Social Science Space

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine established a committee of experts to conduct a study on how citizen science projects can be better designed to support science learning. The committee was tasked with identifying and describing existing citizen science, to develop a set of evidence-based principles to guide the design of citizen science projects.

Citizen social science calls on experts and the public to re-evaluate their roles in addressing social problems. Erinma Ochu, a social neuroscientist, elucidates the opportunities on offer when experts let the public in on the business of addressing these pervasive challenges. Real learning comes in the social life of the method – in the practice of listening, trying and often failing to collaborate – trying again and getting into the rhythm of the issue, together.