The Lawrence Hall of Science

The public science center of the University of California, Berkeley.

From Science to Action

By Kevin Cuff, Sarah Olsen and Matthew A. Cannady

How Engagement in Community and Citizen Science Research Can Lead to Science Activism


This brief presents findings unearthed through implementation of a project recently supported by the National Science Foundation, entitled Urban Youth Participation in Community and Citizen Science. The project’s primary goal has been to explore educational and developmental outcomes associated with engaging urban youth in informal environmental science education programming that features Community and Citizen Science (CCS) research activities. In doing so the project has been investigating the manner in which CCS research activity components impact youth “Science Agency,” defined as a combination of constructs that include:  Science Identity (i.e., sense of themselves as science thinkers), Science Value (i.e., awareness of the potential benefits of applying scientific practices to addressing critical community health and environmental issues) and Science Competency (i.e., belief of themselves as competent science practitioners). The project also has been exploring how these constructs relate to one another, as well as the relationship between emerging science agency and the development of “Science Activism Mindset,” which is conceptualized as a combination of constructs that include: Perceived Behavioral Control  (i.e., perceptions of their ability to use science to make a difference), Personal Salience (i.e., the extent to which youth attach meaning to a particular issue), and Critical Consciousness (i.e., awareness of societal challenges along with an understanding of the skills necessary to intervene).

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https://lawrencehallofscience.org/static/publications/EBAYS/EBAYS_Brief.html

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https://lawrencehallofscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/EBAYS-Program-Brief-.docx

Year: 2026

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Topics:

  • Environmental & Outdoor Science Education
  • Equity & Inclusion
  • Informal learning
  • Science Learning Activation
  • Socioscientific Issues

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