We build the technology between a scientific idea and public participation

People want to do science

Pocket Science began with a simple conviction: people do not only want to read about discovery. Given a meaningful task, a tool they can understand and an honest connection to the research, they want to participate.

That idea has stayed with us while the technology and subjects became more ambitious—from public astronomy to optical instruments, environmental observations and international research infrastructure.

From apps to broader scientific technology

We pioneered citizen science app development. Since then, our capabilities have expanded across smartphone sensing, scientific instruments, camera calibration, participant workflows, production backends, interoperable research services and machine learning. Each project uses only the capabilities its research actually needs. Projects have taken us from atmospheric measurements with iSPEX to water observation, night-sky brightness and public inspection of astronomical candidates.

Who you work with

Researchers work directly with the small senior Pocket Science team that designs, builds and operates the systems. There is no agency relay between the scientific question and the people doing the work.

Norbert Schmidt

Founder, developer and technology lead. Co-author of work on smartphone-camera calibration, portable spectroscopy and polarimetry, and night-sky measurement.

Joep van der Heiden

Developer and researcher with a background in psychological research, participant behaviour and scientific methodology.

Demelza Ramakers

Project planning and office operations, supporting delivery and continuity across long-running work.

How we work

Researchers bring us a subject, problem or opportunity. We listen in depth, learn the domain and start thinking alongside the people who own it. Together we identify the smallest serious first step, the wider technical opportunity and any relevant funding route.

Before substantive research, architecture, proposal development or implementation begins, we agree a bounded scope, responsibilities, rights and payment route. Then we build, validate with the qualified domain owners and remain committed through operation, maintenance or a responsible transfer.

Enthusiasm is a working method

We love the subjects researchers bring us. We want to understand them, talk to the people who have spent years inside them and discover the detail that turns a merely functional application into a faithful scientific tool. We travel for field campaigns, celebrate the strange observation that finally makes sense and stay curious when the first answer creates a better question.

That involvement does not put us in the researcher’s chair. Scientific, ethical and operational authority remains with the people who own the domain. We pull our chair alongside theirs and contribute engineering, product judgement and a fresh technical perspective.

Part of an international community

The team became CitiObs Fellows and was named a SciStarter Top Affiliate in 2025. We participate in the European citizen-science community, contribute invited expert advice to the Project Charter for the planned EOSC Citizen Science Node, team up with DarkSky International, and serve as astronomy ambassadors connected with the International Astronomical Union.

These are different kinds of relationships, not a wall of interchangeable logos. Together they keep us close to participants, researchers, infrastructure builders and communities working to make science more open.

Worldwide, with roots in the Netherlands

Pocket Science works worldwide with universities, research institutes and international consortia. We are based in Heerlen, Netherlands; our work is not geographically limited. Horizon Europe experience is one capability, not the boundary of where we work.

Our boundary

We build technology and contribute technical research. Project owners and qualified specialists retain scientific, ethical, medical, legal and operational authority. We aim to make evidence boundaries and limitations explicit rather than turn a compelling interface into an unsupported claim.