Horizon CDT student Nimisha Parashar (2023 cohort) recently attended the 6th European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) Conference in Oulu, Finland from 3–6 March 2026.
ECSA is a biennial conference that brings together people working in citizen science to share research, ideas and practice. This year it was hosted by the University of Oulu and was the first time the event has been held in Finland. The theme, Citizen Science Bridging Centre and Periphery, looked at how citizen science works across different places and contexts, from big cities to more remote regions.
Nimisha presented her work in two panel sessions and also gave a paper presentation. She also ran a workshop called “Games for Good”, looking at how games can be used in citizen science and engagement.
The conference was a chance to share her research with an international audience and get feedback from others working in environmental citizen science. It also provided space to hear about what others in the field are working on and how methods and approaches are developing.
While there, Nimisha also spent time in Oulu for the first time, experiencing the Finnish winter – snow, freezing temperatures and plenty of Finnish coffee to get through it. Despite the cold, she described the conference as very welcoming, with lots of energy and good conversations throughout the week.
The trip was a useful part of her research development and will feed into the next stages of her work.
