VOLUNTEER RESEARCH
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
nivela
volunteer
Real scientific research, right from your phone. Help working scientists study wildlife populations, watch over protected areas, and build the data behind published findings. All on your own schedule, whether that is five minutes or a whole afternoon. We verify your hours and confirm them in writing every month.
WHAT YOU DO
Real research
You review photographs and video collected by working research teams, and record what you observe. Which species are present, how many, and what they are doing.Each project gives you a protocol and clear instructions to start. No science background is needed, but accuracy matters. The platform is built for beginners, and built to help you do great work that scientists can rely on.
The Work
Our projects
Your work goes to scientists at real institutions, and we select each opportunity carefully. We only take on research that produces real scientific findings, and never projects built to train AI that would replace human researchers.Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. More than 2,000 trail cameras across the state, running since 2016. Volunteers identify the animals in each photo. The state uses that data to manage its wildlife.The Smithsonian's Our Shared Future Survey: A camera survey along the historic Lewis and Clark trail, part of one of the largest wildlife studies in the country.And many more. Projects change as research needs change. We keep an ongoing list of all our active programs, and we update it every month.
HOW IT WORKS
Four steps
Sign up here. Five short questions, two minutes.We send your group link. The projects live on Zooniverse, the research platform. If you do not have a free account, the link walks you through creating one, then adds you to the Nivela volunteer group. Joining the group is what makes your hours count.Do the work whenever you want. Your time is measured while you are actively classifying. The platform records working sessions, not idle screens.We verify and send your statement. Every month, we check your hours and send you a written record of what you completed.
Not sure this is the right fit? If you are not working right now and you would like help along that path, our free training program may suit you better. Structured courses, flexible schedules, and a certificate employers recognize.See the training program →