Citizen science can be described as the voluntary participation of non-professional scientists in research and innovation at different stages of the process and at different levels of engagement, from shaping research agendas and policies, to gathering, processing and analysing data, and assessing the outcomes of research. Active engagement with citizens and society has the potential to improve
research and its outcomes and reinforce societal trust in science. It can increase - relevance and effectiveness by ensuring that R&I aligns with needs, expectations and values of society - creativity and quality by enlarging the collective capabilities, the scope of research and the quantity and quality of data - transparency, science literacy and confidence of the public in research.