OTTERS Project to Host Final Conference: "Waves of Change" at Oeiras Science Festival
Oeiras, Portugal, May 20, 2025 – The EU Mission Ocean OTTERS Project, which aims to scale up citizen science in marine and freshwater governance, will hold its final conference on May 23 and 24, 2025, in Oeiras, Portugal.
The conference, Waves of Change, aims to build bridges between citizen science, education and civic engagement and bring together relevant stakeholders in these fields. The meeting will provide a platform for sharing knowledge, showcasing innovative ideas, and fostering collaboration in citizen science for marine and freshwater stewardship.
“The event will bring together citizen-science practitioners, researchers, public authorities, educators and members of the community to share experiences, exchange ideas, pass recommendations, and highlight the key initiatives and contributions of the OTTERS and related projects’ to the field over the past 30 months,” said OTTERS Coordinator Dr. Garabet Kazanjian, an assistant professor at the American University of Armenia (AUA) and a senior researcher at the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment.
The conference will be hosted by NUCLIO in collaboration with the Oeiras Science Festival, taking place in Taguspark, the Oeiras Valley and the Penguin Random House editorial group. The festival will gather science, technology, and education partners at a large-scale fair.
Attendees can expect a dynamic program encompassing oral presentations, interactive workshops, informative posters, and engaging demonstrations. These sessions will showcase innovative strategies designed to promote citizen science and enhance water literacy, effectively engage communities, build crucial capacity within education, and scale up impactful initiatives for broader reach and sustainability.
In addition, OTTERS will hold a Spring School from the 22nd to the 25th of May 2025 in Oeiras. Running in parallel with the conference, the event will offer participants a unique opportunity to engage with renowned institutions such as the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) and leading experts in the fields of Citizen Science and aquatic sciences.
To follow the plenary sessions at the OTTERS Conference, please register at this link.