Accepted Poster
Poster Short Abstract
The Citizen Science Scan maps Belgian citizen science projects (2023 & 2025) using a relatively low-effort, replicable method. This poster shares results, key trends, insights and a method easily transferable to other regions to map and support citizen science.
Poster Abstract
In 2023, Scivil conducted Belgium’s first comprehensive inventory of citizen science initiatives, analyzing 150 active projects across diverse domains. The Citizen Science Scan revealed a vibrant ecosystem, with biology and biodiversity (35%), archaeology and history (25%), and climate and environment (22%) as the most represented themes. The study highlighted the diversity of project initiators—including government bodies, non-profits, and academic institutions—and the widespread involvement of schools and local communities.
To monitor trends and developments, the inventory was repeated in the summer of 2025, in collaboration with UC Louvain. This poster presents preliminary results from the 2025 scan and offers a comparative analysis with the 2023 data. Key insights include shifts in thematic focus, participation patterns, and organizational involvement.
The inventory was conducted using a method which can be easily implemented in other regions or countries: combining web search engine queries with targeted exploration of citizen science platforms and social media. This approach proved to be a valuable and replicable tool for mapping the prevalence and diversity of citizen science, and for fostering dialogue on its role in society. By sharing our findings and methodology, we aim to support similar efforts in other regions and contribute to the strategic development of citizen science ecosystems.
Poster Session