Scientific cyberinfrastructure consists of organizations, technologies, and practices that support science work at a distance. This research advances the stream of work on public engagement in science by focusing on a particular type of public engagement, lay research, as mediated by computing technologies. We investigate how lay scientists’ needs are represented in cyberinfrastructure, and how that impacts their engagement in science activities. In particular, cyberinfrastructure designs - social and technical - have the potential to help or hinder laity involvement in research. This work looks at active cyberinfrastructure-building efforts in several domains, including limnology and climate science, to see how lay scientists are affecting and affected by the growing cyberinfrastructure. The active cyberinfrastructure design work has surfaced relevant issues, providing a good opportunity to talk with those involved. Surveys and interviews with both professional and lay scientists, and technology-builders yield data about the background and goals of the scientists, and how those goals are being addressed as technical and social cyberinfrastructure grows.