmonitor.hu) covering the entire country in 2019 with the involvement of the population.
Surveillance is carried out with the Mosquito Alert app, which allows anyone to notify, by means of a photo, the possible discovery of one of the mosquitoes studied, as well as that of their breeding places in public spaces. Along with the photo, the location of the observation and other necessary information to help in the identification of the species are collected. A human team of expert entomologists is in charge of validating the photos received and notifying the participant of the result. The scientific conclusions derived from the data obtained with the participation of society will enable the planning of targeted on-site sampling, the good allocation of resources, and the preparation for a possible epidemic through the detection of pathogens in the collected mosquitoes.
Rovar Piknik is a project of the National Laboratory of Virology at the University of Pécs, which was made possible thanks to the institution's research group specializing in disease vectors. The aim of Rovar Piknik is to use the power of community research to examine the environmental risks of chemical mosquito control, which is still widely used in Hungary, and to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our natural resources and biodiversity. In addition, it aims to educate people about effective, yet sustainable and environmentally conscious solutions for protecting against mosquitoes and the pathogens they spread.
Rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands are among the most valuable, not to mention the most fragile ecosystems on Earth. These habitats are crucial for the future of the economy and for human survival as well. However, rivers and streams are threatened by climate change and increased human water use, which causes them to dry up, and the percentage of drying channels in river networks is also dramatically increasing worldwide, including in Europe. Because shifts from permanent to intermittent flow regimes represent major tipping points for rivers, with often irreversible environmental and societal consequences.
DRYvER aims to collect, analyse and model data from nine DRNs in Europe and South America to create a novel global meta-system approach that incorporates hydrology, socio-economics, ecology and biogeochemistry in order to craft strategies, tools and recommendations for adaptive management of river networks. Working in collaboration with resource managers and citizens, the DRYvER team plans to co-develop new strategies to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change on these networks.
The Research Centre for Contemporary Challenges, operating at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Pécs, was established to study contemporary social challenges based on a high-level, interdisciplinary approach. The Research Centre pays particular attention to the application of citizen science in the social sciences and humanities, which opens up new opportunities for community-based knowledge creation that goes beyond traditional research methods.
On December 2-3, 2024, KorKi organised Hungary's first conference dedicated exclusively to citizen science and participatory research methods, entitled "Contemporary Challenges: Citizen Science in the Humanities and Social Sciences," which was held at the University Library and Knowledge Centre of the University of Pécs and was organised in collaboration with the library staff.
If you have a citizen science project that you would like to present here, or if you have questions about how to start your own citizen science project, please contact us.
