The Restart Project, which won the Digital Communities Award in 2023. Image: The Restart Project / Mark Phillips
Submissions for the competition are open until 11 March and winners will be announced in June with an awards ceremony scheduled for early September.
The EU has opened a call for submissions to its flagship citizen science competition that rewards projects engaging the public in science research and innovation.
Known as the European Union Prize for Citizen Science, the annual competition offers prizes worth a total of €100,000, including a €60,000 grand prize and two themed awards worth €20,000 each.
According to the organisers, citizen science involves the active participation of “committed laypeople” in scientific projects that collect, analyse and interpret data, shape the research process and develop research questions.
“By involving the general public in research, scientific results are developed jointly and to the benefit of all participants,” reads the call, which is open for submissions until 11 March.
The two themed awards include the Diversity & Collaboration Award, which honours projects promoting diversified participation and social inclusion and advocate for cultural diversity, and the Digital Communities Award, which recognises the use of digital technologies to educate communities while driving digital transformation in citizen science.
Linz-based Ars Electronica is responsible for organising the Europe-wide competition, which was announced on their website today (10 January).
After all the submissions are reviewed, winners will be announced in June and the official award ceremony will take place during the Ars Electronica Festival from 4-8 September.
Many of the world’s most famous discoveries and breakthroughs have been made by citizen scientists. Professional scientists often rely on and collaborate with lay scientists, particularly when it comes to solving problems.
Citizen scientists in Ireland have been called on to help with projects ranging from red squirrel revivals to air quality monitoring in the past.
Last year, the EU initiated the Citizen Science Prize in the context of the IMPETUS project, which recognises initiatives that promote the collaborative shaping of a positive future.
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