Open Research Forum: Citizen Science guest post by Oscar Diaz

We are delighted to introduce Oscar Diaz, Education and Operations Manager at Enterprise FabLab. Oscar will be the keynote speaker for our Open Research Forum: "Collaborative Open Research Practices: Building Trust through Citizen Science", on 7-8 April 2025. On Monday, 7 April, Oscar will be launching the bilingual book Spéirscéalta/Stories from the Air. On Tuesday, Oscar will be the keynote speaker at the Forum (10-11.30am), and he will also lead a workshop on growing the Irish Citizen Science Network (12-1pm).

 

Oscar Diaz, an architect and passionate advocate for citizen science, digital fabrication and innovation in Fab Labs, continually contributes to community-driven research and engagement. As a Citizen Science Ambassador for the European Citizen Science (ECS) project, he has led activities such as Mapping Ireland's Citizen Science Landscape survey and organizing the Citizen Science Café during the 2024 European Researchers' Night. These efforts, in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin's Community of Practice, have laid the groundwork for an Irish Citizen Science Network.

Oscar's journey in community engagement began with the Making Sense campaign in Barcelona, tackling urban noise pollution, and his hands-on exploration of the Smart Citizen device during Fab Academy. Inspired by these experiences, he created Sensacitizens, a citizen science campaign implemented in Mérida, Yucatán, and León, Guanajuato, Mexico. This initiative empowered communities through urban IoT infrastructure, public awareness, and the activation of public spaces as hubs for engagement.
 
As a FabLab manager, Oscar combines transdisciplinary research, public engagement and community collaboration to address complex challenges. By leveraging FabLab resources, he empowers communities to prototype, innovate, and contribute to open science. Committed to inclusivity, Oscar ensures equitable participation, co-designing projects that reflect diverse needs and fostering effective science communication.

Open Fabrication as a Catalyst for Citizen Science

By Oscar Diaz – ECSA Ireland Citizen Science Ambassador

What if science weren't just for researchers in labs, but for everyone? Imagine a world where any citizen —students, makers, hobbyists, and activists—could actively contribute to solving real-world challenges. This isn’t just an idea; it’s happening right now through Citizen Science, where communities collect data, analyze problems, and take action.

Smart Citizen Kit being used in bottom-up citizen science projects in Barcelona.

At the same time, Open Fabrication Spaces (OFS)—places like FabLabs, makerspaces, and hackerspaces—are equipping people with the tools and technology to innovate from the ground up. When these two forces combine, they create a movement where science isn’t locked away in institutions, but thrives in the hands of the people.

A Perfect Match: The Power of Open Fabrication and Citizen Science

Picture a neighborhood struggling with air pollution. Residents notice more people getting sick, but official reports are slow or non-existent. Instead of waiting, a group of concerned citizens gathers at their local makerspace. They design and build low-cost air quality sensors, deploy them around their community, and start collecting data. What was once just a suspicion is now backed by evidence, and with that evidence, they push for real change.

This is what happens when Open Fabrication meets Citizen Science—empowering communities with tools to tackle challenges that directly impact their lives.

Both movements share the same core principles:

• Openness – Knowledge, tools, and data should be freely accessible.

• Collaboration – People from all backgrounds work together to solve problems.

• Empowerment – Everyone has the ability to contribute to science and innovation.
  
  

In FabLabs and makerspaces, citizen scientists can take science into their own hands by building DIY scientific tools that are often too expensive or unavailable through traditional means. They can create open-source sensors to monitor pollution, biodiversity, and water quality, generating valuable data for environmental research. 

Prototyping tools at Enterprise FabLab at Creative Spark Dundalk.

Using open-source software, they can analyze real-world data and share their findings globally, fostering collaboration beyond geographic boundaries. These spaces also serve as hubs for innovation, where like-minded individuals come together to co-create solutions for pressing environmental and social challenges, making science more accessible, participatory, and impactful.

Stories of Change: Citizen Science in Action

SAFECAST: When Communities Took Radiation Monitoring Into Their Own Hands

March 11, 2011. A powerful earthquake and tsunami devastated eastern Japan, triggering a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Fear spread quickly, but reliable radiation data was scarce. People didn't know if their homes, schools, or workplaces were safe.

Enter SAFECAST: A global community of makers, engineers, and citizen scientists came together to design and build DIY radiation sensors. Within months, they deployed thousands of devices, generating an independent, real-time map of radiation levels.

Today, SAFECAST is a worldwide movement, proving that when people have the right tools, they don’t just participate in science—they lead it.

SAFECAST generated a map using the citizen sensing actions around Japan.

Making Sense: How Citizens Built Their Own Environmental Sensors

Now imagine walking down your street and wondering, “How clean is the air I’m breathing?” That’s what inspired the Making Sense project (2015-2017). Instead of waiting for government agencies, local communities built affordable open-source sensors to measure air, water, and noise pollution.

Makers, activists, and concerned citizens worked together, using digital fabrication tools to design and produce their own monitoring devices. Armed with data, they confronted policymakers, demanded action, and created lasting change in their cities.

In the specific case of the Plaza del Sol Pilot in Barcelona, citizen science champions were mapping one of the noisiest squares in the city. They collected data to write an evidence-based report of the noise levels, which led to a public intervention to create awareness about the harms caused by noise pollution.

Plaza del Sol mapping workshop from the Making Sense Pilot Campaign in Barcelona.

Both SAFECAST and Making Sense show that science isn’t just something done in high-tech labs—it’s something we can all do.

Bottom-Up Science: How Open Fabrication Spaces Drive Citizen Science

Some citizen science projects start from the top—universities or institutions define the study, and the public simply collects data, creating a one-direction consultation process that can be seen by some as just using the citizen to tick boxes.

In a bottom-up approach, communities don’t just participate; they co-lead the process, bringing everyone on board and using everyone's experiences, skills and knowledge.

Open Fabrication Spaces make this possible by providing:

• Problem Identification – Helping communities define the issues that matter to them.

• Community Engagement – Bringing together diverse perspectives and skills.

• Accessible Tools & Resources – Using open-source hardware, software, and fabrication techniques.

• Co-Creation & Collaboration – Designing solutions together with local stakeholders.

• Impact & Sustainability – Ensuring projects continue beyond their initial phases.

Launch of “The Things Network” local LoRaWAN as part of the SensaCitizens campaign, in Merida, Mexico.

By embracing co-design, co-production, and co-creation, Open Fabrication Spaces put science in the hands of the people—making research more inclusive, practical, and relevant. Whether you’re a maker, an educator, a researcher, or just curious about how technology can drive change, this is your chance to get involved.

Join us to find out more!

To hear more about Oscar's work as the European Citizen Science Ambassador and other citizen science projects at the University of Galway, please register for the Spéirscéalta book launch and the Open Research Forum.

We also have our own MakerSpace in the Library, which is open to staff and students.

If you have any questions, please email Dr. Jen Smith, Open Research Librarian.