CSEOL (we say Sizzle) is an initiative funded by the European Space Agency (ESA).
CSEOL provides a virtual innovation incubator, i.e. a reliable, facilitating environment to stimulate the emergence of innovative projects that engage citizens, researchers and technology developers in work around ESA’s EO data and which can contribute to empowering citizens, improving decision-making and addressing complex societal problems that can be addressed by using satellite data and citizen science.
The CSEOL innovation funnel drives the process of generating many ideas on how to explore the potential of citizen science to exploit earth observation data towards concrete, implementable projects which are then funded by CSEOL. The innovation funnel starts with Calls for Ideas – and the next one is expected to be launched early in 2021, so watch this space!
Views from space of our planet from satellite images and data provide scientists and policymakers with the information that can help us all better understand and protect our environment. Applications of this Earth Observation (EO) data include monitoring the air, seas and land; providing weather reports and models; and supplying relief agencies with data before and after disasters strike. Our CSEOL goal is to expand collective impact by exploring how different groups of people – scientists, innovators and civil society – can work creatively with EO data, and also use new technologies (including drones and AI), to identify, address and communicate about the Earth’s complex problems.
Opening up big sets of data to people with new ideas drives innovation. Entrepreneurs are already making cool tools based on gathering and validating, or combining and reusing data. Decision-makers can use specialised mapping and monitoring tools to help to combat critical challenges facing different countries. Have a look at this video to see what other people are doing.
IHE Delft Institute for Water Education is the largest international graduate water education facility in the world and is based in Delft, the Netherlands. The institute is a a non-profit foundation and works in partnership with UNESCO. The team from IHE Delft has long running experience with fostering innovation and the theory and practice of Citizen Science and Citizen Observatories, having led or participated in a diverse number of Citizen Science projects.
Starlab is a private Research and Development company whose main areas of work lie in the Space and Neuroscience sectors, two key areas for the 21st century with a common element: the increasing availability of streams of information. The company employ physicists, mathematicians, environmentalist and engineers, who are backed up by a business team aiming to provide technical solutions, products and services for governemnts, industry and downstream markets.