Welcome to the Team Science repository, part of the Environmental Data Science Innovation and Impact Lab (ESIIL). This repository serves as the central hub for our Team Science research at ESIIL, supervised and ran by Dr. Jennifer Balch, Dr. John Parker and Dr. Kayleigh Ward. You will also find resources for our ESIIL working groups, such as Team Science trainings and workshops.
Team Science at ESIIL is committed to understanding how environmental data science and synthesis teams can collaborate more effectively and creatively to accelerate scientific discovery. Our work examines the social, organizational, and facilitation practices that shape team success, including how working groups form shared goals, integrate expertise, manage collaboration, and produce innovative research outcomes. Through a combination of meta-analysis, observational research with ESIIL working groups, and comparative studies of working groups across NSF synthesis centers, we aim to identify evidence-based strategies that support high-functioning interdisciplinary teams.
Many of today’s most urgent environmental challenges require collaborative approaches that bring together researchers across disciplines, institutions, career stages, and methodological traditions. By studying the process of team-based science alongside its scientific outputs, we are contributing practical tools, trainings, and frameworks that can strengthen working group experiences and improve the design of future synthesis initiatives. Ultimately, we seek to advance the science of team science while helping synthesis teams generate more innovative, impactful, and actionable environmental knowledge.
- Dr. Jennifer Balch: University website
- Dr. John Parker: University website
- Dr. Kayleigh Ward: ESIIL website
At this time we only welcome contributions from ESIIL affiliated staff and working groups. Please contact Kayleigh Ward directly. If you are just exploring team science at ESIIL we also recommend checking out our all-star working groups.