Skip to main content

Adapting Collaborative Science for a Virtual World

Collaborative science involves working closely with partners at every stage - from conceptualizing a new project, to conducting the research, to refining tools to best meet a management need. As a result, it can be challenging to imagine how to adapt collaborative science practices to a new, socially-distant reality. As the pandemic continues to impact projects, the Science Collaborative will be learning alongside project teams, tracking techniques used, and sharing lessons learned about virtual engagement.

This page offers resources for project teams as they seek to design and modify projects using virtual methods for engaging team members, end users and stakeholders. Many of these resources were shared by panelists and participants in a webinar we hosted in May 2020 on Collaborative Science in a Virtual World: Recognizing Limits and Leveraging Opportunities, and additional tips are summarized in the webinar summary report.

Science Collaborative Webinars

Effective engagement and collaboration virtually often means doubling down on the techniques and principles we know work in any environment. This includes best practices such as developing clear roles and expectations for all participants, carefully designing meetings, and taking time to nurture relationships during and outside of meetings. For other resources on stakeholder engagement and designing strong collaborative science projects, see: Applicant Resources

Tips, Resources and Training for Virtual Engagement

Additional Resources for Designing and Modifying Projects