The document discusses the benefits of collaboration for research projects, which include bringing in multiple areas of expertise, having more eyes on data for better interpretation, and increased funding opportunities. It provides tips for developing good collaborations such as establishing clear expectations up front in writing, allowing extra time for group work, and ensuring open communication. The document also notes that collaborations should benefit the individual researcher and provides suggestions for finding potential collaborators.

1. Building Collaborative
Relationships for Research
Barbara Tewksbury
Hamilton College

2. This session
Benefits of collaboration
Developing good collaborations
that benefit YOU
Finding collaborators
Research agreements – written
guidelines for collaboration with
research students and post-docs
A bit of personal planning, advice
from group
Any burning questions from your
group

3. Collaboration - benefits for the project
Compelling ideas are commonly
interdisciplinary and require multiple
expertise
More eyes on a data set result in
better interpretation
Ideas are vetted by broader group
Funding agencies believe in the
value of collaboration - funding
opportunities are commonly better
with collaborative projects
Collaboration may be essential in a
foreign country

4. Collaboration – benefits for you
Expands your scientific horizons;
offers experiences in new field areas
Provides access to facilities,
instrumentation
Involves your students in other lab
groups, networking for them and you
Lights a fire under you – it’s harder to
put things off when you are
accountable to your colleagues
IT’S FUN!!!

5. Developing a good collaboration
Avoid misunderstandings - establish
project roles, expectations,
intellectual property, authorship
order, etc. by agreement at the start,
and have it in writing
Allow plenty of time to write
proposals, abstracts, papers, annual
reports – everything takes more time
working in a group
Acknowledge and factor in
institutional differences and needs

6. Developing a good collaboration
Communicate!
Deliver – don’t be the one who is
always a day late and a dollar short
Don’t bite off more than you can chew
Be professionally generous and don’t
be stingy with thanks and compliments
Stick up for yourself, but do it in a
collegial fashion
If something gripes you, either let it go
or address it – don’t let it fester

7. Be sure that the
collaboration benefits YOU
Don’t fall into the trap of a flurry of
research activities on a group of
projects without a personal
research agenda
If you collaborate on several
projects, be lead on one
Make sure that someone can “see”
your own research agenda in the
work that you do both on your own
and as a collaborator

8. Finding collaborators
People you already know (e.g., your
post-doc group or grad school group)
Advantages: you know how to work with
them, what people’s good and bad
points are; may provide project continuity
Disadvantages: no new perspectives,
you may feel locked into a role
Advice: don’t assume or let others
assume – be explicit about roles and
expectations

9. Finding collaborators
New collaborators
Advantages: fresh ideas, broader
network, may be easier to come in as an
equal
Disadvantages: its more work to find
people, and you don’t know what they will
be like to work with
Do your homework and ask around –
what is so-and-so like to work with? What
do you like best? What do you like least?
Don’t assume anything – clarify roles and
expectations in writing.

10. Guidelines for
collaborations with students
Read the sample:
What hadn’t you thought of before?
What aspects did you like?
What aspects didn’t you like?
Other examples:
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorks
hops/earlycareer/research/students.
html#guidelines

11. Task
What can you be doing over
the next year to set yourself up
for future collaborations?
What do you want advice on?
What is your group’s burning
question?