Citizen Science Ambassador for Slovakia

In some European countries, public involvement in research has become common practice, while elsewhere the scientific and lay publics are just finding their way to participatory methods. Several research projects involving the public have been established in Slovakia in recent years (e.g. listed here: https://otvorenaveda.cvtisr.sk/en-gb/citizen-science-projects-in-slovakia/), but citizen science still does not have the support it deserves given the potential it offers to both science and society. Citizen science fits into the concept of open science, therefore the Contact Office for Open Science of the CSTI SR considers it a natural part of its agenda and strives to raise awareness of these methods in the Slovak academic community (pages on citizen science within the Open Science website, publications and Slovak translations of international resources, webinars, Facebook group Občianska veda na Slovensku/Citizen Science in Slovakia).

Zuzana Stožická applied for the position of Ambassador of Citizen Science for Slovakia in the framework of the international project European Citizen Science and was selected for the period 1. 3. 2024 – 1. 2. 2026.

She aims to promote citizen science in all forms and settings and in relation to all societal actors that can be affected by citizen science – from scientists and educators, to research and educational institutions, government agencies, libraries, museums, galleries, non-governmental organizations, and the general public. She plans to support citizen science initiatives, to bring them information about grant calls and good practices from Europe, to encourage networking of actors of participatory projects implemented in our country and to raise their visibility in the domestic and international context.

Do not hesitate to contact her (via e-mail zuzana.stozicka@cvtisr.sk) if:

• you are interested in citizen science and would like to know more about it,
• if you would like to organise a lecture on citizen science at your institution,
• if you are working on a project that uses participatory methods in research and you would like to make it visible at home or on the European platform EU-citizen.science,
• if you are about to start a new citizen science project, or if you would like to include a participatory research element in an existing project and need advice,
• if you would like to share your experience, teach at your institution about citizen science, or contribute to the development of a training programme that includes this topic,
• contribute to the creation of a Slovak citizen science platform.