There is a scientist in everyone
Citizen science involves ordinary people conducting research together with scientists
What kind of mosquitoes are found in Germany? Where do hedgehogs live in Berlin? In the Citizen Science project, answers to these questions are found not by professional researchers, but by the joint efforts of ordinary citizens. The idea is that many people are interested in scientific issues and can make major contributions – for example, by collecting data on insects or plants. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) supports the website “Bürger schaffen Wissen”, which was launched in April 2014. It presents citizen-science projects and establishes contacts between amateurs and professionals. Johannes Vogel is promoting the idea. He is director of Berlin’s Natural History Museum, which runs the website jointly with an initiative called “Wissenschaft im Dialog” (Science in Dialogue). The first initiative involving “citizen-scientists” was set up in the USA in 1900. This concept is popular today thanks to the range of opportunities for digital participation worldwide.
