In October 2019, Andrea Hamm was invited to Aarhus University to give a QTC Talk. By relating current theories around Smart City and the potentials of Open Data, Andrea elaborated how Civic Tech and Citizen Science can bridge the shortcomings of both conceptions. In the framework of sustainable digitalization, she presents the German civic initiative Luftdaten.info, an engaged citizen community, that initially built DIY sensor kits to measure air pollution in the city of Stuttgart.
Next to the data collection, the initiative has developed the worldwide air pollution map „Feinstaub-Karte“ and established strong public outreach by organizing events, collaborating with media, and social media activities. She argued that Civic Tech and Citizen Science should not only be valued by their measuring accuracy, but also by their impact on the public sphere and the political agenda. In this way, such initiatives can contribute as an important puzzle piece for socially and environmentally sustainable digitalization.
About the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1389078534576958/