Research collaboration makes it happen

We in ORDE sometimes meet with faculty that have an abundance of great ideas for research for which they are seeking funding. But these great ideas are not always fully developed or in alignment with agency goals. Given the traditional lone-wolf approach in research, many PIs think that if they haven't figured out a whole project by themselves then they won't do it. However, more and more, the most exciting and competitive projects are collaborative. But, if you're not sure how to form these collaborations, here are some tips.

Know your strengths and weaknesses
Before you reach out to collaborators, be clear on where your expertise lies and where it is limited. This will help you to pitch yourself and your project to potential partners and help you to identify the right partner(s).

Identify potential team members' strengths and weaknesses
Once you're clear what your role should be in a project and what roles and needs you must fill to make it come to fruition, you're ready to look for collaborators. Talk to your colleagues and make connections in the areas you have needs. When you identify a potential collaborator, set up an initial conversation to vet them.

Be ready to share
If you want a collaboration to be successful, you shouldn't go into conversations assuming that you're the boss and your collaborator will just provide what's needed. If that's how you want to run things, then you're really looking for a consultant on your project, not a collaborator. Most researchers will not be willing to invest themselves in a project that does not feel like it is theirs. So, be prepared to not only share your idea, but adapt the idea with your new partner(s).

Be ready to assert yourself
On the flip side, a collaboration shouldn't feel like a hand off of your idea to another. Some researchers feel their project is co-opted especially when they seek collaboration with a more seasoned PI. To combat this, be ready to assert yourself and demand a true partnership in the project.

Know what's in it for each researcher
An essential piece to a good collaboration is setting each collaborator up for success. When beginning a collaborative project, it's important to get all motivations out on the table to make sure they're complementary. Also, this is the time to discuss order of authorship of subsequent publications, and who will provide what resources and time to which parts of the project. This can help you avoid confusion or conflict later on.

But is collaboration worth it?
Collaboration is a lot of work, but it seems to be the direction we're going. According to Adams (2012):

• Co-authored pubs tend to get cited more
• The first paper with 1,000+ authors was published in 2004
• The U.S. collaborates with China the most on 3-4% of its Science papers

Resources:
The Rise of Research Networks - Adams (2012)