Covering the people, projects and phenomena of citizen science
Blog: Citizen Science Projects, People, and Perspectives
Is There a Community Lab Near You? – Find lab space, equipment, and training in your area!
By Editorial Team, May 20, 2015
Photo: NIH
Do you want to explore, invent, design, or create something but don’t have the facilities to do so? Do you want to learn more about biotechnology, science, and laboratory safety? Community labs may be the perfect fit for you!
Community labs are rapidly spreading throughout the world. Our editors highlight five, below.
People often pay a membership fee to join and gain access to the lab’s space, community, equipment, materials and guidance. Members join existing projects or design and carry out independent research.
If you run or belong to one not already listed on SciStarter, go ahead and add itso we can help more citizen scientists find it!
Located just outside San Jose, California, BioCurious provides lab space and equipment to its members. They also offer safety and equipment training. In addition to the paid membership option, BioCurious runs community projects that are free and open to the public.
This Oakland, California, lab is still in its early days, with a physical space developing. Members who join now can participate in the planning process, meet like-minded people interested in science, and collaborate on the lab’s current project- making vegan cheese!
The GenSpace lab provides access to biotechnology and scientific investigation in Brooklyn, New York. GenSpace members can use the lab facilities for their own research, and children and adults can participate in classes and events.
The Baltimore UnderGround Science Space offers equipment and lab space for members to explore biotechnology. They also offer short courses on topics like 3D printing and synthetic biology.
DIY Bio isn’t just one lab; it’s a global community of public laboratories, including the ones we’ve described above. They’ll help you find a lab in your area, answer your biosafety questions, and provide resources for do-it-yourself biotechnology.
Don’t miss the monthly #CitSciChat on Twitter: the last Wednesday of the month at 3-4pm ET, moderated by Caren Cooper @CoopSciScoop and presented by @SciStarter.
Contact the SciStarter Team
Email: info@scistarter.com
Website: https://scistarter.com/
