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"Les encadrants des projets de sciences participatives doivent montrer aux chercheurs et ingénieurs académiques qu’ils ont les compétences pour garantir un travail scientifique rigoureux. Sur le papier, ils ont souvent le même niveau de qualification qu’eux et auraient très bien pu être recrutés dans un labo. Mais ce qui fait la différence, c’est leur capacité à aller plus loin : à embarquer les participants dans la recherche, à structurer la collecte de données et à s’assurer que ces données soient d’une qualité suffisante pour être réellement exploitables."
| "Ça dépend aussi des personnes qui sont impliquées et qui doivent proposer des projets. Il y a des domaines dans lesquels il y a des potentiels de développement." |
1. Concretely, what is a Participatory Research Program/Project?
A participatory research program is a long-term scientific initiative that aims to answer a research question or explore a specific issue by directly involving citizens in all stages of the scientific process: from formulating problems and research questions, to collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. (e.g.: how do the populations of a species evolve in the face of climate change?).
These problems or questions can be very diverse in nature: (e.g.: what are the interactions between a river and the species that depend on it?).
Understanding a natural phenomenon (e.g.: how to reduce plastic pollution in a coastal area?).
Acquiring knowledge about a territory or ecosystem (e.g.: evaluating the effectiveness of new soil restoration techniques).
Searching for solutions to a concrete problem (e.g.: designing open-source measuring sensors, testing the use of drones to map marine habitats, developing collaborative data analysis algorithms from participatory science).
Testing and improving tools or methodologies
Participatory research projects require long-term monitoring, involving repeated observations, varied experiments, and progressive data collection to obtain usable and robust results.
In most cases and most of the time, answering these questions cannot be done in a single step!
| This is why these programs are generally organized as a set of "successive or complementary operations", each adding a building block to the construction of scientific knowledge and thus advancing toward the research objectives of the Program Each operation thus constitutes an essential building block that supports the overall objectives of the research program by gradually contributing to the construction of shared knowledge, and thus to the defined scientific goals. |
2. The need to divide research into different "operations" adapted to participants
To enable the involvement of diverse audiences (e.g.: adults, children, families, schools, businesses…), participatory research programs must be necessarily structured into operations that are accessible, understandable, and adapted to the skills, availability, and interests of participants. which may take the form of immersive scientific trips, thematic stays, one-off workshops, school-based projects, or regular monitoring by citizens...
These operations can notably vary according to: participants may include children, teenagers, adults, families, school groups, students, amateur researchers, committed companies, or retirees wishing to get involved in a scientific project.
Format: some operations are, for example, recurring (e.g.: seasonal monitoring of a species), while others are one-off (e.g.: participatory science campaign during an event). Their frequency may vary depending on the needs of the program and the availability of participants.
Audience: organization must take into account, among other things, the accessibility of study sites, availability of infrastructure, necessary equipment, weather conditions, or collaboration with local stakeholders...
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Unlike a one-off operation, a participatory research program is structured and sustainable. It is based on rigorous methodology and close collaboration with researchers and academic institutions, which ensure scientific coherence and the validity of collected data. Its organization relies on a balance between scientific rigor, citizen involvement, activity sustainability, and alignment with societal and environmental challenges.
Planning and logistics:
| For more information, see the module on "THE COMPONENTS OF A PARTICIPATORY SCIENCE OPERATION" Its implementation and sustainability thus require a strategic approach that articulates scientific rigor, participant engagement, and operational viability. Several factors are key to ensuring the continuity and impact of a participatory research program. |
and see the module on "THE ORGANIZATION OF AN OPERATION WITHIN A PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH PROGRAM"
A participatory research program is not a fixed initiative, but an evolving dynamic, where each operation contributes to progressively building a collective and collaborative scientific response. A participatory research project must be designed to last, with stable structuring and rigorous methodology. However, to guarantee long-term participant involvement and avoid burnout, maintaining their engagement is essential. This can involve progressive adjustments: diversifying participation modes, renewing pedagogical approaches, integrating innovative tools… These evolutions must always serve the scientific objectives and the quality of the data produced.
3. And the need to integrate and sustain this Participatory Research Program
The success of a participatory research project relies on close collaboration with researchers and academic institutions. It is not just about recognizing citizen contributions but building a relationship of trust and co-construction with scientists. This involves developing rigorous protocols, training participants in data collection, and promoting the integration of results into publications and research work. A key issue is ensuring that data collected by participants is considered reliable and usable by the scientific community.
The organization of a long-term participatory research project does not end with its initial design! Successful participation is not limited to collecting samples or observations. To strengthen engagement and value citizens’ work, it is essential that they also contribute to analyses, reflections, and the dissemination of results. This can take the form of public feedback, popular science publications, or local actions inspired by scientific findings.
Implementing a long-term participatory research project involves several challenges: To ensure its development and sustainability, a participatory research program must be visible, attractive, and accessible. An effective communication strategy allows reaching a broad audience, retaining participants, and attracting new institutional and financial partners. Adapting media and communication channels to different target audiences is essential to ensure continued mobilization and project recognition.
Embedding the program within the scientific community: This participatory dimension enriches research by opening new perspectives and fostering a dialogue between science and society.
When well-structured, a participatory research program can thus produce robust and usable results while generating impact far beyond the academic field: by raising awareness, educating, and creating connections between the various stakeholders involved.
| In the end, we believe that a well-designed participatory research program can become a true lever for scientific and social innovation: by combining research, education, and concrete action to address contemporary challenges. Encouraging participant involvement beyond data collection: |
Optimizing communication and mobilization:
Its ambition must be at least equivalent to that of an academic research unit, with clear objectives in terms of contributing to knowledge advancement, innovation, and addressing major environmental and societal challenges.
However, the specific nature of a participatory research program lies in the active involvement of citizens, who are by no means mere data collectors, but true engaged actors in the scientific process.
It is not only about producing knowledge but also about fostering a collective appropriation of scientific issues, and embedding research in a dynamic of sustainable transformation, in the service of societies and territories.
Some Questions/Answers with the partner "Objectif Sciences International"
● How are research projects selected at OSI?
Projects are selected based on their alignment with OSI’s sustainable development values, but above all on their participatory dimension, meaning the way in which participants can engage in the project. Projects are reviewed by a management committee.
● Can projects be initiated by people other than scientists?
Yes, projects can be initiated by educators, pedagogues, or even participants based on their observations or ideas. The important thing is that the project fits within a participatory dimension.
● How is collaboration between scientists and pedagogues organized in setting up a project?
A participatory research program is never static: it constantly evolves to adapt to scientific challenges, participant expectations, and collaborative dynamics among stakeholders. Several core principles structure and guide this evolution, ensuring the quality and sustainability of projects.
There is collaborative work between scientists who bring their subject matter expertise and pedagogues who think about how to make the project accessible to participants. Strategic committees bring these actors together to advance project planning.
The participatory aspect is central to OSI’s research projects. Projects must be designed from the outset to enable participant involvement at every stage. This is a key criterion for project selection.
● Is OSI more focused on developing new programs or stabilizing existing activities?
Setting up a participatory research project requires collaboration among various actors: scientists, pedagogues, logisticians, etc. Bodies such as strategic committees facilitate this collaboration.
There is no strict directive; it is a continuous process of evolution. Existing projects must be able to continue, but new ones are also necessary to meet participant expectations. Some projects may be discontinued if they do not attract enough participants.
Projects must continually adapt to meet the expectations and interests of participants. This is a key factor in their sustainability.
Themes and patterns
Research programs are in a state of ongoing evolution, with new projects emerging, others ending, and continuous adaptation of existing ones.
Participatory dimension
A participatory research program at OSI can be initiated in various ways: by scientists, pedagogues, participants, schools, or the development manager.
Research project selection is based on their alignment with OSI’s values (sustainable development, etc.), participatory dimension, and scientific interest.
A strategic committee regularly brings together the team (scientists, pedagogues, coordinators) to evolve research questions and projects.
Scientists’ trust in data collected by participants is crucial and is built through pilot experiences and collaboration.
OSI seeks a balance between stabilizing existing programs and welcoming promising new projects, depending on opportunities and participant interest.
Multidisciplinary collaboration
| Participatory research programs involve a diversity of actors – researchers, facilitators, participants, institutional partners – each contributing in their own way to the structuring and success of the projects. |
Adaptation to participant expectations
Constant evolution
Some key findings from the partner "Objectif Sciences International"
Quotes
The following quotes illustrate some of the challenges, requirements, and opportunities inherent to these collaborative approaches:
