About Commons Lab

The Commons Lab is an initiative of the Science and Technology Innovation Program (STIP). The Commons Lab provides independent and rigorous analysis of emerging technologies, networks, and methods that mobilize public participation in science, technology, and policy.

We focus our attention on issues, such as the development or hardware and software, and the governance issues and ethical considerations of public participation, that impact numerous organizations across different sectors like: the environment, basic and applied scientific research and international development. We seek to build bridges within the U.S., between public and private sectors; between the U.S., and other nations; and between like-minded communities that self-identify as citizen science practitioners, makers, hacker and the DIY movements.