2025:Program/Micromania: experimental microbial edit-a-thons to foster open science in Argentine Patagonia

Session title: Micromania: experimental microbial edit-a-thons to foster open science in Argentine Patagonia

Session type: Poster

Track: Education

Language: en

Micromania was a project led by the Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology Club (CBAA) in Argentine Patagonia, aimed at enriching microbiology content on Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia with support from Wikimedia Argentina Chapter. Centered on microbiology-driven Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) advancement, the initiative hosted three in-person edit-a-thons between May and October 2024, engaging 80 participants through hands-on microbial experimentation. Over 200 photographs were uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, and more than 10 Wikipedia articles were edited or created. Activities included photowalks and interactive microbiology workshops. The project culminated in a scientific microbial exhibition featuring live microorganisms, microbiology lenses, microscopes, and posters showcasing edit-a-thon outcomes, attracting over 250 attendees, including students, educators, and community members. By bridging science, education, and collaborative digital activism, Micromanía proved to be a replicable and scalable model, laying the groundwork for future open science initiatives in the country.

Description

Micromania was implemented over six months (May to October 2024) in Argentina's Alto Valle de Río Negro region by the Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology Club (CBAA), with technical and financial support from Wikimedia Argentina through a community micro funding. The project was executed by CBAA Wikimedians Luis Fernando Flores, Nerina Videla, Maria Yamila Chumbita, Brenda Juana Flores, and Genexis Zambrano, with strategic support from key local institutions including the National University of Río Negro and Villa Regina Municipality.

The primary objective of Micromanía was to democratize scientific knowledge in microbiology and environmental sciences through collaborative content creation and improvement on Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, actively engaging educational communities, scientists, and the general public in Argentina's Alto Valle de Río Negro region. The project employed an innovative full-day workshop methodology combining hands-on scientific experimentation sessions in the morning with traditional Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons edit-a-thons in the afternoon, creating a comprehensive learning experience. These edit-a-thons were strategically scheduled to match with significant dates including the International Day of Women in Engineering, World Soil Day, and International Microorganism Day. The program additionally incorporated microbiology workshops, soil sampling field trips, and microbial exhibitions to generate open-licensed content for Wikimedia Commons.

The inaugural edit-a-thon, "Wikingenieras" was conducted at Secondary School No. 75 in Chichinales, a remote Patagonian community, following a formal request from the educational institution seeking to integrate Wikimedia projects into their curriculum. This session engaged 39 student editors (ages 15-18) who contributed 49 photographs to Wikimedia Commons documenting DNA extraction experiments, photosynthetic pigment isolation, and enzymatic activity demonstrations. Subsequent edit-a-thons were held at Villa Regina Municipal offices, attracting diverse participants including youth and adults, students, educators, and researchers. The "Living Soil" edit-a-thon recruited 22 new editors who uploaded 31 files to Commons and added 15 references to Wikipedia articles on soil ecology and microbiology. The final session, "Microorganisms and SDGs" engaged 7 new contributors who added 72 Commons uploads and 33 Wikipedia references to microbiology articles.

Dashboard metrics revealed a declining pattern in new editor recruitment across the three edit-a-thons (39 → 22 → 7), indicating retention of participants from previous sessions. Of the 80 users registered on the Wikimedia Dashboard, 34 (42.5%) became active editors, highlighting challenges in converting initial participation into sustained editing activity. These findings underscore the need for improved retention mechanisms and activation strategies, yielding valuable insights for future initiatives.

The project culminated in a microbial exhibition attended by 250 participants, showcasing project outcomes. Micromanía demonstrated that strategically combining practical scientific experimentation with open knowledge production effectively achieves three key objectives: democratizing access to specialized scientific content, fostering early STEM career interests, and strengthening academic-community partnerships. Despite challenges, the project established a replicable and scalable model for open science initiatives in the region. The collected quantitative data provides a robust foundation for refining future implementations and developing collaborations with similar projects across Latin America.

How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?

Micromania demonstrated a concrete commitment to inclusivity by engaging youth and adults from the Global South in Wikimedia projects through digital and microbiological literacy, achieving 70% female participation and actively breaking stereotypes in male-dominated scientific fields while ensuring accessibility for participants of all ages and educational backgrounds. The project's impactful model combining practical scientific experimentation with collaborative editing generated 202 Wikimedia Commons uploads, 11 created or improved Wikipedia articles, and 34 added academic references, with local media coverage reaching approximately 5,000 people. Sustainability was addressed through continuous emphasis on microbiology's role in achieving the 17 SDGs, while the project's own sustainability was secured through permanent institutional partnerships with the National University of Río Negro, Villa Regina Municipality, and Wikimedia Argentina Chapter, along with strong interest from local schools already requesting future editions to ensure continuity beyond the initial implementation period.

What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?

Everyone can participate in this session

Speakers

• Luis Fernando Flores

I am Luis Fernando Flores, a Wikimedian dedicated to organizing events and training at high school and university levels to promote open science among students, lecturers, and researchers. As a volunteer, I lead Editathons in Argentine Patagonia, fostering collaborative learning and expanding access to scientific knowledge.