Community Scientists: How Anyone Can Get Involved in Science

PurpleAir community

Curious about the air quality around you?

Want to learn more and contribute to air quality projects?

You're not alone. Thousands of people are getting involved in air quality science. No matter who you are, there are plenty of ways to contribute. And if you want to help with PurpleAir, then you can join our ranks as a community scientist!

Together, our mission is to make air quality accessible to everyone. And we hope you'll join us.

What is Community Science?

Community science enrolls the public into projects that promote scientific knowledge and environmental awareness. The EPA supports these initiatives through resources, including funding, technical support, and tools.

At our core, PurpleAir is a large community scientist community. The data available from the PurpleAir Map helps identify research questions and collect and analyze data. Our data is even used by Google for their air quality data layer.

PurpleAir Map

We also contribute to the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) by:

  • Helping them gather crowdsourced data that would be nearly impossible to obtain due to time, geographic, or resource constraints.
  • Leveraging resources by collecting environmental research done by this wide community.
  • Increasing environmental engagement by building meaningful relationships with communities.

You can also join our community forum, where you will be able to share your air quality projects and receive support for PurpleAir sensors.

How Can I Be a Part Of It?

If you already have a PurpleAir sensor and have not registered it in the PurpleAir map yet, register it now! This way, you are helping other fellow community scientists access broader information and contribute to enriching the available data.

If you do not own an air quality monitor, you can also access our open-source PurpleAir air quality monit data. This data is available for download and could help you start that exciting project in mind.

Worried About Your Air Quality?

Monitor the Particulate Matter levels around the world with our free, real-time PurpleAir Map or join PurpleAir's mission to make air quality data accessible to everyone by investing in an air quality monitor for your home. 

Together, we can be informed and make changes in our daily habits and the community to improve air quality.