getting-started

The Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science (Public Lab) is open for anyone and will always be free. By [signing up](/signup), you've joined a diverse group of community researchers and tapped into a lot of grassroots expertise. ## How to connect Every Tuesday at Tuesday at 2:45pm ET/ 1:45pm Central there's a Newcomers call. Join by Video here: https://zoom.us/j/934187763 Call in: US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 876 9923 Meeting ID: 934 187 763 International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/4PA9bWsb Call notes here: http://pad.publiclab.org/p/opencall Check the **[events calendar](/events)** to scan for upcoming activities that may be in your area. **** ## How to use this website If you're coming to Public Lab with an environmental issue or concern, consider starting by posting an Issue Brief. Check out this walkthrough of posting an issue brief to Public Lab: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2ck0eH_ZukM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> The website is where our community develops [open-source](/licenses) documentation and literature on DIY community science. **There are three main areas of the site:** **[Research notes](/research)** are the easiest and best way to share (i.e. open source) your work. [Post a research note](/post) to solicit input, publish tests or prototypes, ask questions, or just to keep track of links and research documents. Posting is like making a blog post in that you get sole authorship credit and only you can edit your notes. <p><a class="btn btn-large btn-primary" href="/post">Post a Research note »</a></p> **[Wiki pages](/wiki)** hold our collective knowledge base. Wiki pages feature curated knowledge condensed from work documented on research notes. They can be edited by anyone with a publiclab.org account. **[The Archive](/archive)** hosts open data created by Public Lab tools for all to use. Currently featuring maps in visible and infrared, the archive will be expanding to hold spectral, water quality, and other types of data generated by Public Lab tools. <a class="btn btn-lg btn-default" href="/website-basics">Read more about how to use the website</a> **** ##Community structure * Organizers: http://publiclab.org/wiki/organizers * Staff: http://publiclab.org/wiki/plots-staff * Board: http://publiclab.org/wiki/board This diagram roughly shows how these groups are nested:  Also, see the [glossary of terms](/wiki/glossary) used around Public Lab!