The conference provided a diverse platform for dialogue and networking around projects focused on citizen science. The Citizen Science Forum is organized by the German platform mit:forschen and this year was held under the theme "Mit:Wirkung" (With:Impact). Scientists, citizen scientists, and representatives from politics and education were present on stage and in workshops, actively contributing to the discussions.
The OeAD Center for Citizen Science participated with a presentation on the impact of the Sparkling Science funding programs. Under the title “Citizen Science Funding Under the Microscope – Insights from the Sparkling Science Programs”, staff from the OeAD Center for Citizen Science presented the evaluation results of the program and demonstrated how programmatic adjustments in Sparkling Science 2.0 could be positively utilized by current projects.
Another highlight was the OeAD Center for Citizen Science's contribution to a poster from the D-A-CH working group, which was developed together with German and Swiss partner institutions. The focus here was on cross-border collaboration and the exchange of experiences in the field of citizen science.
As part of the accompanying program, the "Knowledge of the Many – Research Award for Citizen Science" was presented. Three researchers were honored for their excellent scientific contributions.
The Citizen Science Forum 2024 once again highlighted the importance of networking and exchange within the citizen science community to foster innovative projects and to intensify the dialogue between science and society across national borders.
