The project set out to map the current landscape of TechnoCitizenScience (TCS) and to investigate the emerging DIYBio community in Germany. In the first phase a comprehensive literature and online review was carried out, during which more than 125 citizen‑science projects and initiatives were catalogued. The review documented participants, target groups, and activities, and produced a comparative overview that guided the subsequent work of the consortium. The analysis revealed a wide thematic and organisational diversity across TCS projects, with the Maker movement—studied by the Munich partners—showing a more advanced development than the CitizenBioScience focus of the KIT‑ITAS team, which in turn centred on the do‑it‑yourself biology (DIYBio) community.
The core scientific contribution of the project lies in the ethnographic field studies carried out in the DIYBio domain. These studies proved more challenging than anticipated because the German DIYBio movement was still in its infancy, limiting opportunities for participant observation and fieldwork. The initial schedule, which had expected completion of field studies by August 2016, was therefore postponed by roughly three months. The revised timeline placed the ethnographic work in the second half of 2016 and into 2017, allowing the team to attend a public parliamentary debate on synthetic biology and DIYBio at the German Bundestag, to participate in workshops in Berlin, and to observe the S.NET conference in Bergen, Norway. A significant opportunity arose when a new DIYBio initiative was established within a makerspace in a southern German university town. The KIT‑ITAS researchers provided scientific support to this initiative, engaging in participatory observation during its workshops and weekly meetings. This close collaboration enabled an in‑depth examination of the community’s socio‑political positioning within the city and region, and offered insights into the community’s academic, multidisciplinary character, its commitment to open‑source ideals, and its strong ethical and safety awareness.
Interviews conducted with members of the DIYBio community confirmed the literature‑based assumptions. Participants described a highly academic yet multidisciplinary ethos, a self‑identification with the open‑source movement, and a pronounced sense of responsibility regarding the handling of organisms. While concerns about misuse were acknowledged, the overall risk perception of DIYBio research was judged to be low. Motivational factors for engagement were diverse, ranging from critical views of the scientific establishment to entrepreneurial start‑up mindsets, anti‑commercial hacker ideals, and purely hobbyist or educational interests. Despite this heterogeneity, there was a broad consensus on the value of responsible, curiosity‑driven, play‑based technical‑scientific activity and on the potential of DIYBio for science education.
The stakeholder workshop, organised and led by KIT‑ITAS, took place on 7 July 2017 at the Berlin FabLab, a key hub for TCS in Germany. The workshop brought together representatives from the German‑speaking DIYBio community, Maker movement participants, and other stakeholders interested in TCS. After an introductory presentation, participants engaged in a participatory format that encouraged open exchange and hands‑on learning about TCS. A plenary discussion followed, covering DIYBio, the Maker movement, and TCS more broadly. The workshop’s structure—using exhibits and project descriptions presented in a TCS‑lab style rather than conventional lectures—helped to embody the DIY spirit while providing stakeholders with a comprehensive overview of the field. The outcomes of the workshop are slated to contribute to a joint scientific publication with the Munich partners.
The project was carried out over a period from 2016 to 2018, funded by a German federal research grant. Collaboration between KIT‑ITAS and the Munich team combined expertise in citizen science, maker culture, and DIYBio, enabling a multifaceted exploration of TCS and its emerging communities.