Improving access to scientific information through direct citizen-scientist pairings

ABOUT ACCESSLAB
The AccessLab project is about broadening access to scientific evidence. We do this through pairing scientific researchers with people who are seeking reliable information for their work or personal lives. Our focus is on developing skills for finding scientific information and judging its reliability, rather than just transferring subject-specific knowledge.During the workshops we:
- Look at how scientific research is funded and published, and how you can access it.
- Cover basic fact-checking for media stories that relate to science.
- Have time to co-research a science related topic of your choice one-to-one with a paired researcher. This can be anything you like and is not necessarily limited to the theme of each workshop. What you work on is kept confidential within your pair.Workshops are always FREE.Past participants have used AccessLabs to enact policy change (e.g. a councillor who looked into carbon dioxide emissions from idling coaches and achieved a ban), gather evidence for a court case (e.g. a Government agency official who looked into the impact of net sizes on fisheries catches), research content for books and films (e.g. an illustrator who looked into the menstrual cycle for a children's book), and do their jobs more sustainably (e.g. a professional gardener who looked into whether harvesting seaweed as a fertiliser was environmentally problematic)."It’s brilliant… it’s a long time since I was part of a workshop that gave me so much in just one day. I feel I have fundamentally shifted the bounds of possibility."—Policy sector participant, Plymouth 2018.UPCOMING WORKSHOPS8 Dec 2023, 10:00-16:00 (online via Zoom) - AccessLab on Violence and Aggression
Run by St. Andrew's University, and funded by the University of St Andrews’ ‘Scotland’s Future’ fund.This event is open for participants. It might be particularly useful for people interested in nonviolent protest, people working for refuges, policy types, folks who just want to understand experiences they've had themselves... lots of things, the theme of violence and aggression can be interpreted very broadly, so if in doubt just get in touch.For more information or to register for a place, send us an email.PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS23 Jan 2021 - AccessLab for Climate Change, Environment and Health
Run by Falmouth Library, FoAM and the Centre for Environment and Human Health, funded by the Carnegie Trust Engaging Libraries.14 Nov 2020 - AccessLab for Climate Change, Environment and Health
Run by Falmouth Library, FoAM and the Centre for Environment and Human Health, funded by the Carnegie Trust Engaging Libraries.6 June 2020 - AccessLab for Climate Change, Environment and Health
Run by Falmouth Library, FoAM and the Centre for Environment and Human Health, funded by the Carnegie Trust Engaging Libraries.10 August 2019 - AccessLab for Extinction Rebellion
Jubilee Warehouse, Penryn, UK
Run by FOAM9 November 2018 - AccessLab for Policy Makers
Ocean Studios, Plymouth, UK
Run by FoAM and the British Science Association, funded by NERC17 August 2018 - AccessLab for Journalists/Media
Exeter Library, Exeter, UK
Run by the British Science Association and FoAM, funded by NERC20 July 2018 - AccessLab for Marine Sector
St. John's Hall, Penzance, UK
Run by FoAM and the British Science Association, funded by NERC24 November 2017 - AccessLab for Community Groups and Councillors
Krowji, Redruth, UK
Run by FoAM, funded by the British Science Association27 May 2017 - AccessLab for Artists
Jubilee Warehouse, Penryn, UK
Run by FoAM, funded by FEASTINFORMATION FOR RUNNING AN ACCESSLABThe AccessLab format has been published in PLoS Biology and all necessary materials are included in this publication, including links to slides and evaluation materials. The AccessLab project is CC-BY-SA licensed which means you are free to use the format and name as long as it is attributed (e.g by referring to the paper or to Then Try This who developed the format), and any materials you develop are shared under the same licence.We would love to know if you are running an AccessLab, and are happy to add it to this page and help advertise it through our social media channels. We are also happy to support universities to run their own AccessLab, or run one with you if you are a university researcher (from PhD to Professor). Contact us here.