Make America quiet again: Achieving socially robust knowledge on noise pollution through citizen science
Vegt, Kirsten R Elberse, Janneke E Rutjens, Bastiaan T Hessels, Laurens K
Vegt, Kirsten R
Elberse, Janneke E
Rutjens, Bastiaan T
Hessels, Laurens K
Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Journal Article
Article
Article
Language
en
Date of publication
2025-06-25
Year of publication
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
Make America quiet again: Achieving socially robust knowledge on noise pollution through citizen science
Translated Title
Published in
Public Underst Sci 2025; 34(8):1066-1087
Abstract
Socially robust knowledge is scientific knowledge accepted by society for its contextual relevance. Citizen science, involving non-professional scientists, offers a promising approach to developing such knowledge. This study examines how citizen science fosters socially robust knowledge through a case-study on noise pollution's impact on health and well-being in the Dutch village of America. Citizen scientists partnered with researchers of the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment to study train noise, employing diverse data-collection methods. Interviews with participants revealed trust in this approach and outcomes, contrasting with conventional noise-pollution research. The integration of extended expertise and real-world context, coupled with the project's iterative feedback loop, ensured that findings were accurate and locally relevant. This case-study underscores citizen science's potential to create relevant and adaptable policy-relevant science, offering concrete insights into the key elements that contribute to the social robustness of scientific outcomes.