The ANERIS project was present at the European Citizen Science Association Conference 2026 (ECSA 2026), held from the 3rd to the 6th of March at the University of Oulu, Finland. The conference brought together researchers, practitioners, and communities working in citizen science across Europe under the theme “Citizen Science between Centre and Periphery.”

This edition of the ECSA conference is the largest organised to date, attended by more than 600 participants and featuring an extensive scientific programme, including more than 325 contributions, among them 21 workshops, 24 panels, 17 roundtables, and over 140 posters, alongside community events dedicated to advancing citizen science practice. It provides an important opportunity to exchange experiences with scientists working at the intersection of citizen science, environmental monitoring, and participatory research.

As part of the conference programme, the EMBIMOS research group from the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) presented a poster, highlighting “10 Communication Moves to Bridge Centre and Periphery in Citizen Science Projects," which shares practical communication lessons learned through activities developed within the ANERIS project, along with strategies to strengthen engagement between research infrastructures, citizen science initiatives, and diverse communities. Emphasis was laid on how communication can help bridge gaps between scientific institutions and local actors through concise messages, targeted channels and tools, as well as relevant events.

During the conference, the EMBIMOS team also promoted the BioMARathon, an ANERIS initiative that encourages participants to document marine biodiversity through collective observation campaigns, sharing best practices and lessons learned. By showcasing this initiative in the context of ANERIS, the team illustrated how participatory activities can support community engagement in marine observation, helping connect local knowledge and public participation with research infrastructures.

The poster can be downloaded here: https://zenodo.org/records/18786922