Date of publication
Jan 20, 2025
Category:
Practice Insight
Co-creation in citizen science: sharing learnings and good practice from an indoor, airborne microplastics project
by
Ana Margarida Sardo
,
Laura De Vito
,
Kirsty J. Pringle
,
Mark Hansen
,
Kathryn Lamb-Riddell
,
Sophie Laggan
,
Timothy Cox
,
Ben Williams
HOMEs was a citizen science exploratory project, aimed at investigating the presence of airborne microplastics in people's homes. Participants placed passive samplers in their homes, using low-cost microscopes to see and take pictures of their samples. The methods developed are promising, however there are a number of pitfalls to avoid and key considerations. This practice insight explores successful approaches and identifies barriers and limitations when embedding co-creation and participatory citizen science approaches to a research project. This piece focuses on the methods and engagement with participants, rather than on microplastics findings.