Karen Soacha is co-chair of the Executive Management Group of the Ibero-American Network of Participatory Science (RICAP). She is a researcher and PhD candidate based in Barcelona at the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC) and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), where she is part of the EMBIMOS research group coordinating the citizen observatory MINKA. Her research focuses on knowledge management and governance in citizen observatories.
She works on the design and governance of participatory technologies and is currently involved in Horizon Europe projects related to citizen science and technology, including the conceptualization of the pan-European citizen science infrastructure (RIECS). Her work explores the intersections between citizen science, open science, data governance, and infrastructures for sustainable development.
Previously, Karen led participatory science initiatives at the Humboldt Institute in Colombia, contributing to the governance of the Biodiversity Information System of Colombia (SiB) and the Environmental Information System of Colombia (SIAC). With more than twenty years of experience, she has managed research, infrastructure, and environmental projects in both public and private sectors, including community-based initiatives.
Alongside her research, she has taught courses in environmental sustainability and project management and is currently contributing to a citizen science training in Catalunya, and mentors several citizen science initiatives across Europe.