The OTTERS project organized two training workshops for teachers to integrate citizen science for water quality monitoring in their curricula. These workshops took place in the Lake Sevan basin and at the American University of Armenia (AUA) in Yerevan, with joint sponsorship from the Spanish Embassy in Armenia.
Two experts from The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Dr. Carlos Rodero García and Elisabet Bonfill Molina, were also present to co-lead the organization of the workshops. The workshops were part of one of three OTTERS pilots to increase ocean literacy and promote water stewardship.
Dr. Garabet Kazanjian, assistant professor at the American University of Armenia (AUA), opened the workshop in Gavar by introducing the Mission Ocean OTTERS project and its pilot in Armenia: Spring to Sevan Stewardship. Dr. Kazanjian highlighted upcoming pilot activities planned for schools in the Lake Sevan basin, designed to equip teachers with tools and resources for integrating citizen science into their classrooms.
Bonfill Molina, oceanographer and science communicator at CSIC, introduced the Network of European Blue Schools (NEBS). She detailed the benefits of joining the NEBS network, which currently includes 406 schools across Europe, and showcased platforms, resources, and training opportunities available for teachers.
Bonfill Molina also presented funding opportunities such as ProBleu and BlueLights under the Mission Ocean framework that enable schools to develop projects focused on protecting local water ecosystems and becoming official “blue schools.” Lastly, she covered the MINKA platform, a participatory citizen observatory, and explained how teachers can use it to record environmental data.
In the second half of the workshop, Carlos Rodero, a postdoctoral researcher in marine optics and citizen science, showcased numerous low-cost tools and DIY sensors that can be used for citizen science to measure water quality and biodiversity. Thereafter, the participating teachers took part in a hands-on training activity to test the water quality of samples collected from the nearby Lake Sevan using such toolkits.
The workshop in Gavar engaged 46 teachers from the Gegharkunik region, equipping them with practical tools and knowledge to implement citizen science initiatives in their schools.
Teachers actively participated, asking insightful questions about their roles and opportunities to address environmental challenges by becoming part of the blue school network. By the workshop’s conclusion, participants received certificates of participation.
The workshop in Yerevan brought together 23 teachers and students. In the first half, AUA facilitated a co-design session with the teachers, using SCOT analysis (Strengths, Challenges, Opportunities, Threats) to identify ways to incorporate citizen science into school curricula. During the second half of the session, students designed citizen science campaigns for their schools and communities. The students will develop their ideas further and share them on social media with the hashtag #mycitizenscienceAM. The most promising ideas will be selected to be presented at the OTTERS Spring School and the OTTERS Final Conference.
Lake Sevan is the largest freshwater lake in the Caucasus region. Unfortunately, in the last decades, rapid deterioration of its water quality has resulted in the appearance of harmful algal blooms. The OTTERS Spring to Sevan Stewardship campaign encourages and empowers local schools to adopt nearby rivers within the Lake Sevan Basin and conduct regular water quality measurements with their students.
The monitoring results will then be shared amongst all schools, and students will be encouraged to analyze the results and discuss mitigation actions with their peers, teachers, and communities. These efforts aim to foster agency and build a strong community geared to ensure environmental sustainability, starting with the youth. OTTERS has two other Spring-to-Sea Stewardship pilot campaigns in Italy and Portugal.
These workshops were conducted in collaboration with ProBleu (via CSIC), a sister Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030 project, and co-sponsored by the Spanish Embassy in Armenia.
