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ScienceUs Podcast

ScienceUs project

Short episodes, real projects, practical insights. The ScienceUs Podcast explores how researchers and communities across Europe are working together through citizen science to make research more open, collaborative, and impactful. Whether you're a researcher or simply curious about how science works in practice, this podcast offers accessible insights and concrete examples from across Europe. The ScienceUs Podcast is produced as part of the ScienceUs project, a Horizon Europe initiative funded by the European Union.

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  • 4 episodes
  • Avg 23 min
  • English
  • August 20 · 27 min

    #4 Citizen Science in Action: Flow Project

    Small streams often go unnoticed, but they tell us a lot about the health of entire ecosystems. FLOW is a Germany-wide citizen science project that brings together scientists and local communities to monitor the condition of these freshwater systems. Led by the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), the project trains volunteers, schools, and environmental groups to collect data on water quality, biodiversity, habitat structure, and pollution in local streams. In this episode, we speak with Louisa-Marie von Plüskow and Roland Bishof about how FLOW turns citizens into field researchers, fills critical gaps in freshwater data, and helps bring stream conservation closer to the people who live alongside them.

  • July 24 · 25 min

    #3 Citizen Science in Action: The Aurora Project

    Welcome to a new episode of The ScienceUs Podcast, a series that explores how collaboration between citizens and researchers helps tackle real-world challenges. In this episode, we speak with Ana Belén Cristóbal, project manager at the Polytechnic University of Madrid and coordinator of AURORA, a Horizon 2020 citizen science project that empowers communities across Europe to take an active role in the energy transition. Bringing together more than 7,000 citizen scientists, AURORA supports people in adopting sustainable energy practices through a mobile app, community-driven tools, and local initiatives such as solar energy projects. Together, we discuss how citizen science can help transform awareness into action, the role of communities in reducing carbon emissions, and how collaboration between citizens, researchers, and local actors can contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive energy future. Learn more: AURORA: https://www.aurora-h2020.eu/ ScienceUs: scienceus-project.eu The ScienceUs Podcast is part of the ScienceUs project, a Horizon Europe initiative funded by the European Union. ScienceUs supports citizen science projects across Europe, helping communities and researchers collaborate on solutions to climate adaptation challenges. Follow us for more stories and insights from citizen science initiatives across Europe.

  • July 10 · 21 min

    #2 Citizen Science in Action: The Ecovoce project

    Welcome to a new episode of The ScienceUs Podcast, a series that explores how collaboration between citizens and researchers helps tackle real-world challenges. In this episode, we speak with Lucrina Ștefănescu about EcoVoce, a citizen science project in Romania that empowered local communities to document and monitor environmental issues in former mining regions. Using a mobile app and digital mapping tools, residents recorded illegal dumping, water pollution, and other long-standing ecological challenges, transforming everyday observations into valuable data that supports research and environmental action. Together, we discuss how EcoVoce has helped reshape who gets to observe, record, and respond to environmental problems, the role of citizen science in amplifying community voices, and why inclusive participation is essential for more informed environmental decision-making. Learn more: EcoVoce: https://ecovoce.granturi.ubbcluj.ro/en/ ScienceUs: https://scienceus-project.eu/ The ScienceUs Podcast is part of the ScienceUs project, a Horizon Europe initiative funded by the European Union. ScienceUs supports citizen science projects across Europe, helping communities and researchers collaborate on solutions to climate adaptation challenges. Follow us for more stories and insights from citizen science initiatives across Europe.

  • S1 · E1
    June 23 · 21 min

    #1 Citizen Science in Action: The Thermo-staat project

    Welcome to the first episode of The ScienceUs Podcast, a series that explores how collaboration between citizens and researchers helps tackle real-world challenges. In this episode, we speak with Teije Terhost from the Thermo-staat project, an innovative citizen science initiative that engages residents in monitoring heat in their homes. As climate change leads to hotter and more frequent heatwaves, Thermo-staat has helped communities better understand the impact of heat where they live. It has also shown how residents can play an active role in collecting data that helps cities adapt to a changing climate. Together, we discuss the role of citizen science in climate adaptation, the value of community-driven data collection, and how collaboration between citizens and researchers can support informed decision-making and local action. Learn more: Thermo-staat: https://thermo-staat.nl Waag Futurelab: https://waag.org ScienceUs: https://scienceus-project.eu The ScienceUs Podcast is part of the ScienceUs project, a Horizon Europe initiative funded by the European Union. ScienceUs supports citizen science projects across Europe, helping communities and researchers collaborate on solutions to climate adaptation challenges. Follow us for more stories and insights from citizen science initiatives across Europe.

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