To overcome the gap between scientists and citizens, an increasing number of scientists teams up with citizens in so-called citizen science projects, such as the ‘WTimpact’ project. One aim of WTimpact is to investigate questions relating to natural sciences. For instance, the sub-project ‘Fledermausforscher in Berlin’ asks which bat species occur where in Berlin and how their occurrence is affected by factors such as artificial light at night, canopy cover, and impervious surfaces. Other sub-projects investigate terrestrial wildlife and air pollution in urban habitats. The second main aim of WTimpact is to find out how citizen science projects can be improved such that participating citizens benefit the most and gain knowledge.

Funding source: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

Leibniz IZW team: 

Anke Schumann (WTT)

Julia Lorenz (Dept EvolEcol)

Robert Hagen (Dept EcolDyn)

Konstantin Börner (Dept EcolDyn)

Sophia Kimmig (Dept EcolDyn)

Prof. Dr. Stephanie Kramer-Schadt (Dept EcolDyn)

PD Dr. Christian C. Voigt (Dept EvolEcol)

Dr. Sylvia Ortmann (Dept EvolEcol)

Prof. Dr. Heribert Hofer (Leibniz IZW)

Dr. Kathleen Röllig (WTT)

Dr. Miriam Brandt (WTT)

Consortium partners: 

Leibniz Institute for Troposhperic Research (TROPOS) in Leipzig,

Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Research (IPN) in Kiel,

Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) in Tübingen