
The ScienceUs Stakeholder Advisory Board: Driving Excellence in Citizen Science
Citizen science is transforming the way research is conducted, bridging the gap between professional scientists and engaged communities. To ensure that citizen science initiatives reach their full potential, ScienceUs is establishing a Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB)—a key body that will provide strategic guidance, expert evaluation, and support throughout the project.
What is the Stakeholder Advisory Board?
The ScienceUs Stakeholder Advisory Board is a group of at least 20 prominent representatives from various sectors, including EU projects and quadruple helix actors (academia, industry, public authorities, and civil society). These experts will play a crucial role in ensuring the scientific rigor, accessibility, and impact of citizen science initiatives supported by ScienceUs.
Key Responsibilities of the SAB
The Stakeholder Advisory Board will be instrumental in:
🔹 Guiding Benchmarking Activities – Providing expert insights on best practices in citizen science, ensuring that projects meet high standards of engagement, data quality, impact, and sustainability.
🔹 Evaluating and Selecting the Best Citizen Science Projects – Identifying outstanding initiatives that align with ScienceUs’ mission, ensuring they receive the funding and support needed to scale.
🔹 Supporting the Upscale Academy – Offering strategic advice during the Upscale Academy, a program designed to expand the most promising citizen science projects across different EU regions.
How the Board Will Operate
To keep the process efficient and impactful, the SAB will convene three digital meetings over the course of the project. These sessions will:
✔ Provide expert recommendations on benchmarking metrics
✔ Assess and select top citizen science initiatives for support
✔ Offer guidance on how to scale and sustain impactful projects
The structure of these meetings ensures that SAB members can contribute meaningfully without excessive time commitments, making participation both efficient and rewarding.
Why the SAB Matters for Citizen Science
Citizen science plays an essential role in addressing societal challenges, from environmental sustainability to public health. However, scaling and sustaining these projects requires strong expert oversight and strategic support. The Stakeholder Advisory Board ensures that:
✅ High-impact projects receive the attention and resources they deserve
✅ Best practices in citizen science are continuously refined and applied
✅ Collaboration across sectors drives sustainable innovation and policy integration
By bringing together experts from diverse backgrounds, the SAB will help shape the future of citizen science, making it more effective, accessible, and impactful across Europe.
See here the members of the stakeholder advisory board.

“Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”