Research group

Environmental and Sustainability Participatory Information Systems

Understand, create and implement participatory information systems for decision-making favouring environmental sustainability.

EMBIMOS (EnvironMental and sustainaBility participatory InforMatiOn Systems) is an interdisciplinary research group that focuses on understanding, creating and implementing participatory information systems for decision-making favouring environmental sustainability.

EMBIMOS brings together researchers with extensive experience in citizen science, sustainability, environmental information systems, and the history and communication of science. Group participants bring together disciplines such as biology, electronic and environmental engineering, communication, the history of science, sustainability and environmental modelling. The group members have been part of the consolidation of regional citizen science networks such as the European Citizen Science Network (ECSA) and the Iberoamerican Participatory Science Network (RICAP), and actively support them. .

EMBIMOS comprehensively investigates the development of technological infrastructures for citizen science involving aspects of knowledge management, engagement and social transformation. The group seeks to understand the best ways to empower citizens through the generation and use of data and efficient and timely information, which allows them to be actively involved and contribute to decision-making and the development of public policy.  EMBIMOS develops applied research through projects in citizen science and citizen science observatories.
As a research group, EMBIMOS operates under the principles of open and collaborative science. The group seeks to promote cooperation ties between the different participation hélix such as civil society, non-governmental organizations, academia, industry, and policy makers.

Most relevant information

    Destacats

    Project coordination: MINKE and Cos4Cloud

    Citizen observatories: Minka and Natusfera

    Co-Editors (with Anel·lides Serveis Ambientals Marins) of “Guia participativa marina del Barcelonès”

    Organizers of the participatory activities BioMARató and UrbamarBio

    Publicacions
    • Rodero García, Carlos; Olmedo, Estrella; Bardají, Raúl; Piera, Jaume;
      2021

      New Radiometric Approaches to Compute Underwater Irradiances: Potential Applications for High-Resolution and Citizen Science-Based Water Quality Monitoring Programs

      10.3390/s21165537
    • Orúe-Echevarría, Dorleta; Pelegrí, Josep Lluís; Alonso-González, Iván J.; Benítez Barrios, Verónica; Emelianov, Mikhail; García-Olivares, Antonio; Gasser, Marc; de la Fuente, P.; Herrero, Carmen; Isern-Fontanet, Jordi; Masdeu Navarro, Marta; Peña-Izquierdo, Jesús; Piola, Alberto A.; Ramírez, Sergio; Rosell Fieschi, Miquel; Salvador, Joaquín; Saraceno, Martin; Valla, Daniel; Vallès Casanova, Ignasi Berenguer; Vidal, Montserrat;
      2021

      A view of the Brazil-Malvinas confluence, March 2015

      http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2021.103533
    • Wagenknecht, Katherin; Woods, Tim; García Sanz, Francisco; Gold, Margaret; Bowser, Anne; Rüfenacht, Simone; Ceccaroni, Luigi; Piera, Jaume;
      2021

      EU-Citizen.Science: A Platform for Mainstreaming Citizen Science and Open Science in Europe

      10.1162/dint_a_00085
    • García-Olivares, Antonio; López, Roger Carles;
      2021

      The new environmental and energy challenges and the ecosocial transition

      10.5209/POSO.64877
    • Rodero García, Carlos; Bardají, Raúl; Salvador, Joaquín; Olmedo, Estrella; Piera, Jaume;
      2021

      Water quality monitoring program through the KduSTICK, a low-cost and Do-It-Yourself instrument connected by the Internet of Things

    Projectes
    • ARSINOE - CLIMATE RESILIENT-REGIONS THROUGH SYSTEMIC SOLUTIONS AND INNOVATIONS

      Period: from 2021 to 2025
      Funding entity:
      H2020-LC-GD-2020-2
      Ref.:
      H2020-GD/0874
      Acronym:
      ARSINOE
      Amount awarded:
      572960.00€
      Abstract:

      ARSINOE shapes the pathways to resilience by bringing together Systems Innovation Approach (SIA) and the Climate Innovation Window (CIW), to build an ecosystem for climate change adaptation solutions. ARSINOE applies a three-tier, approach: (a) using SIA it integrates multi-faceted technological, digital, business, governance and environmental aspects with social innovation for the development of adaptation pathways to climate change for specific regions; (b) it links with CIW to form innovation packages by matching innovators with end-users/regions; (c) it fosters the ecosystem sustainability and growth with cross-fertilization and replication across regions and scales, at European level and beyond, using specific business models, exploitation and outreach actions.

    • MINKE - Metrology for Integrated Marine Management and Knowledge-Transfer Network

      Period: from 2021 to 2025
      Funding entity:
      H2020-INFRAIA-2020
      Ref.:
      H2020-INFRA/0804
      Acronym:
      MINKE
      Amount awarded:
      892314.55€
      Web:
      minke.eu
      Abstract:

      Metrology for Integrated Marine Management and Knowledge-Transfer Network -MINKE- will integrate key European marine metrology research infrastructures, to coordinate their use and development and propose an innovative framework of “quality of oceanographic data” for the different European actors in charge of monitoring and managing the marine ecosystems. MINKE proposes a new vision in the design of marine monitoring networks considering two dimensions of data quality, accuracy and completeness, as the driving components of the quality in data acquisition. This new vision will be framed in a quintuple helix model of innovation, incorporating all the elements involved in the monitoring network design.

    • Cos4Cloud - Co-designed Citizen Observatories Services for the EOS-Cloud

      Period: from 2019 to 2023
      Funding entity:
      H2020-INFRAEOSC-2019-1
      Ref.:
      H2020-INFRA/0601
      Acronym:
      COS4CLOUD
      Amount awarded:
      1053248.44€
      Abstract:

      Cos4Cloud is a European Horizon 2020 project to boost citizen science technologies. One of the biggest challenges of citizen science is the quality of data, as well as maintaining the citizen observatories used to collect this data. Cos4Cloud is addressing these challenges by developing ten technological services to improve citizen science platforms, also known as citizen observatories, to help them boost the quantity and the quality of observations and, finally, to help ensure their long-term viability.

    • MONOCLE - Multiscale Observation Networks for Optical monitoring of Coastal waters, Lakes and Estuaries

      Period: from 2018 to 2022
      Funding entity:
      H2020-SC5-2017-OneStageB
      Ref.:
      H2020-CLIMATE/0357
      Acronym:
      MONOCLE
      Amount awarded:
      472710.35€
      Abstract:

      Funded by EU H2020 MONOCLE brings together 12 partners from across Europe to create sustainable in situ observation solutions for Earth Observation (EO) of optical water quality in inland and transitional waters. Developing essential research and technology to lower the cost of acquisition, maintenance, and regular deployment of in situ sensors. The MONOCLE sensor system will establish firm links between operational Earth Observation (EO) and essential environmental monitoring in inland and transitional water bodies. These aquatic ecosystems, which are particularly vulnerable to direct human impacts, represent areas of the weakest performance in current EO capability, despite the major technological advances in recent decades. At the same time, these areas are of great economic importance and are crucial to sustainable food, energy, and clean water supply.

    • PANELFIT - Participatory Approaches to a New Ethical and Legal Framework for ICT

      Period: from 2018 to 2022
      Funding entity:
      H2020-SwafS-2017
      Ref.:
      H2020-SWAFS/0440
      Acronym:
      PANELFIT
      Amount awarded:
      87811.35€
      Abstract:

      PANELFIT will produce a guidelines on the ethical and legal issues (ELI) of information and Communication Technologies (ICT) research and innovation document that will serve as a complete handbook on ethics and law regarding research and innovation activities in the ICT field. It will be produced by a set of initiatives devoted to engaging with concerned scientific, economic, security, and political stakeholders and the involvement of civil society organisations from the very beginning of the project.  Moreover, PANELFIT will produce an outcome - The Code of Conduct for Responsible Research and Innovation - specifically aimed to produce a set of basic ethical standards and guidelines for researchers working in the ICT field that could serve as a day-to-day assessment tool.