PPSR: Workshop on Citizen Science in Agrifood Systems: Exploring the Synergy between Science and Counter-expertise

University Of Hawaii, Honolulu

Investigators

Abstract

All Americans are affected by food safety and quality as well as the sustainability of the agrifood system. Citizen science can improve food and agriculture in multiple ways, from assessing access to nutritious food in low income communities, to monitoring pesticide drift from farms, to responding to health impacts of concentrated animal feeding operations. In citizen science projects, members of the public collaborate with scientific institutions or non-profit organizations to collect data and monitor local conditions that influence sustainability and health in agrifood systems. This workshop establishes a research agenda for citizen science in the agrifood system. The workshop convenes social and natural scientists and non-profit organizations to share their experiences with citizen science on food and agricultural issues. The workshop provides the potential for networking among professional scientists and citizen scientists and has the potential to advance agrifood systems research for broader societal impacts. Discussion focuses on five issues: public participation in research agenda setting; the potential for citizen science to advance holistic analysis of the agrifood system; the influence of gender, race and class on participation in citizen science; citizen science as a form of collective action for social justice and sustainability groups; and the institutional resources necessary to bridge citizen science-generated data and policy change. Participants prepare and circulate short position papers in advance of the workshop. Participants then work intensively in small groups to compare and synthesize their experiences and perspectives, to develop a clear trajectory for future research and policy action in this domain. Social scientists facilitate discussion and identify opportunities for further collaboration, with attention to equity and justice. A keynote address and panel discussion are open to the public and video-recorded for viewing on a public website created to disseminate the outcomes of the workshop. Results are disseminated through a public website that includes the workshop agenda, conference papers, an executive summary of the event, and video of the keynote address. Additionally, the workshop supports publication of an edited volume or special journal issue on the process of translation between agrifood-related scholarly research, citizen science, and public policy.