On 17 November 2022, Abby Onencan, researcher in Environmental Crime at Erasmus School of Law, received the EUR Open and Responsible Science Award for Societal Engagement. In a celebratory round table discussion on 6 February 2023, Onencan showed how she took a bottom-up approach to research design by co-creating a risk evaluation project in a salt-mining community in Western Ukraine. Onencan gave insight in the process that led to this citizen science approach. The local community was informed about the issues, but fundamentally distrusted both government and scientists involved. Onencan took time to understand the community’s concerns and then facilitated their taking charge of the research: data collection, analysis, and follow-up. By linking the research set-up to the interests and concerns of the community, the implementation of the project was very smooth.
After the presentation, discussion started with questions by Sanne Taekema and a comment by Alessandra Arcuri on how this approach compared to working with local communities in other contexts. Evert Stamhuis and Elena Kantorowicz-Reznichenko pointed out the contrast with current research design where the research cycle from idea to fieldwork and publication becomes iterative. Marlon Kruizinga, a recent PhD candidate in the AI Maps project inquired about how the knowledge gap was bridged between community members and researchers. From Onencan’s answer it was clear that availability and close contact between experts and community members was crucial to overcome this potential issue. In the discussion, it was clear that the audience recognized this project as a best practice from which we all can learn. An important take away is that the key to success here is engaging with citizens with an open mind and willingness to recognize them as full participants in the design of the research.
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This event was organised by Bora Lushaj, Research Data Steward in collaboration with Sanne Taekema, Open and Responsible Science Ambassador at Erasmus School of Law.
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