Interview with Giorgio Santoriello (Cova Contro)

Citizen science initiatives can take many forms, each using different levels of public participation and yielding distinct outcomes. In this video-interview, we explore the main modes of participation in citizen science, with a special focus on strongly participatory science.

We highlight a project that monitored water quality in Lake Pertusillo, located in Basilicata – an Italian region affected by the long-term impacts of the fossil fuel industry. Giorgio Santoriello, from the grassroots association Cova Contro, shares how volunteers were involved in the initiative, how their efforts contributed to measurable improvements in water quality, and offers insights into the strengths and limitations of strongly participatory approaches.