Guest post by Sheetal Saujani, Citizen Science Coordinator in the Office for Open Science & Scholarship

At the Creativity in Research and Engagement session during the 2025 Open Science and Scholarship Festival, we invited participants to ask a simple question: what if we looked at research and engagement through the lens of creativity?

Together, we explored how creative approaches can unlock new possibilities across research, public engagement, and community participation. Through talks, discussions, and hands-on activities, we discussed visual thinking, storytelling, and participatory methods – tools that help us rethink how we work and connect with others.

Why creativity?

Whether it’s communicating complex science through visual storytelling, turning data into art, or reimagining who gets to ask the research questions in the first place, creative approaches help break down barriers and make research more inclusive and impactful.

Sketchnoting

We began by learning a new skill – sketchnoting – a quick, visual way of capturing ideas with shapes, symbols, diagrams, and keywords rather than full sentences. It’s not about being artistic; it’s about clarity and connection. As we reminded participants “Anyone can draw!”

Throughout the session, it became clear that creativity isn’t about perfection – it’s about connection, experimentation, and finding new ways to involve and inspire others in our work.

Three UCL speakers then shared how they’ve used creative methods in their research and engagement work.

Angharad Green – Turning genomic data into art

Angharad Green, Senior Research Data Steward at UCL’s Advanced Research Computing Centre, shared her work on the evolution of Streptococcus pneumoniae (the bacteria behind pneumonia and meningitis) using genomic data and experimental evolution.

What made her talk stand out was the way she visualised complex data. Using vibrant Muller plots to track changes in bacterial populations over time, she transformed dense genomic information into something accessible and visually compelling. She also ensured the visuals were accessible to people with colour blindness.

The images were so impactful that they earned a place on the cover of Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. Angharad’s work is a powerful example of how creative design can not only improve research communication and uncover patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed, but also proves that data can double as art and that science can be both rigorous and imaginative.

“As I looked at the Muller plots,” she said, “I started to see other changes I hadn’t noticed – how one mutation would trigger another.”

Katharine Round – Ghost Town and the art of the undirected lens

Katharine Round, a filmmaker and Lecturer in Ethnographic and Documentary Film in UCL’s Department of Anthropology presented Ghost Town, set in the tsunami-struck city of Kamaishi, Japan. Local taxi drivers reported picking up passengers who then vanished – ghosts, perhaps, or expressions of unresolved grief.

Katharine explored memory, myth, and trauma using a unique method: fixed cameras installed inside taxis, with no filmmaker present. This “abandoned camera” approach created a space that felt intimate and undirected, like a moving confessional booth, allowing deeply personal stories to surface.

By simply asking, “Has anything happened to you since the tsunami that you’ve never spoken about?” the project uncovered raw, unstructured truths, stories that traditional interviews might never reach.

Katharine’s work reminds us that storytelling can be an evocative form of research. By using creative, non-linear methods, she uncovered stories that traditional data collection approaches might have missed. Sometimes, the most powerful insights come when the researcher steps back, listens, and lets the story unfold on its own.

Joseph Cook – Co-creation and creativity in Citizen Science

Joseph Cook leads the UCL Citizen Science Academy at the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity.

He shared how the Academy trains and supports community members to become co-researchers in community projects that matter to them, often co-designed with local councils on topics like health, prosperity, and wellbeing.

Joseph shared a range of inspiring creative work:

• Zines made by young citizen scientists in Tower Hamlets, including a research rap and reflections on life in the care system.
• A silk scarf by Aysha Ahmed, filled with symbols of home and belonging drawn from displaced communities in Camden.
• A tea towel capturing community recipes and food memories from Regent’s Park Estate, part of a project on culture and cohesion.
• Creative exhibitions such as The Architecture of Pharmacies, exploring healthcare spaces through the lens of lived experience.

Instead of asking communities to answer predefined questions, the Academy invites people to ask their own, reframing participants as experts in their own lives.

Joseph was joined by Mohammed Rahman, a citizen scientist and care leaver, awarded a UCL Citizen Science Certificate through the Academy’s ActEarly ‘Citizen Science with Care Leavers’ programme. Through his zine and audio documentary, Mohammed shared personal insights on wellbeing, support and independence showing how storytelling deepens understanding and drives change.

From thinking to making

After the talks, participants reflected and got creative. They explored evaluation methods like the “4Ls” (Liked, Learned, Lacked, Longed For) and discussed embedding co-design throughout projects, including evaluation, and why it’s vital to  involve communities from the start.

Participants made badges, sketchnoted their reflections, and took on a “Zine in 15 Minutes” challenge, contributing to a collective zine on creativity and community.

Final reflections

Creativity isn’t an add-on – it’s essential. It helps us ask better questions, involve more people, and communicate in ways that resonate. Methods like sketchnoting, visual metaphors, zine-making, and creative media open research and engagement to a wider range of voices and experiences.

Creative work doesn’t need to be academic papers – it can be a rap, a tea towel, or a short film. Creativity sparks insight, supports co-creation, and builds meaningful connection.

Whether through drawing, storytelling, or simply asking different questions, we must continue making space for creativity – in our projects and institutions.

Find out more

• Sketchnoting for Citizen Science – European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) webinar (YouTube)
• Award-winning journal cover featuring Angharad’s visuals. Questions? Contact: Angharad.green@ucl.ac.uk
• Discover the UCL Citizen Science Academy projects
• Explore citizen scientist zines on Issuu.
• For more on Ghost Town or updates, contact Katharine Round: k.round@ucl.ac.uk

Get involved!

The UCL Office for Open Science and Scholarship invites you to contribute to the open science and scholarship movement. Stay connected for updates, events, and opportunities. Follow us on Bluesky, and join our mailing list to be part of the conversation!

Post by Sheetal Saujani, UCL Citizen Science Coordinator.

Are you passionate about citizen science, or curious about how to involve the public in research projects? Join us on Monday, 9 December, from 10:00-13:00 at UCL’s IAS Common Ground (Room G11, South Wing, UCL Wilkins Building) for a half-day event that will bring together the Citizen Science community at UCL to learn, share, and connect!

This event is a fantastic opportunity for UCL staff and students interested in Citizen Science —whether you’re already engaged in a project or just exploring the field. The event will feature inspiring lightning talks, two hands-on workshops, and a look into a standout citizen science initiative—the UCL Memory Workshop. You’ll gain insights into cutting-edge citizen science practices at UCL and beyond, as well as guidance on skills development, research funding, and collaborative projects.

Our agenda includes:

• Lightning talks: Discover citizen science units, resources, and support across UCL.
• Skills development workshop: Led by Prof. Muki Haklay from UCL ExCiteS, this session will build core competencies in citizen science.
• Interactive workshop: Develop compelling grant applications for citizen science and map out UCL expertise in the field.
• Citizen science project highlight: An introduction to the UCL Memory Workshop, our showcase citizen science initiative. 
• Speed networking session (optional): Meet others passionate about citizen science and grow your professional network.

This event is more than just a chance to learn: it’s designed to connect you with like-minded peers and foster collaborations across departments. Plus, with light refreshments provided, it’s the perfect way to spend a Monday morning in great company!

Please see the Eventbrite page for more information and book your place today!

Don’t miss out on the chance to grow, learn, and become part of a vibrant, diverse community. Register now and help shape the future of citizen science at UCL!

This event is for UCL staff and students only.

Get involved and join the Citizen Science MS Teams Community!

In October 2023, we launched the UCL Citizen Science community on MS Teams, and we want you to be part of it! Whether you’re a student, staff member, or researcher at UCL with a passion for or interest in citizen science, this informal network is your chance to connect and grow. Join a community where you can share knowledge and experiences, exchange ideas, advice, and stories that inspire. It’s more than just a platform—it’s a space for building networks, sparking creativity, and driving citizen science forward.

Become part of the online network today and help shape the future of citizen science!

As we continue celebrating International Open Access Week, following our earlier post on balancing openness and commercialisation, we’re now turning our focus to Citizen Science initiatives. Sheetal Saujani, UCL’s Citizen Science Coordinator, highlights in her article below how community-driven research and open access are shaping the future of knowledge creation, empowering individuals to make meaningful contributions to global challenges.

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Did you know that ordinary citizens are making significant contributions to solving some of the world’s biggest challenges – from climate change to wildlife conservation?

This year’s International Open Access Week continues to focus on the importance of community in scholarly research and open access initiatives.

Definition of citizen science at UCL

UCL supports a broad approach to citizen science, recognising that there are different applications and functions of citizen science in research, whether they are community-driven research projects or global investigations.

Citizen science is characterised as research conducted by the public, often in collaboration with academic institutions, and is a diverse practice involving academic and community researchers from various disciplines.

At its most inclusive and most innovative, citizen science involves ordinary people as partners in the entire research process, including determining research themes, questions, methodologies and means of disseminating results. The involvement of people in participatory research can range from short-term data collection to intensive involvement in the research process, from technical contribution to genuine research, and from open collaboration to co-creation of knowledge.

Citizen science promotes community-driven collaboration over profit-driven research

Citizen science is a model for open access and collective participation in research, ensuring the benefits of knowledge creation are accessible to all.  It embodies community-driven collaboration because it is built on principles of openness, inclusivity, and shared ownership of knowledge. The focus is on addressing real-world problems and empowering communities to take part in research that benefits everyone – not on generating profit for a select few.

Why does open access matter?

Open access refers to the free, unrestricted access to research outputs like journal articles, data, and educational resources. It ensures that research reaches the widest possible audience, and that it can be used and shared easily.

Open access aligns with the values of community engagement and citizen science by making knowledge and data open to the public. This allows people to engage in research without the barriers of paywalls or proprietary information, unlike commercialised research, where data can be restricted for profit.

Citizen science as an open, community-driven approach

Citizen science is a community-driven approach that focuses on problem-solving and knowledge expansion, promoting open collaboration and ownership. Citizen science projects typically share their findings openly. Initiatives like Zooniverse and iNaturalist offer open access to tools, software, and platforms, democratising knowledge. By enabling people to participate in and shape real research based on publicly accessible data, this approach promotes accessibility and inclusivity. It builds trust between researchers and the public, strengthening the quality and impact of research by drawing on collective wisdom and diverse perspectives.

Case studies: open access in citizen science

Below are two examples of successful citizen science projects that embody this week’s theme.

Air quality monitoring by communities: In the Open AQ project, citizens use open-access, low-cost sensors to track air pollution in their neighbourhoods. The data collected is shared freely and openly, allowing communities to act and policymakers to respond. This contrasts with commercial entities that might charge for proprietary pollution data or sensor technology.

Biodiversity conservation: iNaturalist invites people to document plant and animal species in their area. The data is shared freely, benefiting researchers and conservationists worldwide. No one is excluded based on ability to pay or access to commercial tools – everyone has a stake in biodiversity protection.

Challenges and opportunities: advancing with community in mind

Challenges of commercialisation in citizen science do exist: some citizen science platforms are commercialised, locking data behind paywalls or limiting access to paying users. Profit-driven research models hinder knowledge access, distort priorities, exploit participants, and compromise objectivity. To benefit society and produce shared findings, it is important to prioritise the public good and fair access to research.

Promoting open access in citizen science can enhance participation, diversity, and openness. Because citizen science invites participation from all, it offers opportunities for underrepresented communities and developing countries to contribute to and benefit from research. This inclusive model breaks down barriers in commercialised research systems, ensuring marginalised voices are heard and valued in the research process.

We would encourage everyone to support open access movements and citizen science platforms and projects that rank community benefit over profit.

Empowering the public through open access and citizen science

Open access and citizen science align with the theme of “Community over Commercialization” by prioritising collaboration and transparency in research. Open access removes barriers, while citizen science empowers people to participate in research projects. This approach puts the interests of the public first and benefits the wider population.

Looking towards the future, prioritising community-driven approaches in research can lead to more equitable, inclusive, and impactful research. Citizen science and open access work together to resist commercialised research, leading to a more equitable, community-centred approach to research.

As we celebrate International Open Access Week, let’s remember that when we put community at the heart of research, we empower everyone to contribute to the knowledge that shapes our world and makes a lasting impact on society.

Guest post by Sheetal Saujani, Citizen Science Coordinator

Have you thought about including members of the public in your research?  Would you like to connect and collaborate with the community around you? Alternatively, would you like to work with project leaders to answer real-world questions and gather data?

Broadly defined, citizen science is research undertaken by members of the public, often in collaboration with academic or research institutions or similar. Citizen science is a diverse practice involving various forms and aims of collaboration between academic and community researchers and a broad range of disciplines.

What are the great things about Citizen Science?

Working together as part of a community with professionals, citizen scientists can play an important part in genuine discovery, experiments, data collection and analysis. Through citizen science, any one of us can take part in extraordinary research!

We can improve our community whilst at the same time helping to provide answers to some of the big questions about the world we live in.  Whether we participate in projects that measure air quality, monitor damage from storms, or track where our rubbish is going, we can help solve problems and influence a better future for our society.

The Office for Open Science and Scholarship advocates a broad approach to citizen science, so whether you call it citizen science, participatory research, community action, co-production, public engagement, or anything else, we’re all working together to strengthen UCL activities in this area!

What do Citizen Science projects look like?

Take a look at some of the exciting citizen science projects at UCL run by various research groups and departments at UCL. Some of these projects have now been completed.

And below are a few newer ones (this list is not exhaustive):

• Take part in the Big Repair Project!
• Read about the 100 Cyclists Project!
• Learn more about Eyes on Eyes!

Also, if you’re interested, there are many platforms and projects happening outside of UCL (below are just a few):

• Thousands of people across the country take part in the Natural History Museum’s crowdsourced science projects.
• On the SciStarter website you can join and contribute to science through thousands of amazing research projects and events.
• With more than one million volunteers, Zooniverse is one of the biggest citizen science platforms in the UK.
• If you’re interested in Biology, Ecology or Earth Science, check out the citizen science projects run by the National Geographic Society.
• The InSPIRES Open Platform is an online collaborative and crowdsourced database featuring many citizen-led participatory research and innovation projects.
• Patientslikeme is an online platform where patients can share and learn from real-time, outcome-based health data and contribute to the scientific conversation surrounding thousands of diseases.
• The Globe at Night project aims to raise awareness about light pollution and its impacts on communities. You can report your night sky brightness observations daily.

What is UCL doing around Citizen Science?

Our Office is working to raise awareness of citizen science approaches and activities, with the aim of building a support service and a community around citizen science.  The plan is to bring together colleagues who’ve run or are currently running citizen science or participatory research projects to share good practices and experiences with each other and support and encourage others to do the same!

If you are interested in citizen science, we would really like to hear from you, so please get in touch with us via email at openscience@ucl.ac.uk and tell us what you need.