Innovative technologies in nature and environmental conservation: How can we address the opportunities and challenges for Citizen Science?
... this is what we aim to answer during the development of the Citizen Science Center for Nature, Sustainability and Digitalization (funded by the German Environmental Foundation: DBU) at the Museum of Natural History Berlin (MFN). Our aim is to create a space for exchange, mobilise existing infrastructures and networks, identify needs and strengthen innovative forces.
Bridging the gaps: Strengthening potentials and innovations
As a center we aim to support Citizen Science projects with links to nature conservation, sustainability and digital innovations.
The Museum für Naturkunde Berlin counts Citizen Science as one of its core competences. We invite active and potential citizen science practitioners to share their experiences and expectations: What role could the Citizen Science Center play to increase the opportunities and face the challenges in Citizen Science? Together with you, we would like to develop the concept for the Citizen Science Centre Nature, Sustainability, Digitalization. We therefore encourage the involvement of representatives from all four stakeholder groups: politics, society, academia, and industry.
Chances and challenges of the current times
Citizen Science can have a direct contribution to the goals of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) and Global Sustainabillity Development (SDGs). As a result, it has already received much attention from policy makers and scientists. At the same time, citizen science can bridge the gap to society and open up science to an open, reflective and inclusive dialogue and discussion about sustainable living on our planet.
However, in our current "era of data" Citizen Science project initiators are facing very special challenges:
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies in Citizen Science (for example in biodiversity and species monitoring) enables us to collect and provide a great amount of data within a short time, which then can be further used for scientific questions. Societal organisations and associations as well as scientists carry great expert knowledge. However, expertise regarding digitalization, AI, and sensor technologies, as well as about how and where to retrieve that expertise, is often lacking. The need for implementation of digital and technological competences within Citizen Science projects is growing and therefore times ask for new, innovative approaches.
Newsticker ... What´s new?
Results of the survey on needs and offers July 2023
The Citizen Science Centre for Nature, Sustainability and Digitalization is to be created for and with the Citizen Science community in nature conservation and environmental protection.
What does the Citizen Science community actually need and want?
Over the past months, we have been working on this question together with you in internal and external discussions, workshops and events.
In dialogue with you and through your responses to the survey, we have now come a good deal closer to finding the answer.
Thank you very much for your participation!
You can now find the results in the following document (language in German):
Newsletter
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Upcoming Events
October 18, 2023
Mediasphere Meetup - Citizen Science trifft auf KMUs (in German)
14:00 - 16:00, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin
Target group: This workshop is aimed at maker, start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises with interfaces to nature and environmental protection and the vision to involve society in the processes.
Registration until October 9, 2023 exclusively by email to: mediasphere@mfn.berlin
What exactly is Citizen Science? And how can you use this research approach for nature conservation and environmental protection? Do you want to learn more about how your own ideas and visions can be connected with Citizen Science?
This time, the Citizen Science Center for Nature, Sustainability and Digitalization is diving into the fascinating world of Citizen Science with Mediasphere for Nature in the familiar Mediasphere Meetup format. In an interactive workshop, we want to find out how science, civil society and business can contribute together to the protection of nature and the environment!
In a hands-on part of the workshop, there will be the opportunity to develop and discuss your own project ideas. Particularly promising ideas will then have the chance to be further developed together with the Citizen Science Center for Nature, Sustainability and Digitalization.
Past events
September 22, 2023
Citizen Science and AI in Nature Protection
In this workshop, the Citizen Science Center for Nature, Sustainability and Digitalization, together with the KI- Ideenwerkstatt für Umweltschutz (ZUG), will explore the questions of what significance Citizen Science has for nature conservation and environmental protection and what role artificial intelligence can play in this.
March 24, 2023
Digitale Mittagspause (digital lunch break) at Bürger schaffen Wissen: "Zukunftsideen: Ein Citizen Science-Zentrum für Natur, Nachhaltigkeit, Digitalisierung" (online)
February 27, 2023
1. Kick-Off Meeting and Workshops for a Citizen Science Center at the Museum of Natural History Berlin