Laboratorioalalla

Laboratorioalalla is a multinational, community-based research network that combines physical laboratory spaces with online collaboration tools. It seeks to democratize access to scientific instrumentation and knowledge, supporting both university-led research and citizen science projects. By integrating formal and informal science communities, it aims to accelerate learning, innovate openly, and broaden participation in science.

The name, a blended coinage, evokes both traditional laboratories (laboratorio) and collaborative practice across borders. The initiative began in the early 2020s through partnerships among universities, museums, and grassroots science centers and has since grown into a network with regional hubs.

Organization and governance: A central coordinating body sets standards for safety, data sharing, and open protocols, while local nodes oversee equipment access, training, and project development. Membership is open to researchers, educators, and community members.

Activities include shared equipment pools, open-source experimental protocols, hands-on workshops, online courses, and collaborative research projects across disciplines such as biology, chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. Data produced within the network is archived in public repositories to support reproducibility.

Impact and challenges: The network expands access to modern instrumentation for under-resourced groups and promotes transparency in research. It faces financial sustainability, safety compliance, and governance of intellectual property, but continues to evolve through community input and external funding.

See also: community laboratory, makerspace, open science, citizen science.