Citizen science, though well established in Australia has not yet found wide use in tertiary science education. We offer case studies to illustrate that Citizen Science approaches are slowly being adopted and we highlight the spectrum of experiences in higher education from undergraduate to alumni. Courses that integrate citizen science methods tend to focus on the involvement of students in scientific research. More recently, however, citizen science theories and practice have been explicitly taught, empowering students to bring a critical lens to citizen science approaches in addition to contributing to scientific research. Integrative citizen science approaches can draw together research and teaching in higher education. When combined, these authentic learning experiences provide opportunities for students to practice contemporary science as part of new and emerging research frameworks. This article draws together citizen science initiatives from Australian universities. We discuss the benefits of immersive citizen science projects for learning, the potential of citizen science to connect campuses with community, and the importance of critical approaches to citizen science in a pedagogical setting. We consider ways to shape citizen science in higher education settings to broaden inclusion in science both on and beyond campuses.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a common medical complication of pregnancy, which is associated with increased risk of future diabetes. mHealth (mobile health, in this paper applications abbreviated to apps) can facilitate health modifications to decrease future risks. This study aims to understand mHealth app use and preferences among women with past GDM and healthcare professionals (HCP) in Australia. An explorative cross-sectional online survey was disseminated via social media, a national diabetes registry, and professional networks. Descriptive analyses were conducted on valid responses (women with prior GDM: n = 1475; HCP: n = 75). One third (33%) of women with prior GDM have used health apps, and a further 80% of non-app users were open to using a health app if recommended by their HCP. Over half (53%) of HCPs supported health information delivery via mHealth, although only 14% had recommended a health app to women post-GDM, and lack of knowledge about mHealth apps was common. Health app users reported that they preferred tracking features, while non-users desired credible health and dietary information and plans. Expanding mHealth app use could facilitate healthy behaviours, but endorsement by HCPs is important to women and is still currently lacking.

This commentary explores lessons learned about aspects of citizen science sustainability, such as open data reuse after a project ends or after the urgency of a disaster. It is framed to be consistent with emerging research about how the 2020 pandemic relates to the sustainable development goals (SDGs). It argues for the importance of open data in citizen science, both in platform design and in citizen science outputs, to support sustainability beyond a funding cycle or emergency. This commentary discusses open datasets developed during the Ebola outbreak response in 2014 and the role of collaborative repositories in enabling uses beyond a single project. How citizen scientists can creatively contribute in ways aligned with humanitarian disaster response aims is explored.

This article proposes improvements to an open framework for evaluating participatory science, including projects framed as citizen science. An original proposed framework, while valuable in its comprehensiveness, used problematic language that makes it unworkable in many international contexts. In countries like Australia where Indigenous data sovereignty matters profoundly, language about ‘target groups’ and ‘easing access’ to knowledge can harmfully perpetuate colonial discourses. The original proposed framework is sufficiently useful that it is worth constructively revising, so critique in this article is aimed towards collaborative progression of an open framework more suitable for international use. As well as replacing ‘target groups’ with partnership approaches, we argue that ‘easing access’ to knowledge for exploitation is a frame perpetuating the colonial doctrine of discovery, proposing recovery as an alternative aligned with several international movements for social justice and sustainability.

South Australia is home to one of the world’s largest uranium mines for export, but does not participate in further stages of the nuclear fuel cycle. In 2016, the Government of South Australia held a series of public engagement activities about the possibility of nuclear waste storage in the state. Two citizens’ juries, collectively called the “Nuclear Citizens Jury,” were the centrepiece of the series. This paper investigates jury members’ perspectives on nuclear waste storage and the deliberative process. The Nuclear Citizens Jury was effective as a local deliberation process that offered learning opportunities, gave access to information and made decision-making transparent. However, the process did not result in consensus or consent. Rather, jury members highlighted concerns about the democratic representativeness of the process, Aboriginal and transgenerational consent and unresolved national dimensions. The Nuclear Citizens Jury underscored the need for deliberative processes to consider multiple geographies of law, representation, and consent.

This paper argues that funding decisions about scientific research should be made using participatory budgeting public engagement methods, to support publicly-funded research translation into evidence-based policymaking, given evident public support. This would reflect international shifts toward public participation in governance and respond to the need for changes in research funding policies, evidenced in studies showing how research funding allocations are inefficient or inequitable. Involving consumers in decision making is an established practice in health research, while experiments involving the public in prioritising between research proposals have promising results. Furthering such methods and moving towards participatory budgeting for research funding would further the shift towards participatory governance and public engagement with science. However, for participatory budgeting to support evidence-based policy by evidencing public support, who is participating is an important consideration. Upstream research does not yet have clear consumers for applying stakeholder participation methods established in health research. Moreover, civic engagement differs from consumer engagement in promoting democratic ideals. Legitimacy for public funding and policy decisions depends on a diversity of public participants in decision-making processes, reflecting broader society rather than a consumer group. Key messages participatory budgeting public engagement methods could be used for science funding decisions participatory budgeting could address the need for changes in research funding policies participatory budgeting for public research funding would further the shift towards participatory governance and public engagement with science