Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Citizen Science Business Model: Analyzer


At CitSci2015 I proposed a collection of business models that support, and benefit from, the work of citizen scientists and the reasons these are so important.  For the next few months I will be explaining each one in much more depth along with the current state of the market, obstacles to expanding connections to citizen science, and unexplored niches in each market.  These are needed to both help citizen scientists reap some rewards from the value they create, as well as convince firms to invest resources in developing tools to help the entire field grow.  To everyone's mutual benefit.  

This week: Analyzer.

We start with a new business opportunity for firms wishing to sell to citizen scientists: marketing sample analysis services to citizen scientists that expand their research capabilities. There are many firms that already have the equipment, infrastructure, and staff expertise to offer this at a competitive rate.  They just need help identifying the citizen science market and deciding how to best package those services.

As background, a popular way researchers utilize citizen scientists is as field technicians who collects and analyze samples of whatever the researcher is interested in. Typically these projects require frequent collections from sites that cover a wide area.  This is very expensive for the scientists or professional technicians to handle by themselves.  But citizen scientists living close to those areas can much more easily access those sample sites.  Not only is it less difficult and less expensive for those volunteers to do the research, they also don't charge nearly as much (if at all) for their time.  All providing a large cost savings to the researchers.

There are many examples. In California, citizen scientists help local water boards ensure the quality of water available for drinking.  In States like Pennsylvania and West Virginia, water is sampled for tracking pollution from drilling or agriculture, and Maryland uses it to ensure the health of local waterways (such as the Chesapeake Bay Watershed) to protect native species.  And people from across the country are sending in swabs of their homes and bodies to identify micro-organisms living in the world with them. 

Participants in those types of programs are often considered the "Contributory" or "Collector" type of citizen scientist.  The defining common element is that while they collect the data, it is then sent to a central location to be combined with data from other collectors, and then analyzed independently by the research team.  But there are also smaller-scale examples where the citizen scientist acts as more of an independent researcher performing those tasks themselves on projects of their own design.

Taking on your own research project, especially one based on field studies and sample collection, can be difficult.  Most are willing to dedicate the time to collecting and either already have, or are happy to learn, the scientific basis for the work.  The difficult piece comes with actual sample testing.

While citizen scientists currently rely on a handful of different sources for analysis these are not optimal solutions.  Some use portable sensor devices, including some that can be attached to smartphones (such as SensorDrone), but those can't always be calibrated and do not provide scientifically reliable results.  Others use testing kits available from local retailers (such as home water quality kits sold at a local Home Depot), but these have many problems as well:


  1. They don't provide scientifically reliable results.  This can be because the sample preparation is not standard or because the supplier cannot connect the results to calibrated equipment or accepted industry/regulatory standards.
  2. The expense of testing limits the number of samples.  This increases statistical fluctuations, hinders discovery of procedural flaws in the testing process, and limits reproducibilty.
  3. They only offer tests on a limited number of compounds.  Although these may be bundled together for convenience sake, this still leaves large holes in the available options.  It could be that some tests are too generic, such as only providing "total organic molecules" instead of the amount of a specific compound (like benzene) in a sample.  Or, since citizen science is about discovery, they may not test for the novel or rare compound that happens to be of interest to the researcher.
  4. They only offer tests at a limited number of sensitivities.  This can be because the testing lab has limited equipment or does not offer the more sensitive equipment to retail customers.  It could also be that they only test in a certain range because it is the typical "actionable range", but is not what the citizen scientist requires (for example, testing water for a substance to the range where the water is considered "safe to drink" but not any further, though the researcher is looking for trace amounts for other reasons).

Industrial firms and government agencies solve this problem by using one of the many commercial testing services available to organizational users (such as Lancaster Laboratories). Unfortunately these companies don't offer their services to citizen scientists.  But why?  Although there are some reasons listed below none are insurmountable.

  1. Legal and Regulatory Concerns: There has always been an odd relationship between independent scientists and chemical firms.  Whether manufacturing or analyzing chemicals, it has always been difficult for independent scientists to have these firms accept their business. While there are some economic reasons, there are also concerns about how those services would be used.  Many firms fear being tangled up in terrorism issues or illicit drug manufacturing.  Since passage of the USA PATRIOT Act and the rise of home methamphetamine labs this is somewhat understandable.  In fact, I used to work for a chemical firm that had these exact concerns.  But chemical testing is different.  You know that samples are coming in to you, and you are only selling information (not products).  You can also quickly tell if the analysis is for something innocuous or if it is connected to illegal activity. Sadly fear can still override the market, and nobody wants to take that risk while also trying to build a new market.  But (as we'll continue seeing) there is a sizable market worth building and a profitable business to be built.
  2. Economies of Scale (Testing): Custom services of any type can be very expensive to sell; that's as true for picture framing and furniture making as it is for sample analysis.  Just the time spent setting up equipment can take up most of the cost for custom services when you don't have an "Economy of Scale"  But just because companies are selling to citizen scientists, who are themselves working on individual projects, does not mean that everything must be custom. There are likely many people requiring similar testing services even if the specifics are slightly different.   For example, anyone analyzing water quality of any type must be following standard protocols developed by the EPA and industry groups. There is no re-inventing the wheel here and the same tests citizen scientists would request would be the same ones a waste-water treatment plant might also order.  Although the scale for any individual request is small, lumping them in with tests for other clients, or for other groups of citizen scientists, may help greatly in creating economies of scale and making the service price-competitive. That would cover the majority of customers and help build a client base that would also make more custom research more economically feasible.
  3. Economies of Scale (Sales and Advertising): Citizen scientists are a diverse group with many interests and located in a variety of places.  This makes finding, advertising, and selling to them very difficult.  Much like with manufacturing and testing, developing economies of scale for the sales function is also important. But I think that difficulty is a myth when it comes to citizen science.  Many citizen science projects involve thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people.  For web-based projects they can all be reached through a single web portal.  For projects that are national in scope there are usually government agencies or national non-profits running them, and who can help with advertising if it will benefit the participants.  Similarly, local projects are often connected to larger groups (for example, local bird projects may connect to the National Audobon Society), providing another central advertising location. There are also citizen science support sites such as the Citizen Science Association, SciStarter, and even my OpenScientist web site that could be convinced to hep if shown the value proposition. All that on top of the standard print publications (such as Discover Magazine of National Geographic) that accept advertising targeted a many of the same people who are also interested in citizen science.

Now that it's established that businesses utilizing the "Analyzer" model can succeed, what is the actual market they should target?  There are a few ideas for that:

  1. Soil and Water Testing: Pollution testing often focuses on the methods for conveying that pollution into humans, either through the water we drink or the soil that grows our food. Citizen Science projects may be monitoring individual sites over a long period of time to track existing problems, or may be investigating multiple sites trying to find where problems occur.  For soil, citizen scientists may start testing local sites suspected of being polluted or which once hosted potentially-polluting activities.  There are thousands of these sites around the country (if not in each state) as well as bodies of water impacting the health of local communities.  
  2. DNA Sequencing: A few firms such as uBiome and 23andMe already compete in this space but looking at different types of genetic material.  For 23andMe they take human skin samples and test for various genetic traits carried by the customer.  For uBiome, they also collect human samples but look for bacterial DNA as a way to identify the microorganisms hosted by each person.  Both sell kits to collect the data and provide back the test results.  Both then go a step further, using composite results from all users and selling it to pharmaceutical firms to help identify new drug targets or diagnostic tests.  Selling the kits keeps them in business and pays the bills, while selling the data let's them take bigger risks attempting to earn big money from potential health discoveries.  It's a strategy that can be extended to other types of scientific analysis as well.
  3. Food Testing: The quality and safety of food is a prime concern for many people and can be the source of many interesting citizen science projects.  A few examples include testing raw foods for bacterial contamination, especially comparing producers or cuts of meat.  Testing those same foods for pesticide residues or other concerns of the organic food movement are additional opportunities for citizen scientists and services that can help with the analyses.  There are also opportunities in testing the fish sold at local markets and restaurants, ensuring that what is sold as salmon is actually salmon and not a pink-tinted replacement (companies like SeafoodID are already attempting this in some markets).

To sum it all up, there is a large market of citizen scientists who are ready to expand their research but don't have access to all the analysis tools they need.  Fortunately there are companies with the right equipment and know-how to perform those services.  They just need to overcome a few obstacles and start marketing their services correctly.  And once they do, a whole new set of sales opportunities will open up while citizen scientists  greatly increase the knowledge they bring to the world.  A win-win situation for us all.




59 comments:

  1. Not only your contents but also the way you present the issue is awesome. Particularly this one is articulating the sense of the discussion. Your word power is awesome. Keep it up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like you site very much, i know how life can get in the way of things, but keep up the good work, it is appreciated ( ^_^) /)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I want to find out more information about those programs. What experience can I gain during them and what I need to know before passing? Hope if I pass them I'll become more productive with my http://hitthegrade.com projects.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello,
    Thank you so much for giving this extremely good information. This is a smart content material and easy to read. I suppose many people visit your blog and interesting questions and answers. If you have any other information related for Online business listing. Wish you'll work like this all the time and I will come again for visiting your site.
    Thank You

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nice information, valuable and excellent design, as share good stuff with good ideas and concepts, lots of great information and inspiration, both of which I need, thanks to offer such a helpful information here.essay writing review

    ReplyDelete
  7. I really enjoy simply reading all of your weblogs. Simply wanted
    to inform you that you have people like me who appreciate your work..Best Crypto Pump and Dump Group

    ReplyDelete
  8. Borrowers who are feeling urgent and need to acquire their money rapidly may not set aside the opportunity to ask what rate they will get.

    ReplyDelete
  9. One can't put off specific requirements for long, especially when these necessities shape the fundamentals like sustenance or lease for your settlement. payday loans san diego

    ReplyDelete
  10. Domino Halo | Agen Poker Tepercaya

    Mari gabung bersama kami di Domino Halo
    * 8 game dalam 1 akun
    * Bonus Referal 20%
    * Bonus T.O mingguan sebesar 0.5%
    * Minimal deposit RP.20.000
    * Jackpot tercepat

    DOMINOHALO - Agen Poker Terpercaya | Texas Poker | Poker Online | DominoQQ Online | BandarQ Online | Agen Poker Terpercaya Se-Indonesia

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi, This is so cool!
    Thank you so much for giving this extremely good information. This is a smart content material and easy to read. I suppose many people visit your blog and interesting questions and answers. If you have any other information related for Community Building Program for Parents. Wish you'll work like this all the time and I will come again to visit your site.
    Thank You

    ReplyDelete
  12. Not only your contents but also the way you present the issue is awesome. Your word power is awesome. Keep it up. I like you site very much, i know how life can get in the way of things, but keep up the good work, it is appreciated ( ^_^) /)
    Shipping services

    ReplyDelete
  13. Online Assignment Expert is a milestone-setting assignment help providing company classifying under academics writing of different types. Our trait to make sure that we offer best Online assignment help without any mistakes. The same has one hearts and minds of over a million students around the globe. Our nursing assignment help experts say that this is what you aim for in your studies. We are no different. We have ensured this motto is followed by each of our accounting assignment writing experts, who are also research scholars. Our experts are certified and experienced professionals in the assignment help Australia discipline.Yoga Clothing

    ReplyDelete
  14. Blogging is getting trending day by day. It is a form of creativity and brings in more exposure to the work you are doing. If you need more blog writing tips and suggestions seek a custom essay writing service website as soon as possible.
    WiFi

    ReplyDelete

  15. I really enjoyed this post. (Always awaiting your next one) Laughing my way through. As an avowed serial painter I have learned never to use tape. It adds like 16 extra unnecessary hours to a job. Also guilty of not painting the ceilings and completely regretting it later. Lazy. Do you mind if I put a link to this post on my blog? I would love to share as I am painting my stairway hall from top to floors and you have a very witty tutorial here

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh my goodness. Thank you so much for loving us through your words….challenging us, encouraging and filing us with God’s love by sacrificing your time to serve your readers. I absolutely cherish you and have been following you for years. Thank you for blessing me AND my family. YOU are precious! Waiting for my children to wake up, so I can serve and love on them.
    Cannabis Crop Insurance

    ReplyDelete
  17. Ohh this is fab. As a very new, floundering and feeling my way blog writer, I have discovered how naive I am! The whole follow then unfollow thing baffles me, as does the insta-bot thing. I was puzzled by the “f4f” comments I kept getting, wondering what the hell it meant, but Im learning fast!
    Now, I only follow blogs, Instagram etc that interest me, (not who I think I need to be polite and follow back) and I comment if I feel I want to share something with the writer/poster, not so I get attention. Its a weird, whole new world that I need to understand lol. I also have no fear of my photos being mistaken as copies, I am a really rubbish photographer! (again, trying to learn fast)
    I have found your blog a fabulous source of info on starting a blog etc, (I found it via a google search on blog help) and these ethics are exactly why I chose to subscribe. I will follow the ethics, plus a few more of my own, to the letter!
    Nonton Anime

    ReplyDelete
  18. Nice post, Lynda! I have found that sealing my bowls with the Clear acrylic sealer I get at the local building supply store really helps to stiffen the all-purpose rope bowls I make. They end up pretty rigid, so they are functional as well as decorative, and the sealer protects the surface from stains. I’m not sure if this would be an issue with your dyed cord – do you rinse the cord or wash out after the dye has set? If not, there could be bleeding issues with the sealer.
    Free Prague Guide

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh my goodness. Thank you so much for loving us through your words….challenging us, encouraging and filing us with God’s love by sacrificing your time to serve your readers. I absolutely cherish you and have been following you for years. Thank you for blessing me AND my family. YOU are precious! Waiting for my children to wake up, so I can serve and love on them.
    yoga shorts hawaii

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hump day bringing you down? Don’t stress, the Austin Craft Riot Summer Show is just around the corner! In addition to having fun making things and relaxing with friends and family, you can also shop from unique vendors like the 4 we’re featuring today. Clothing, jewelry, hair accessories, and stationery – we’ve got it all!.jeftine avio karte

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hello, Hello, Nice post, Lynda! I have found that sealing my bowls with the Clear acrylic sealer I get at the local building supply store really helps to stiffen the all-purpose rope bowls I make. They end up pretty rigid, so they are functional as well as decorative, and the sealer protects the surface from stains. I’m not sure if this would be an issue with your dyed cord – do you rinse the cord or wash out after the dye has set? If not, there could be bleeding issues with the sealer.

    swim with dolphins kona Hawaii

    ReplyDelete
  22. I totally agree with all of your points but the one thing that annoys me most is when my images are used without any credit being given. It takes me (and I’m sure most other bloggers) so much time to take pictures and edit them and then to see them being used for profit on other random websites drives me mad. It seems to be happening so much lately that I don’t really know what to do about it anymore and seeing “Pinterest” as a credit source can send me into total meltdown.general store

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hello, Hump day bringing you down? Don’t stress, the Austin Craft Riot Summer Show is just around the corner! In addition to having fun making things and relaxing with friends and family, you can also shop from unique vendors like the 4 we’re featuring today. Clothing, jewelry, hair accessories, and stationery – we’ve got it all!.just education online

    ReplyDelete
  24. I have found that sealing my bowls with the Clear acrylic sealer I get at the local building supply store really helps to stiffen the all-purpose rope bowls I make. They end up pretty rigid, so they are functional as well as decorative, and the sealer protects the surface from stains. I’m not sure if this would be an issue with your dyed cord – do you rinse the cord or wash out after the dye has set? If not, there could be bleeding issues with the sealer..fussball wetten

    ReplyDelete
  25. Could I also add blatant clickbait users to that list – I don’t mind if theirs some actual content but I saw one today saying “Youtube are removing the 30 second pre-roll ads”* – in the video that became “They might do it next year, and 29 second or 31 second ads will remain”. And all their content was low quality daily clickbaitHigh waist Capri leggings


    ReplyDelete
  26. Perform amazing stunts in this popular car game to get high scores. ado stunt cars 2

    ReplyDelete


  27. The creative person you are you have just done an amazing job I am much glad to visit your post because it’s much beneficial and useful for me.DC party rental

    ReplyDelete
  28. I really enjoyed this post. (Always awaiting your next one) Laughing my way through. As an avowed serial painter, I have learned never to use tape. It adds like 16 extra unnecessary hours to a job. Also guilty of not painting the ceilings and completely regretting it later. Lazy. Do you mind if I put a link to this post on my blog? I would love to share as I am painting my stairway hall from top to floors and you have a very witty tutorial here.free software club

    ReplyDelete
  29. Browse job depository for thousands of job offers and find the best suitable position. Fill up your profile with your education and experience, then just apply for a job with one click.

    if you want more just look here "literal jobs"

    ReplyDelete
  30. I really enjoyed this post. (Always awaiting your next one) Laughing my way through. As an avowed serial painter, I have learned never to use tape. It adds like 16 extra unnecessary hours to a job. Also guilty of not painting the ceilings and completely regretting it later. Lazy. Do you mind if I put a link to this post on my blog? I would love to share as I am painting my stairway hall from top to floors and you have a very witty tutorial here.Condominio 221

    ReplyDelete
  31. เกมยิงปลาแสนสนุก เกมยิงปลาออนไลน์ได้เงินจริง
    https://www.slot1234.com/เกมยิงปลาออนไลน์

    ReplyDelete
  32. Great tips as the winter weather sneaks in. Too bad we have rain instead of snow down here in the South. Still having to make sure it doesn’t drop in puddles.Tierras del Este

    ReplyDelete
  33. The selection is wonderful! It’s something i would definitely wear!lisa

    ReplyDelete
  34. I think you may know that, the HSC Marksheet will be Published on your Education Board website.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I’m impressed, I must say. Really rarely do I encounter a blog that’s both educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head. Your idea is outstanding; the issue is something that not enough people are speaking intelligently about. I am very happy that I stumbled across this in my search for something relating to this.

    Turki.ppi.id
    Information
    Click Here

    ReplyDelete
  36. Feels a lifetime ago, แทงบอล doesn’t it? And yet it is less than 16 months since those wild celebrations at Anfield, since the Kop finally felt safe enough to sing about winning the league.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Are you having a headache because of the messy toys of your children? Or simply want to find something to play in your spare time? The Impossible Game will be a great choice for you! For you, adults, this is a store of highly entertaining games, for children, this is also a place to learn and practice some pretty good skills!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Karnataka is announced 1st and 2nd year PUC study material with sample model question paper (Kar PUC Model Paper 2022) with new exam question pattern for Kannada medium and English medium Arts, Science and Commerce stream general and vocational course students to the academic year of 2022. Karnataka II PUC Question Paper Students of Pre University Education can download Kar 1st and 2nd PUE Model Paper 2022 with subject wise study material & model set and mock test question paper for theory, objective type multiple choice questions (MCQ), Bit Paper with suggested answer solutions for all subjects.

    ReplyDelete
  39. There are certainly a lot of details like that to take into consideration. That is a great point to bring up. I offer the thoughts above as general inspiration but clearly there are questions like the one you bring up where the most important thing will be working in honest good faith. I don?t know if best practices have emerged around things like that, but I am sure that your job is clearly identified as a fair game. Both boys and girls feel the impact of just a moment’s pleasure, for the rest of their lives.

    Thimpress.com
    Information
    Click Here
    Visit Web

    ReplyDelete
  40. This is a brilliant tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere. Short at any rate precise information… Thank you for sharing this one. An evident need read post!delete venmo transaction history

    ReplyDelete
  41. โปรโมชั่น PG Slotได้จัดโปรโมชั่น PG SLOT โปรเด็ดเอาใจนักเล่นที่สมัครเข้ามาเป็นสมาชิกกับทางเว็บของเรา ด้วยโปรสุดพิเศษ ฝาก-ถอนได้จริงเงื่อนไขไม่ยุ่งยาก พร้อมด้วยเจ้าหน้าทีคอยให้บริการ

    ReplyDelete
  42. able to deliver groceries right to your door, including long-lasting nonperishables like canned vegetables, rice, beans, nuts and more. Frozen foods could also be beneficial if you’re looking to cook for a family.


    카지노사이트
    바카라사이트

    ReplyDelete
  43. Think about the sorts of items you use a lot of in a two-week period. Paper goods are probably at the top of this list, including things

    스포츠토토
    토토사이트

    ReplyDelete
  44. What’s up it’s me, I am also visiting this website
    regularly, this web page is really good and the users
    are in fact sharing nice thoughts.


    배트맨토토
    토토사이트

    ReplyDelete
  45. Pretty! This was an extremely wonderful article. Thanks for
    supplying this info.

    스포츠토토티비
    스포츠중계

    ReplyDelete
  46. When you plan to buy new furniture for your home, the idea of buying furniture online is not the first thing that comes to your mind; rather, you try to find out other alternatives for your furniture shopping. Dan

    ReplyDelete
  47. Haryana 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Class Books Should be Followed as the Prime Resource Throughout the year to Clear All Doubts and Strengthen your knowledge. HBSE 8th Class Textbook HBSE 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Class Textbook 2023 Provides an easy Explanation for Various Concepts in the Curriculum. Our Portal are Providing the Latest Version of Haryana VI, VII, VIII, IX, X Book 2023 which is Published by the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) Haryana. All the Chapters can be Downloaded in the form of PDFs.

    ReplyDelete
  48. ช่วยตัวเอง ให้มีเงิน Slot Pg เรามาลองมาดูกันว่าถ้าอยากมีเงินเก็บมากขึ้นเพื่อสร้างความมั่นคงให้กับชีวิต ทุกคนล้วนคาดหวังให้ตัวเองสุขสบาย ลอง slot pg มีกิน มีเงินใช้จนถึงวันสุดท้าย ของชีวิต

    ReplyDelete
  49. This business model is so good and so adaptive that It is so easy to understand. Now it's time to avail Inbound Call Centre for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  50. It's a significant contribution! I really anticipate all of the information. This is exceedingly beneficial and instructive. I value the effort and time that you put into writing this. It's well worth reading. I'll make sure to tell others about it. Grateful you for your input. This is something I will definitely come back to in the future. I'm definitely picking up some new information. Excellent work! Continue your excellent work.
    ¿Qué es un divorcio de mutuo acuerdo en Virginia?
    Leyes de divorcio sin oposición de Virginia

    ReplyDelete
  51. One of those powerful tools is the virtual number, which ensures system integration without requiring you to invest any money in hardware. Virtual number service will assist you in keeping everything in the right loop, from sales promotion as product launches to consumer research and feedback gathering.Best IP Telephony Solutions in Dubai

    ReplyDelete
  52. Good blog. I appreciate you sharing with us. Such fascinating details. Abogado Tráfico Fairfax VA

    ReplyDelete