About Public Lab

This is a revision from January 22, 2015 20:31. View all revisions

The Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science (Public Lab) is a community -- supported by a 501(c)3 non-profit -- which develops and applies open-source tools to environmental exploration and investigation. By democratizing inexpensive and accessible Do-It-Yourself techniques, Public Lab creates a collaborative network of practitioners who actively re-imagine the human relationship with the environment.

The core Public Lab program is focused on "civic science" in which we research open source hardware and software tools and methods to generate knowledge and share data about community environmental health. Our goal is to increase the ability of underserved communities to identify, redress, remediate, and create awareness and accountability around environmental concerns. Public Lab achieves this by providing online and offline training, education and support, and by focusing on locally-relevant outcomes that emphasize human capacity and understanding.

Download a PDF overview of Public Laboratory's work here:
Public Lab Overview

Join now at: publiclab.org/join

We're developing new tools for civic science with the following features:

low cost
open source and user modifiable design, with creative reuse of consumer technology
ease of use/low barrier to entry for using hardware, software and field methods
public participation
data legibility (including a preference for maps and other rich visual means of representation)
high quality, environmentally and socially relevant data

Useful pages

Contribute - how to participate in Public Lab
Priorities - our main concerns and goals
Public Lab Partners - links to the sites of Public Lab friends, collaborators and partners
Media - upcoming events we're speaking at, our publications, and press coverage
How Public Lab is Funded - A list of Public Lab funding sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Public Lab on Twitter and on Facebook
Annual Reports

How Public Lab is organized.

Who We Are

Public Lab is a growing community that is open for all to join. However, there are seven staff and five board members that support this community.

Contact

The best way to get in touch is by emailing our staff list at staff@publiclab.org. If you are trying to reach a particular staff member, please visit the Public Lab Staff page.

General Public Lab contact information

Phone: 504-358-0647 (Note: technical troubleshooting is not handled on this line, please send your question to the appropriate email group on publiclab.org/lists)
Fax: 504-324-0401
We receive mail at: Public Laboratory P.O. Box 426113 Cambridge, MA 02142

Kits Initiative contact information

If you need assistance with a kit purchase, please contact kits@publiclab.org or call 503-902-5874. Kit Initiative staff are typically available between 9am and 5pm PST Monday-Friday.

Technical assistance with website

Please contact web@publiclab.org.