The Backbone of Participatory Science: Reframing Citizen Observatories as Research Infrastructures

Karen Soacha-Godoy (), Alexandre López-Borrull, Fermín Serrano and Jaume Piera
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Karen Soacha-Godoy: EMBIMOS Research Group, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Alexandre López-Borrull: Information and Communication Sciences Department, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), 08018 Barcelona, Spain
Fermín Serrano: Ciencia Ciudadana, Fundación Ibercivis, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Jaume Piera: EMBIMOS Research Group, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), 08003 Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: Citizen observatories (COs) have emerged as essential research infrastructures for participatory science, supporting data collection and community engagement. They enable communities to monitor their environments, actively track indicators aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and contribute valuable data to scientific research and evidence-based, informed policy-making. Despite their growing importance, COs remain conceptually fluid, with varying interpretations across disciplines and contexts. This paper examines the evolution of COs from their origins in the early 2010s to their current multifaceted roles, revealing three key dimensions: descriptively as socio-technical systems, instrumentally as research infrastructures, and normatively as advanced participatory science initiatives. We specifically highlight the critical role of COs as research infrastructures and propose a set of essential functions and characteristics. These functions range from providing technical capabilities for data collection and quality assurance to social dimensions, including community building and governance frameworks. Additionally, our analysis identifies two operational models: tailored COs designed for specific projects and open COs supporting multiple initiatives. Reframing COs as research infrastructures rather than isolated initiatives emphasizes the need for long-term institutional support, shared services, and coordinated policies to ensure their sustainability and maximize their contribution to both scientific knowledge and public participation, ultimately strengthening the foundations of participatory science.

Keywords: research infrastructures; citizen science platforms; socio-technical systems; participatory sciences; environmental monitoring; open science (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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