Why the Citizen Science Association Changed its Name and Embraced Participatory Science
Woman snorkels on a reef with sea turtle
In January 2024, the U.S. professional association, Citizen Science Association (CSA), changed its name to the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS), and no longer uses the term “citizen science.” Let’s explore why that is and what it means for your work.
What is participatory science?
According to AAPS, “participatory sciences include community science, citizen science, community-based monitoring, volunteer research, and more — research and monitoring efforts that depend on knowledge, insights, or observations from members of the public.” Popular participatory science activities include eBird and iNaturalist. Even NASA has gotten on board. You can find citizen science opportunities on websites like SciStarter and Zooniverse.
Screenshot of eBird sightings map
Screenshot of NASA Citizen Science website landing page
Why did they change the name to the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (AAPS)?
The name change was not spur of the moment. While the change didn’t take effect until 2024, CSA members voted to change the name in spring 2023 and represents a more inclusive view of this kind of work.
Says AAPS, one of the most important changes in this shift is the recognition of the “many ways of doing this work – work that goes by many names,” as indicated by the use of the plural “sciences” in its name.
The organization also recognizes the politically charged interpretation of the word “citizen,” particularly in U.S.-contexts. As I noted in an earlier blog post, “The original term citizen science, coined in the 1990s, has come under criticism for its perceived exclusionary messages. Terms like “citizen” and even “science” can send subliminal messages about who is welcome in this type of work. For that reason, the rise of terms like community science and crowdsourced science attempt to be more inclusive and welcoming to everyone.”
While there are many who have critiques of the term, others have argued for the importance of the term “citizen science” as a part of the global movement. It’s clear many considerations and modes of thought have gone into this decision, and AAPS cites other motivations in its press release here.
New name announcement for the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences
What does this mean for your work?
If you’re involved in work that falls under the participatory science umbrella, take some time to think about the terms you use and the context in which you work. As noted above, for some it might make sense to stick with the term “citizen science” while for others, you may wish to adopt other terminology that better describes your projects in the context in which they sit. You might find that terms like “community science” or “crowdsourced science” not only better describe the work that you do but also align more with your personal values and the values of your organization.
If your work does not fall under the participatory science umbrella, it is still important to be mindful of the conversation around these terms and how they affect your community. STEM is for everyone, and we need to ensure it is inclusive and accessible, especially for those in communities that have been historically underrepresented and undervalued. This shift in terminology is representative of how we all ought to think about our respective fields. As equity, diversity, and accessibility increase, our work becomes deeper, richer, and more equipped to address the challenges of today.
If you’d like to learn more about participatory science, check out their website and consider attending one of many upcoming conference opportunities from AAPS. Also, take a look at our previous blog post that addresses some big questions about citizen science.
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