BotBid: a RAISE project of participatory science for the ecological and digital transition

BotBid is an innovative initiative promoted by an interdisciplinary group from the University of Genoa (DISTAV and DIBRIS) within the STACY community, as part of Spoke 5 of the RAISE Ecosystem.

The main focus of the project is biomonitoring, a key activity for assessing environmental health through the analysis of biological indicators. Specifically, BotBid aims to leverage advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data to create a monitoring network of agricultural crops within participating schools. This approach offers an innovative integration of science and education, providing students with a concrete learning opportunity.

In practice, the BotBid project involves the creation of school gardens within the participating institutions, with the cultivation of 30 control plants and 30 treated plants. Each school will be equipped with a kit for collecting and transmitting environmental data, allowing the monitoring of various parameters such as temperature, humidity, and soil quality. To support this activity, a dedicated web app has been developed to collect and display data in real time, enabling comparisons between treated and control plants – even between different schools.

The project goes beyond simple data collection, aiming to raise awareness among participants about the importance of interpreting and manipulating scientific data. Students are encouraged to understand the value of the information collected, discuss analysis methodologies, and develop skills in the use of advanced technologies. Through the use of the web app, the gathered data is aggregated and analyzed, helping students better understand ecological phenomena and adopt a scientific approach to environmental monitoring.

The 2025 edition of the project, which kicked off with a series of online meetings and in-person seminars starting in November 2024, involves five upper secondary schools in Liguria and one in Sassari. The data collection phase began in March 2025, utilizing the web app.

“BotBid is a concrete example of how schools can become laboratories of innovation, places where young people can engage with the challenges of the ecological and digital transition using cutting-edge scientific tools. The project not only fosters the acquisition of technical and scientific skills, but also promotes greater awareness of environmental issues, encouraging new generations to care for our planet,” comments Giovanna Guerrini (UniGe – DIBRIS), thanking her colleagues Enrica Roccotiello (UniGe – DISTAV) and Giorgio Delzanno (UniGe – DIBRIS) for their valuable and productive collaboration that made the BotBid project possible.

Special thanks to the Botanical Garden of the University of Genoa and the Service Center for the “Hanbury” Botanical Gardens (GBH&HBG).