Collaboration in the New Life Sciences

Collaboration among scientists within a single discipline is almost the norm today. However interdisciplinary collaboration is still in its infancy. Parker, of the US National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Vermeulen (social studies of science, University of Vienna) and Penders (science and technology studies, Maastricht University and Radboud University)and their colleagues examine the recent explosion in collaborative programs that include scientists, social scientists and representatives of the public. Using examples from projects, especially ecological and genetic studies, they analyze the feasibility of such collaborations and the roles of the participants. They also point out that such large interdisciplinary groups are not always necessary or effective but are formed to acquire funding or tenure. While there is an ideal of many people working together toward a common goal, the organization of projects and communication among participants do not always match that ideal. This study suggests methods to make the collaborative process a success. Annotation c2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Bart Penders is an assistant professor in Biomedine and Society in the Department of Health, Ethics and Society at Maastricht University, the Netherlands. He is co-editor of Collaboration Across Health Research and Medical Care. Niki Vermeulen is Lecturer in the History and Sociology of Science at the University of Edinburgh, UK, and co-editor of Collaboration Across Health Research and Medical Care and Bio-Objects: Life in the 21st Century. John N. Parker is an Honors Faculty Fellow at Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University. He is co-editor of Collaboration Across Health Research and Medical Care.