Collaborative Research: Laboratory Environments

The June 23, 2025 memo from the Office of Science and Technology Policy highlighted the importance of collaborative science that integrates a wide range of expertise, methodologies, and perspectives across disciplines and sectors. Key parts of collaborations are the fundamental mentoring relationships between senior researchers and trainees that impact the conduct of research. This project will gather data to describe and create evidence-based approaches to support these relationships. Strengthening these relationships is important to help avoid research misconduct, support cutting edge science, improve science standards, and foster the competitiveness of the national STEM talent pool. This project employs mixed methods to investigate questions concerning the collaborations between advisors and trainees in laboratory settings to strengthen scientific training and research. In addition to gathering data on the basic practice of scientific research and its use of the apprenticeship model to educate new researchers, the project will use the gathered evidence to develop evidence-based professional development materials to improve this foundational relationship. The final products will include workshop lesson plans, case studies, and a guide for researchers and organizations to develop effective research environments. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.