Citizen technoscience in Latin America and the Netherlands: Exploring paths for reflection and collaboration

This workshop, orgaized by the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), will provide a platform to connect different parties working in the field of citizen science, technology, frugal innovation and participatory research in Latin America and the Netherlands. 

In different sessions and formats, the workshop aims to bring together researchers, practitioners, policy and funding partners from Latin America, the Netherlands and the EU, to stimulate dialogue and action to boost the sustainable use of accessible technologies by citizens. 

Based on their experiences with citizen (techno)science in Latin America, the Netherlands and EU, participants are invited to: 

• Imagine the potential long-term impacts that citizen technoscience initiatives could have regarding the socioecological crisis
• Identify the main barriers currently facing successful citizen technoscience initiatives to achieve such impacts (social, institutional, infrastructural, epistemological, ethical, economic)
• Probe and outline concrete ways in which such barriers could be overcome, mixing local strategies with international collaborative efforts in research, dissemination of knowledge, institutional support

The focus will be on the use of technologies in the context of ecological degradation, such as soil and water pollution, water shortages and forest fires. Coordinators of citizen science initiatives in Mexico, Costa Rica and Chile will talk about their work. Panels and roundtable discussions with researchers and practitioners of citizen science in the Netherlands, Europe and Latin America will invite reflection on the role of technology in sharing, gathering and using knowledge in citizen science and/or participatory research, and how citizen science and technologies can effectively contribute to knowledge about ecological degradation and human wellbeing, and how to address it. What is needed for long-term impact? What can we learn from each other, and can we find starting points for collaboration?

Adopting a hands-on format, the workshop discussions will culminate in a position or guideline document that could be used as a basis for further discussions with key stakeholders and to establish a working group focused on developing a detailed strategy to help citizen technoscience initiatives in Latin America and the Netherlands to overcome their valleys of death and achieve their aims of socioecological transformation.

The workshop will take place within the Prince Claus Chair on Equity and Development, 2023-2025. It is organized with support from the Prince Claus Chair and Open Science NL (NWO).

Speakers and convenors

• Arturo Hernández Velasco (Civil Association Comunidad y Biodiversidad, Mexico) will present on the monitoring of water quality and fish populations by fishing communities in Mexico;
• María José Molina (AstraCodex & Rally Femenino, Costa Rica) will discuss trainings and events for women in Costa Rica to understand and apply geospatial technologies, including in the development of their own prototypes to use in water and fire management and agriculture and environmental issues;
• Sebastián Ureta (Universidad Católica de Chile & ISS) will reflect on the process of developing and testing of a low-cost and easy to use kit, manual, and participative community workshops to assess soil pollution, including with heavy metals, in areas with mining and/or heavy industrial legacies, in Chile and the US.
• Sarita Albagli, coordinator of the Laboratory for Open Science and Citizen Innovation (CindaLab) & Brazilian Institute of Information in Science  and Technology (IBICT), Brazil
• Peter Knorringa, director International Centre for Frugal Innovation (ICFI), International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam
• Karen Soacha Godoy, founding member of Latin American Network for Participatory Science (RICAP), Institut de Ciéncies del Mar, Spain
• Allan Báez Morales, Director of Programs and Partnerships, Santa Clara University Frugal Innovation Hub, US & Latin American Network for Frugal Innovation
• Maria Alejandra Pineda, Latin American Network for Frugal Innovation & Institución Universitaria Politécnico Grancolombiano, Colombia

The event will be opened by Rosalba Icaza Garza, Deputy Rector of Research Affairs and Professor of Global Politics, Feminisms and Decoloniality, ISS

The workshop convenors/organizers are:

• Mandy Geise, Postdoctoral researcher, ISS 
• Sebastián Ureta, Prince Claus Chair 2023-2025, ISS & Universidad Católica de Chile