"Communication and outreach approaches for Citizen Science community engagement in AIM monitoring, surveillance and control" Workshop
(Organizers: Jolyon Medlock, Willy Wint, Filiz Gunay, Alex Vaux)
The workshop took place virtually on the 5th April 2022: 1300-1700 CEST (1200-1600 BST)
AIM Cost action has been working hard to develop guidance and information of the surveillance and control of Aedes Invasive Mosquitoes. There are many strategies that can be employed at a national, regional and local level, and by practitioners, entomologists and the community. One of the biggest challenges is how best to deliver effective communication to effect the changes in behaviour and best practice for maximum impact on the control of mosquitoes. Developing outreach strategies to engage communities with Citizen Science is key to mounting effective actions that lead to positive changes for improved health protection. Across the world, communities are challenged by the threats posed by urban mosquito vectors. Although there are many tools for surveillance and control, urban mosquitoes and associated diseases persist. As a medical entomology community can we improve our communication with the public? Are there ways in which we can deliver our outreach messages to deliver greater impact? With community engagement, is the control of urban invasive mosquitoes insurmountable?
The aim of the workshop is to expand the knowledge and share experiences in communication and outreach associated with Citizen Science schemes, with particular reference to Aedes invasive mosquitoes. This workshop will go beyond the world of mosquitoes and will have presentations from scientists in other disciplines and species groups.
The first session includes speakers engaged in:
- Communication of Citizen Science for invertebrates and wildlife recording schemes
- Engaging the public in recording other vectors (ticks) and strategies for targeting delivery of public health messages to individuals and communities
- Experiences in communication in the face of a mosquito disease outbreaks in North America.
The second session focuses on public health messaging:
- Experiences of invasive mosquito surveillance and control in Europe
- What can messaging around Covid tell us?
The third and fourth sessions focus on:
- How can behavioural scientists guide us to deliver messages that drive behaviour change?
- How do we engage the next generation in securing a future world free of invasive mosquitoes?
Programme of presenters available here...
YouTube videos of the workshop can be viewed below, they are split into two parts...