The webinar Citizen Science as a Bridge Between Researchers and Society was held on February 24, 2026. A recording of the webinar (in Serbian) is available here.
The webinar featured three presentations highlighting different approaches to and potentials of citizen science:
Citizen Science and Academic Libraries in Support of Research
Dr. Aleksandra Trtovac and Dr. Nataša Dakić (University Library Svetozar Marković, Belgrade)
The presentation introduced the concept and role of citizen science, its place in the xontext of open science, and the activities of the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA). It also addressed the participation of the University Library in the CeOS_SE project and presented the Roadmap developed within the project. Particular attention was given to active international citizen science platforms, as well as to educational initiatives aimed at librarians in academic and public libraries in Serbia regarding the concept of citizen science and collaboration between researchers and citizens.
Opasulji se: The Methodological Potential of Citizen Science in Population Genetics Research
Dr Mirko Đorđević (Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, Belgrade)
Population genetics research often requires large numbers of samples collected across broad geographical areas, making citizen science not only a means of increasing public scientific literacy, but also a powerful research methodology. The presentation focused on the citizen science project Opasulji se (Bean Yourself) and demonstrated how involving volunteers in the collection of biological material enabled the mapping of the genetic diversity of the common bean plant and the bean weevil that feeds on it at scales previously difficult to achieve due to logistical and financial constraints. Special emphasis was placed on motivating the public to contribute actively to the scientific process through engaged sample collection.
HEROINE: The Potential of Citizen Science Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities
Dr Ivan Đorđević (Institute of Ethnography SASA, Belgrade)
The presentation examined the importance of involving citizens in social sciences and humanities research through the example of the project Heritage of Emancipation: Empowering Roma Women through the Building of Solidarity Networks (HEROINE). Starting from the premise that the production of social knowledge is inseparable from the experiences and practices of the actors themselves, the presentation explored the potential of citizen science to expand the epistemological and methodological frameworks of contemporary research. Particular focus was placed on the development and application of participatory community mapping methodologies, which enabled the articulation of rarely visible narratives of Roma women and contributed to the democratization of knowledge production processes. The presentation concluded by highlighting that the HEROINE project received the 2025 EU Prize for Citizen Science (Grand Prize), selected among more than 400 projects with considerably greater financial and institutional resources, thereby confirming the relevance of citizen science, as well as the humanities, within the contemporary research landscape in Serbia.