Collaborative research does not come naturally within the current reward system of established research excellence organisations. We explored how to get the most out of team science through building trust and provided tools for resolving the most common areas of conflict in scientific research.
The Academy of Medical Sciences are the independent body in the UK representing the diversity of medical science. Their mission is to advance biomedical and health research and its translation into benefits for society. They are constantly working to ensure the UK and global health is improved by the best research and they are also the only body in the UK who has researched and written about team science and academia.
Team science is the collaborative effort of different groups of scientists to address a scientific challenge. It works by bringing together the strengths and expertise of professionals who excel in different fields. The Academy of Medical Sciences has been working with publishing houses and top academic institutions in order to make it easier for people to collaborate across disciplines. They hosted a day for Team Science training, and Collaborative Capacities delivered the afternoon session. We focused specifically on team dynamics and building trust, and provided tools for conflict resolution of issues such as resource sharing and authorship. The day ended with small group open discussions which highlighted many of the common struggles of team science.
“Arguably the most useful training I have received since graduation”
“The discussion with others and group tasks was the most useful part of the event”
“Clear explanations and really useful discussions directly applicable to my research team”
Photo credit: Tweet by @AMS_Careers 2 May 2018