How does a remote local community, made of school and higher educations students, as well as adults, engage in citizen science actions for water scarcity? What is the role of education in enhancing citizen participation and advocacy?

In the framework of the citizen science actions of the Erasmus+ Acting4Water project (Tackling water scarcity by using advanced technologies in business-academia-society cooperation, 2023–2026), students in Limnos were invited to take part in a series of experiential visits to the Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials and Nanotechnology of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of the Aegean.

These visits, held on May 6th and 7th, welcomed students from the Livadochori High School and the Oenology and Viticulture class of the Vocational Training Center of Limnos (IEK/SAEK).

The visits were part of the citizen science project “Atmospheric water harvesting systems: demonstrations in a lab environment” that belongs to the series “Citizen engagement in monitoring advanced technologies against water scarcity in Limnos”.

During their visit, students had the opportunity to observe two experimental water harvesting setups in action—one for fog harvesting and another for dew harvesting—and to understand the physical mechanisms behind these natural phenomena. They also learned about alternative water storage methods, expanding their awareness of sustainable water practices.

This initiative is designed by Web2Learn, the co-initiator of the Acting4Water project, which leads the learning innovation and citizen science components of the project. Our contribution focuses on designing and facilitating activities that promote citizen science for water scarcity, thereby reinforcing the project’s emphasis on co-creation and knowledge exchange across societal actors.

Through this initiative, students gained valuable insights into scientific research and technology-driven environmental solutions. The hands-on experience not only deepened their appreciation for the physical sciences but also demonstrated how innovative research can contribute to addressing global challenges such as water scarcity.

Web2Learn implements this activity in collaboration with the University of the Aegean.

We would like to warmly thank all High School teachers, students and academic staff involve in the action!

Learn more about Acting4Water here: https://acting4water.eu.

Check our Acting4Water data visualisations here: https://web2learn.eu/acting4water/visualisations/