How a citizen-science researcher inspires openness, imagination, and adaptive learning
Exploratory thinking may sound complex, but evolutionary biologist and citizen-science expert Zsóka Vásárhelyi believes it’s something every one of us is born with. In this interview, she shares how curiosity can empower people to understand ecological change, engage with science, and imagine better futures — even if it starts with a simple photo of a mosquito.
When we speak about exploratory thinking, many imagine a complex academic term. Yet, as evolutionary biologist and educator Zsóka Vásárhelyi reminds us, this eco-competence is something we are all born with. “It is the childlike state of asking why,” she says – the natural curiosity that pushes us to question the everyday world, whether it’s the colour of the sky or the rules we are expected to follow. For Zsóka, exploratory thinking is both physical and cognitive: we explore our surroundings with our senses, and then we create meaning from what we see.
In childhood, this openness tends to be strong. Zsóka recalls being the type of student who always looked for alternatives and challenged instructions when they didn’t make sense. This mindset, she adds, is not a disruption – it is an early sign of the ability to imagine possibilities, a capacity that sits at the heart of The Ecoliteracy Hub’s competence area “Envisioning sustainable futures.” Exploratory thinking helps us consider different pathways, remain open in times of uncertainty, and navigate a world that changes faster than ever before.
Her professional work offers a fascinating example of this competence in practice. Zsóka works with Mosquito Monitor, a Hungarian citizen-science project studying invasive mosquito species. Although the scientific goal is mapping distribution and analysing ecological risks, the project has another, subtler function: awakening people’s curiosity. Most volunteers participate only once, sending in a single photo of a mosquito. “But even that one moment makes them stop and think,” Zsóka explains. Suddenly, they find themselves wondering about species, patterns, ecological impacts – topics they may never have considered before. With creative communication tools, from media campaigns to drawing competitions, the project lowers the threshold for participation and invites people to take their first exploratory step.
For Zsóka, exploratory thinking is essential in today’s information-saturated world. Amid constant change, we need creativity, adaptability, and the ability to choose what is truly worth our attention. At the same time, she warns that seeking new impulses can become overwhelming. True exploratory thinking is not endless browsing: it requires slowing down, making connections, and building an understanding step by step.
As a teacher – whether in university courses, high school classes – Zsóka’s goal is always to empower learners. Rather than waiting for knowledge to “seep in,” students are invited to ask questions, make decisions, and explore the material actively. Whether she teaches statistics, human evolution, or ecology, her approach is the same: create space for curiosity and give learners ownership of their thinking process.
Exploratory thinking, she concludes, is not a rare talent but a universal, lifelong competence. “Every one of us has it. The question is whether we keep nurturing it.” Through citizen science, enthusiastic communication, and empowering teaching, Zsóka shows how this competence can be revived – and how it can inspire more people to engage with the living world around them.
In this podcast you can listen to:
- What exploratory thinking really is – and why our natural childhood curiosity is the foundation of this eco-competence.
- How exploratory thinking supports ecoliteracy, especially in imagining sustainable futures and navigating uncertainty.
- How citizen science can spark curiosity, through Zsóka’s work with the Mosquito Monitor project and creative ways of engaging the public.
- Why exploratory thinking is essential in today’s fast-changing world, and how to distinguish meaningful inquiry from overwhelming information-seeking.
- Practical insights for educators on how to strengthen exploratory thinking in students by empowering them to ask questions, make decisions, and explore actively.
We close with a reminder that exploratory thinking is not a skill we acquire, but one we keep nurturing throughout our lives.
Stay tuned and discover our other podcasts on eco-competences!