Applications for Participatory Science

The National Geographic Society is accepting applications for its Participatory Science program, which supports the development or innovative use of data-driven, technology-powered tools that increase the understanding, preservation, and protection of our planet. Applicants should propose tools that support citizen science work, particularly data collection or data analysis, in ways that create learning experience for citizen scientists, including students. Priority will be given to research, education, and technology projects that create and execute new digital applications, transform existing applications and products, or use current technologies to do one or more of the following: teach students and other citizen scientists about the planet using experiential, crowdsourced technology; encourage individuals who engage with these technologies and projects to build the attitudes, skills, and knowledge necessary to become stewards of the planet and contribute to solving real-world issues; and generate data and/or develop open-source technologies that contribute to scientific inquiry and advance our understanding of the planet. Participation and data generation are of equal importance. Participation must be free for all users and cannot incorporate for-profit activities. Technologies might include mobile applications, Web-based applications, or hardware and sensors with direct citizen science usage. Projects should create learning experiences through the collection of data and/or ground-truthing of data relevant to the trends or status of threatened and poorly known species, ecosystems, or human cultural/linguistic diversity. Through the program, grants of up to $30,000 will be awarded over one to two years. Educational settings include but are not limited to K-12 schools, NGOs, community-based organizations, universities, or other adult education organizations. To be eligible, all applicants should include a technologist on the project team. For those submitting research and technology applications, applicants must be a researcher with a master’s or PhD degree or a technologist with a proven record of successfully building and deploying citizen science technologies. See the National Geographic Society website for complete program guidelines and application instructions.