Citizen Science supports Global Sustainability Goals: NHM Vienna promotes Citizen Science in the context of an international conference
14. October 2020
On October 14 and 15, 2020, a conference on
the significance of Citizen Science for global sustainability goals will be held in Berlin (D) as part of the German EU Council
Presidency 2020. The Natural History Museum Vienna supports these goals as well as the important role of Citizen Science and
is represented by Director General Dr. Katrin Vohland.
In
order to demonstrate and discuss the contribution of Citizen Science to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
the international conference "Knowledge for Change: A decade of Citizen Science (2020-2030) in support of the SDGs" will be
held in Berlin from October 14 to 15, 2020. The conference is an official event of the German EU Council Presidency 2020.
The goal is to make the importance of Citizen Science visible to political actors on the European and national level in order to improve the organizational and financial framework. Citizen Science engagement contributes through data and innovative processes especially to SDGs in the fields of environment, health, food, energy and transport. A declaration calls for the contribution of Citizen Science to be given greater consideration in the EU's new research framework program (Horizon Europe).
Numerous persons and institutions from Austria are participating in the conference, as can be seen from the conference program.
Among them, besides the NHM Vienna Director General, are for example Klement Tockner (FWF and designated Director General of the Research Institute and Natural History Museum Senkenberg/Frankfurt), Christine Urban (Wissenschaftsladen Wien), Barbara Heinisch (SBF Deutsch in Österreich), Eveline Wandl-Vogt (Austrian Academy of Sciences) or Steffen Fritz (IIASA).
The SDGs are a UN-proclaimed goal for the whole world to fight hunger in a sustainable way, to protect health, the environment, culture and social justice. "Activities of citizens who, for example, contribute data and knowledge for scientific projects can significantly support the achievement of the SDGs.
Everyone must be aware that citizens not only contribute data and knowledge, but are also relevant to the implementation of sustainable solutions," says Director General Dr. Katrin Vohland about this project, adding that "one of the goals of the conference is also to evaluate and expand appropriate funding modalities.
Science and society should be able to meet at eye level and exchange information. A prerequisite for this is that science, society and politics open up to each other. The Natural History Museum Vienna as a research museum not only wants to bring the researched information to the outside world, but also wants to integrate the needs and ideas of the population into research. This has already been tested for some time via the Citizen Science Portal on the museum's website. Projects ranging from amphibian and reptile surveys, fossil finds and web techniques to meteorite research benefit and grow through the participation of the population.
In addition to this Citizen Science Portal, NHM Vienna has now also created a physical space - "Deck 50" - where co-research is linked to co-determination and participation is offered in topics that affect the everyday life and local context of those involved. Together with external partners, such as "Österreich forscht", new forms of relationships between research and society are to be worked on there in the future.
"At NHM Vienna, Citizen Science is seen not only as a practice, but also as a science policy discourse that revolves around participation," says Mag. Iris Ott, NHM Vienna museum educator and coordinator of "Deck 50".
In the course of the conference, a declaration will be drafted for adoption on Thursday, which will present the value of Citizen Science in support of sustainability goals and make suggestions for better integration of Citizen Science in research funding.
Further links:
The Conference
Citizen Science-Portal of NHM Vienna
The goal is to make the importance of Citizen Science visible to political actors on the European and national level in order to improve the organizational and financial framework. Citizen Science engagement contributes through data and innovative processes especially to SDGs in the fields of environment, health, food, energy and transport. A declaration calls for the contribution of Citizen Science to be given greater consideration in the EU's new research framework program (Horizon Europe).
Numerous persons and institutions from Austria are participating in the conference, as can be seen from the conference program.
Among them, besides the NHM Vienna Director General, are for example Klement Tockner (FWF and designated Director General of the Research Institute and Natural History Museum Senkenberg/Frankfurt), Christine Urban (Wissenschaftsladen Wien), Barbara Heinisch (SBF Deutsch in Österreich), Eveline Wandl-Vogt (Austrian Academy of Sciences) or Steffen Fritz (IIASA).
The SDGs are a UN-proclaimed goal for the whole world to fight hunger in a sustainable way, to protect health, the environment, culture and social justice. "Activities of citizens who, for example, contribute data and knowledge for scientific projects can significantly support the achievement of the SDGs.
Everyone must be aware that citizens not only contribute data and knowledge, but are also relevant to the implementation of sustainable solutions," says Director General Dr. Katrin Vohland about this project, adding that "one of the goals of the conference is also to evaluate and expand appropriate funding modalities.
Science and society should be able to meet at eye level and exchange information. A prerequisite for this is that science, society and politics open up to each other. The Natural History Museum Vienna as a research museum not only wants to bring the researched information to the outside world, but also wants to integrate the needs and ideas of the population into research. This has already been tested for some time via the Citizen Science Portal on the museum's website. Projects ranging from amphibian and reptile surveys, fossil finds and web techniques to meteorite research benefit and grow through the participation of the population.
In addition to this Citizen Science Portal, NHM Vienna has now also created a physical space - "Deck 50" - where co-research is linked to co-determination and participation is offered in topics that affect the everyday life and local context of those involved. Together with external partners, such as "Österreich forscht", new forms of relationships between research and society are to be worked on there in the future.
"At NHM Vienna, Citizen Science is seen not only as a practice, but also as a science policy discourse that revolves around participation," says Mag. Iris Ott, NHM Vienna museum educator and coordinator of "Deck 50".
In the course of the conference, a declaration will be drafted for adoption on Thursday, which will present the value of Citizen Science in support of sustainability goals and make suggestions for better integration of Citizen Science in research funding.
Further links:
The Conference
Citizen Science-Portal of NHM Vienna
