Editor’s choice
Editor’s choice
Through our established research profile in citizen science, we implement novel approaches around the world that enable citizens to engage in decision-making, from collecting data on biodiversity, to informing policy development and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. We also undertake research to understand who participates in these activities and how we can widen participation.
On this page, you’ll find highlights of our citizen science work, including how citizen science can address food waste, pollution, health and wellbeing, and more.
Other publication / A rapid evidence review of citizen science methods, focusing on how they can be applied to the UK Food Standards Agency priority areas.
Perspective / Volunteers and scientists are increasingly working together to monitor ecosystems and answer scientific questions.
SEI brief / Citizen science approaches have the potential to support the definition, monitoring and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals
Other publication / Citizen science is a rapidly expanding field. These ten principles are presented as a framework to foster excellence.
Journal article / This article provides an overview of key terms used in citizen science drawn from a broad range of practitioners.
Feature / This report by SEI for the UK government explores what makes citizens collect and share their data.
Feature / Discover the results of a study on the motivations for ‘citizen scientists’, who volunteer their time to support scientific research.
Journal article / Using Internet platforms to help parents ask questions they wanted answered by scientific research and to build their confidence in assessing research evidence.
Journal article / Read a review of the literature on why people start and continue participating in citizen science projects and learn how to run successful projects.
Feature / SEI is partnering with local people in the city of Udon Thani in northeast Thailand to find creative ways to improve the urban environment.
Feature / SEI's Initiative on City Health and Wellbeing uses novel approaches to understand how growing cities can impact wellbeing.
Feature / SEI is helping develop legislation on air quality in Nairobi to improve the lives of the city’s most vulnerable people.
Perspective / What does a healthy and liveable city look like? This initiative is working with residents of the Northern Thailand city of Udon Thani to find out.
Journal article / This paper identifies citizen science opportunities to address food waste related SDGs.
Feature / SEI experts organised a brainstorming workshop for people interested in combining food waste research with citizen science approaches.
Journal article / A summary of outcomes and reflections from a citizen food assembly organized in the City of York.
Past event / This workshop will be the first step at setting up the network of combining research in food waste and citizen science.
Feature / SEI Tallinn has created a citizen science programme that can be used by students to study the composition and origin of marine litter.
Feature / Get a glimpse of what it means to live with air pollution in Mukuru informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya.
Project / Access to safe drinking water continues to be a challenge globally. This project uses a participatory approach for technology innovation in Vanuatu.
Journal article / Using citizen science approaches to explore personal exposure to air pollution of selected informal settlement dwellers in Nairobi, Kenya.
Journal article / Five challenges facing citizen science use for detecting early tree health issues.
Project / Delivering Enhanced Biodiversity Information with Adaptive Citizen Science and Intelligent Digital Engagements
Journal article / This article demonstrates how a citizen science project has led to greater understanding of lichen response to air pollution in the UK.
Looking for more? Explore all our content on citizen science.
