Welcome to the Citizen Science Netherlands newsletter! Another edition with all kinds of interesting news from us, but also from the network. Read below all updates about current projects, new moments for networking and other interesting news!

You can now register for the breakout sessions that will take place on the third Citizen Science Network Day. 

Check out the available sessions and sign up for the ones that interest you!

Would you like to share something in the upcoming CS-NL newsletter? This can now be done easily via a newsletter submission form, in which you can fill in the necessary information to inform us.

The Black Hole Finder project is hosting an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on December 18 at 5:00 PM. During the AMA, the team will be sharing insights online about their search for black holes and their collaboration with citizens. As a participant, you'll have the opportunity to ask the scientists all kinds of questions.

Want to learn more?

As part of the European Citizen Science (ECS) project, a questionnaire has been launched to assist ECS in co-designing an updated version of the European declaration "Our World – Our Goals: Citizen Science for the Sustainable Development Goals." Fill in the questionnaire to share your input.

Involving citizens in science can provide more value for both citizens and scientists with the necessary adjustments. This is stated by the Rathenau Institute in the Dutch report Many hands make more than light work. Research funders, for example, could review the financial and legal frameworks to make it easier for citizens and scientists to participate. 

Want to know more?

On Tuesday, November 12, 5,300 primary school students became real researchers for one day. They contributed to scientific research by Radboud University and Tilburg University on multilingualism in the environment. The project All Schools Gather is organized by the Science Nodes, which are affiliated with Dutch universities. 

Want to know more?

The second international conference on 'citizen science for health' will take place in Zurich, Switzerland on November 6 and 7, 2025. Book it in your calendar and register if you want to receive updates about the conference.

Kirsten Vegt, researcher at Leiden University and the RIVM, is conducting a survey study into perspectives on citizen science. She is specifically interested in how participants in citizen science projects trust (citizen) science and why. 

The research focuses on Dutch citizen scientists who contribute to citizen science projects on issues related to their local environment, such as air or water quality monitoring, noise pollution, environmental chemicals, air pollution and other research on environmental issues.

Do you recognize yourself in the description? Fill in the survey and share the link with others to reach more citizen scientists!

Are you involved in scientific research and would you like to share your experience and also see what can be improved for citizen science initiatives? NWO will investigate internally in 2025 how the conditions and options for subsidies for citizen science projects can become more inclusive and democratic.

They want to do this together with people within, but also especially outside, science. A first meeting is planned in Soest at the beginning of 2025 (February) and they are still looking for participants who do not work at a knowledge organization.

Are you interested or would you like to know more? Send a message to Pam de Sterke (pds@tg.nl)  or @pamdesterke on LinkedIn. Or e-mail Frederike Schmitz (f.schmitz@nwo.nl).

 Article  Sand Flies: a dangerous insect on a changing planet

 Article  Involving citizens in monitoring the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity framework 

 Article  Public engagement in R&I and framework conditions

 Call  ScienceUS open call: adaptation to climate change

 Report  Engaging citizens in experiments with computational analysis of patient stories: From unwarranted reductions to meaningful insights