To address the growing complexity of societal and global challenges, research is increasingly conducted by interdisciplinary teams of researchers, research centers, and institutes. The Science of Team Science is a new interdisciplinary field that empirically examines the processes by which these collaborations organize, communicate, and conduct research to achieve scientific breakthroughs that would otherwise not be attainable. The National Research Council, via its Board on Behavioral, Cognitive and Sensory Sciences, will conduct a consensus study and appoint a committee of experts to assemble, synthesize, and communicate important findings from the Science of Team Science and related fields such as social psychology, science policy, organizational/business management, human resource development, organizational studies, social cognition, and industrial/organizational psychology. The project will include two public workshops to gather information on team dynamics, team management, and institutional structures and policies that affect large and small science teams. The committee's final report will provide conclusions and recommendations to strengthen the efficiency and productivity of science teams in order to build their capacity for major scientific and technological advances. The report will both contribute to the advancement of research on science teams and inform those who conduct, fund, and manage interdisciplinary research collaborations in research universities, federal agencies and industry.
