Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the frequently asked questions for the SEED Citizen Science Hub (the hub). If you have a question that is not answered here please contact us.

 

1. What is the SEED Citizen Science Hub?

The SEED Citizen Science Hub is a one-stop-shop for you to explore projects, events and opportunities across NSW. Connect with people, link your project(s) or create a new project using expert step by step guidance to contribute, share and access environmental data through the SEED platform. Discover the impact your contributions can have by being openly available to communities, scientists and decision makers. The key features are:

For Volunteers 

  • Find projects across NSW specific to your interests, skills and availability 
  • Connect with like-minded people to learn new skills, join projects and make direct contact with users 
  • Sign up to projects of interest, keep track of updates, up-coming events and announcements with the Hub notification system 
  • See your contributions on the SEED platform and access live usage statistics to discover how they could be adding to environmental knowledge 

For Project Organisers and Data users 

  • Access best-practice advice through our project handbook, with examples on everything from project initiation, to retaining volunteers, to maximising the ongoing impact of your project  
  • Register your project(s) and add search criteria to make them discoverable by volunteers suited to your project focus, requirements and location
  • Connect with the Hub community and make direct contact with other users to share tips, resources and find volunteers   
  • Add your data so it is widely accessible, increasing the real positive impact it can have on the NSW environment and show your volunteers how important their contributions are.  
  • Access and download data from the hub with ease or seamlessly explore the dataset on the SEED platform, and accurately assess its suitability for you by using our transparent data quality rating.

 

 2. What does SEED stand for?

SEED – the portal for Sharing and Enabling Environmental Data – has been developed with and for the community of NSW, as a central place for everyone to find data about the environment.

Initially containing publicly accessible Land, Air and Water data from NSW Government agencies, SEED has grown over time as more and different types of environmental data are added. This growth and the interest in citizen science, has led to the development of the SEED Citizen Science Hub.

For more information about SEED click here.

 

3. How is the SEED Citizen Science Hub different from other systems?

The SEED Citizen Science hub is not just a project finder it goes much further than this allowing users to:    

  • Search and contact people to share resources, find collaboration opportunities and sign up for projects your friends are contributing to or are run by people you have liked working with in the past. 
  • Explore data collected as part of the project and directly download it in multiple forms. Trust that the data is of known quality with our independent and transparent data quality rating.
  • Discover the impact that data could be having on scientific research and decision making with a live feedback of data usage statistics from SEED and links to publications. 
  • Utilise best practice examples and resources in our project guide to maximise your projects success, data utility and impact. 
  • Provide feedback on the site by contacting admin anytime. Feedback will be collated, prioritised and could be integrated back into the sites design

 

 4. Where do I go to find out how to use the SEED Citizen Science Hub?

Please visit our 'How to use the hub' page which is accessible from the homepage or in the about drop down menu at the top of your page.

 

5. How to I get in contact with SEED Citizen Science Hub admins?

Please visit the contact us page and follow the instructions 

 

6. What projects does the SEED Citizen Science Hub support?

The hub supports all citizen science projects that aim to collect and/or analyse scientific data in NSW.

 

7. How do I add data to the SEED Citizen Science Hub?

Please refer to the 'Connecting your Data to SEED' section in the project guide.

 

8. Does is cost anything to use the SEED Citizen Science Hub?

No, it is free to create an account and register a citizen science project on the hub.

 

9. Am I able to change and edit my profile after I have registered an account?

Yes, once you have created an account on the hub, you can edit your user profile anytime you want. To edit your account:   

  1. Log in to your account.
  2. Once you have logged in, on any hub page select My Account.
  3. In the left-hand column, select edit my details.
  4. Scroll to the field(s) you want to change.

 

10. Does the SEED Citizen Science Hub share my project with other platforms?

The hub shares projects with the Atlas of Living Australia’s citizen science project finder. By sharing projects, we hope to:

  • Minimise project duplication.
  • Reduce the need for project organisers to register their project on different platforms.
  • Increase the outreach potential for projects.
  • Make it easier for volunteers to find citizen science projects.

 

11. Where can I find the SEED Citizen Science Hub's privacy information?

Refer to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.