About: “The catalog contains information about federal citizen science and crowdsourcing projects. In citizen science, the public participates voluntarily in the scientific process, addressing real-world problems in ways that may include formulating research questions, conducting scientific experiments, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting results, making new discoveries, developing technologies and applications, and solving complex problems. In crowdsourcing,organizations submit an open call for voluntary assistance from a group of individuals for online, distributed problem solving.
Projects in the catalog must meet the following criteria:
- The project addresses societal needs or accelerates science, technology, and innovation consistent with a Federal agency’s mission.
- Project outcomes include active management of data and data quality.
- Participants serve as contributors, collaborators or co-creators in the project.
- The project solicits engagement from individuals outside of a discipline’s or program’s traditional participants in the scientific enterprise.
- Beyond practical limitations, the project does not seek to limit the number of participants or partners involved.
- The project is opt-in; participants have full control over the extent that they participate.
- The US Government enables or enhances the project via funding or providing an in-kind contribution. The US Government’s in-kind contribution to the project may be active or passive, formal or informal….(More)”.