Citizen Science

Citizen Science

Citizen science refers to research approaches in which citizens actively participate in the scientific process. They may, for example, help develop research questions, collect and analyse data, or discuss and communicate research findings. In this way, citizen science generates new scientific knowledge while also making science more accessible and tangible. Participants become familiar with scientific methods and engage closely with the topics they investigate themselves.

Ecologic Institute develops and supports citizen science projects, particularly on environmental and sustainability issues. We combine research from the natural and social sciences with education, participation and science communication. We develop methods and materials for data collection, support participants in carrying out research activities, and create opportunities for exchange between science and society. A particular focus is on engaging young people: through the Plastic Pirates initiative, for example, school classes and youth groups investigate plastic pollution in rivers and coastal areas, making a direct contribution to environmental research.

We also explore how citizen science can be designed effectively and what impact participation has on those involved. At the same time, we make the resulting findings accessible to the scientific community, society and policymakers, and translate them into concrete recommendations for policy and society.

Contact

Related Topics

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Cities

Plastics

Citizen Science

Mandy Hinzmann
Senior Fellow

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Plastics

International Cooperation

Evaluation

Education

Governance

Cities

Citizen Science

Doris Knoblauch
Director, Resources Programme

Cities

Nature-based Solutions + Green Infrastructure

Climate

Education

Plastics

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Citizen Science

Linda Mederake
Coordinator Plastics
Fellow
Selected Projects for Citizen Science
ProjectHorizon EuropeSustainable and Ecosystem-based Approach For Fisheries through the Utilization of Technology to Uphold Resilient Environments
 

Photo by Jordan Allen Walters on Unsplash

Horizon Europe project, SEA4FUTURE (Sustainable and Ecosystem-based Approach for Fisheries through the Utilization of Technology to Uphold Resilient Environments), is dedicated to catalyzing a blue transformation of the Mediterranean seafood sector. The project... Read more

Sustainable and Ecosystem-based Approach For Fisheries through the Utilization of Technology to Uphold Resilient Environments

Duration
-
Funding
ProjectPlastic Pirates – German coast
 

© Ecologic Institut & Kieler Forschungswerkstatt, 2026

Since 2016, young people have been successfully researching and mapping plastic pollution in and around rivers in Germany. As part of the citizen research project Plastic Pirates, they take on the role of scientists and investigate the state of our rivers. More than 1... Read more

Plastic Pirates – German coast

Duration
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Funding
ProjectTackling Plastic Pollution on Albania's Coastline: A Mission Ocean Initiative
 

Plastic bottles on coastline in Albania

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© Hannes Schritt

As part of the EU Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters", the project EUMission4WaterPollution is receiving technical support through the programme "Studies to Support Communities of Actors to Achieve the EU Mission", coordinated by the European Climate, Infrastructure... Read more

Tackling Plastic Pollution on Albania's Coastline: A Mission Ocean Initiative

Duration
-
Funding
ProjectThe Plastic Pirates Go to the Danube
 

Ivan Radic, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The Plastic Pirates start a new small project in the autumn of 2024. The new focus this time: the river system of the Danube! The second-longest river of Europe, stretching over 2.850 kilometers, starts in the Black Forrest, and flows through a total of 10 countries... Read more

The Plastic Pirates Go to the Danube

Duration
-
Funding
German Aerospace Center, DLR Bonn (DLR), Germany
ProjectReduction of Food Waste in Private Households in Germany
 

© Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture

Citizen Science Project "Deutschland rettet Lebensmittel"Most food waste is generated in private households. The project team of the Dialogue Forum "Private Households" is therefore conducting a Citizen Science project together with Zu gut für die Tonne! investigating... Read more

Reduction of Food Waste in Private Households in Germany

Duration
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Funding
ProjectPlastic Pirates – Go Europe! – German campaign
 
© BMBF/Plastic Pirates – Go Europe!
A torn plastic bag on the riverbank or a yoghurt cup floating in the water are symptoms of serious interference with the highly complex system of seas, the ocean and flowing waterways. The Plastic Pirates – Go Europe! project focuses on this plastic waste problem and... Read more

Plastic Pirates – Go Europe! – German campaign

Duration
-
Funding
All projects on Citizen Science
Selected Publications for Citizen Science
PublicationArticlePublic Participation in EU Legislation?
 

Photo: Ecologic Institute, 2025

Anthropogenic litter poses a growing threat to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. While the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) addresses this pollution as an environmental status indicator, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) lacks such a measure. The... Read more

Schönberg, J., Böhm-Beck, M., Trdan, S., Grego, M., Knoblauch, D., Hinzmann, M., Dittmann, S., Knickmeier, K., Robic, U., Thiel, M., Kiessling, T. (2025). Recommendations for Involving Citizen Scientists in Anthropogenic Litter Research Within the Water Framework Directive. In: Auqatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 25:e70192.

PublicationArticleTemporal Variability of Litter Pollution of Rivers in Germany
 
Cover of a research article from the Marine Pollution Bulletin. The title reads "Temporal variability of litter pollution of rivers in Germany – A long-term assessment by schoolchildren as citizen scientists." The article lists multiple authors and affiliations, and the abstract discusses the study's findings on river litter dynamics. Visible sections include the abstract and the introduction.

© 2024 Elsevier 

Understanding litter dynamics on riversides is challenging due to the need for extensive data. A seven-year citizen science study with schoolchildren showed no major changes in litter density, composition, and sources on German riversides. The study, to which Mandy... Read more

Dittmann, Sinja et al. (2024). Temporal variability of litter pollution of rivers in Germany – A long-term assessment by schoolchildren as citizen scientists, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 209, Part B, December 2024, 117253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.117253

PublicationArticleWhat Potential Does the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive Have for Reducing Plastic Pollution at Coastlines and Riversides?
 
Hinzmann Mederake EU single use plastics directive article

© 2023 Elsevier

To address plastic pollution, the European Union adopted the so called "Single-Use Plastics Directive" (SUPD), which bans several single-use plastic products and introduces measures such as extended producer responsibility and obligatory requirements for product... Read more

Kiessling, Tim et al. 2023: What potential does the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive have for reducing plastic pollution at coastlines and riversides? An evaluation based on citizen science data. Waste Management 164 (2023).106-118.

PublicationArticleSharing Communication Insights of the Citizen Science Program Plastic Pirates
 
First page of the community case study "Sharing communication insights of the citizen science program Plastic Pirates—best practices from 7 years of engaging schoolchildren and teachers in plastic pollution research"

© 2023 Frontiers Media

Citizen science initiatives are characterized by the fact that they involve the general public in the research process. This allows for innovative scientific studies and makes science accessible to citizens. For the success of such initiatives, it is essential to... Read more

Dittmann S, Kiessling T, Mederake L, Hinzmann M, Knoblauch D, Böhm-Beck M, Knickmeier K and Thiel M (2023), Sharing communication insights of the citizen science program Plastic Pirates—best practices from 7 years of engaging schoolchildren and teachers in plastic pollution research. Front. Environ. Sci. 11:1233103. doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2023.1233103

PublicationArticleWissenschaft zum Mitforschen: jugendliche Plastikpiraten untersuchen die Müllverschmutzung europäischer Fließgewässer
 

Microplastics from the Laucha (Elbe river system)

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© Kieler Forschungswerkstatt

How much and what kind of waste is found on European riverbanks? Are microplastics floating in our river towards the open sea? What measures could reduce the presence of single-use plastic items in the environment? These are just some of the questions that young people... Read more

Mederake, Linda; Dittmann, Sinja; Kiessling, Tim (2021): Wissenschaft zum Mitforschen: jugendliche Plastikpiraten untersuchen die Müllverschmutzung europäischer Fließgewässer. In: Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft 3/21:135-137.

PublicationArticlePlastikpiraten erforschen die Müllverschmutzung von deutschen Flüssen
 

Young people from the vacation program of the Förde Volkshochschule Kiel emptying the sampling net.

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© Kieler Forschungswerkstatt

The "Plastic Pirates" are a citizen science project to research litter pollution in German rivers. Throughout Germany, young people are integrated into the scientific research process by collecting data on litter pollution at rivers. The data is then analyzed by... Read more

Dittmann, Sinja; Mederake, Linda; Kiessling, Tim (2021): Die Plastikpiraten – Ein Citizen Science-Projekt zur Erforschung der Müllverschmutzung von deutschen Flüssen. In: Wasser und Abfall 23(5): 26-30.

All publications on Citizen Science
Selected Events for Citizen Science
EventDigital Event5th EU Blue Parks Community Workshop
 

Photo: Canva.com, Banner: European Commission, 2025

On 19 November 2025, the EU Blue Parks Community under Mission Ocean & Waters hosted its 5th workshop "Achieving Mission Ocean and Waters Protection Targets: Showcasing the EU Blue Parks Projects." The virtual event gathered around 100 stakeholders from public... Read more

Digital Event:5th EU Blue Parks Community Workshop

Date
Location
online
EventWorkshopPlastic Pirates – Go Europe!
 
© BMBF/Plastic Pirates – Go Europe!
The campaign in spring 2022 was a huge success: more than 3,000 young people carried out sampling in and along German rivers and mapped litter findings. They collected extensive data on water pollution at 173 locations. Now the time has come again: from 15 September to... Read more

Workshop:Plastic Pirates – Go Europe!

Date
-
Location
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain
EventDigital EventReaching Out to a Wide Target Group for Food Waste Reduction Measures
 
Screenshot of the participants and their tool to reduce food waste

Ecologic Institute

On 31 May 2022, more than 90 actors dealing with food waste reduction in Germany met for an exchange on how to upscale their target audience and reach out to diverse groups of people. The online event was part of the Dialogue Forum "Private Households" that is part of... Read more

Digital Event:Reaching Out to a Wide Target Group for Food Waste Reduction Measures

Date
Location
online
EventDigital EventIncreasing Impact for Food Waste Reduction Measures
 
Screenshot of the participants and their pledges to reduce food waste

The participant's collection of pledges to prevent food waste

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Ecologic Institute

On the 25 November 2021, more than 70 actors dealing with food waste reduction in Germany met for an exchange on how to plan and implement measures that create an impact. The event was part of the so-called dialogue forum "Private Households" that is part of the German... Read more

Digital Event:Increasing Impact for Food Waste Reduction Measures

Date
Location
online
EventWorkshopPlastic Pirates – The Sea Starts Here!
 
© BMBF
Due to the success of the citizen science campaign "Plastic Pirates" in the years 2016, 2017 and 2018, the youth campaign has been extended again as part of the research focus "Plastics in the Environment", which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education... Read more

Workshop:Plastic Pirates – The Sea Starts Here!

Date
-
Location
several places, Germany
EventDigital EventSustainable Environmental Education in Schools: Plastic waste in German rivers – the "Plastic Pirates" campaign
 
How does plastic litter end up in the sea? How much microplastic does our shower scrub contain? Where exactly is the plastic waste in the ocean? What do our rivers have to do with it? And how can I, as an individual living far away from the coast, participate in real... Read more

Digital Event:Sustainable Environmental Education in Schools: Plastic waste in German rivers – the "Plastic Pirates" campaign

Date
Location
Berlin and Kiel, Germany
EventWorkshopPlastic Pirates – The Sea Begins Here!
 
| © BMBF/Wissenschaftsjahr 2016*17
Initially developed for the Science Year 2016/*17 – Seas and Oceans of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the funding for the youth campaign "Plastic Pirates" has been extended as part of the BMBF's research focus "Plastic in the Environment".... Read more

Workshop:Plastic Pirates – The Sea Begins Here!

Date
-
Location
several places, Germany
All events on Citizen Science
Selected Presentations for Citizen Science
PresentationPanel discussionPlastic Pirates at ECSA 2026
 

Doris Knoblauch presents research findings on the perception of environmental responsibility at the ECSA Conference 2026.

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© Ecologic Institute, 2026

Doris Knoblauch from Ecologic Institute presented recent work from the Plastic Pirates – German Coast citizen science project at the 2026 conference of the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) in Oulu (Finland). The conference brought together around 650... Read more

Panel discussion:Plastic Pirates at ECSA 2026

Date
-
Location
Oulu, Finland
PresentationSpeechBringing Science, Policy and Fishers Together for Sustainable Fisheries
 

© Ecologic Institute, 2026

On 19 June 2026, the Italian National Research Council hosted a workshop in Mazara del Vallo in Western Sicily, bringing together fishers, policymakers, and researchers to discuss "Strengthening the Resilience of Marine Ecosystems through Innovative Technologies and... Read more

Speech:Bringing Science, Policy and Fishers Together for Sustainable Fisheries

Date
Location
Mazara del Vallo, Italy
PresentationSpeechReflection on Collected Waste Data from Coastal Areas in the Citizen Science Project "Plastic Pirates"
 

© Ecologic Institute, 2025

During the first day of the PartWiss 2025 conference, Doris Knoblauch delivered a presentation on the Europe-wide citizen science project 'Plastic Pirates – Go Europe' as part of the 'Participatory Approaches to Shaping the Science-Policy Interface' thematic session... Read more

Speech:Reflection on Collected Waste Data from Coastal Areas in the Citizen Science Project "Plastic Pirates"

Date
Location
Leipzig, Germany
PresentationSpeechCommunication is Key – Best practises from seven years of engaging schoolchildren in plastic pollution research
 

© Ecologic Institute 2024

On 4 April 2024, Mandy Hinzmann presented communication insights and best practices of the citizen science program "Plastic Pirates" at the European Citizen Science Conference in Vienna. The presentation highlighted that effective communication strategies are crucial... Read more

Speech:Communication is Key – Best practises from seven years of engaging schoolchildren in plastic pollution research

Date
Location
Vienna, Austria
All presentations on Citizen Science