Citizen science is a term used to describe community driven research organized by educated scientist. With the help from citizens, these research initiatives allow for larger and more complex data collection, growth of local or global scientific knowledge amongst its participants, and the potential to influence political policy making. Since the first use of the word "citizen science", which was document in the magazine MIT Technology Review over three decades ago, the use of citizen science has grown globally and has allowed for the development of various groups organizations to help sponsor these initiatives.

Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne, Australia continues to experience detrimental environmental effects such as climate change, microplastic pollution, and marine pest infestation. The Port Phillip EcoCentre in St. Kilda employs methods in citizen science to attempt to reverse these changes with the help of community volunteers, but its growth has expanded beyond the capacity of the current facilities. Our team worked with the EcoCentre to prepare for the launch of their new building, which will include Australia’s first built for purpose citizen science laboratory.