Collaboration is a Key Part of Scientific Discovery

The parable about the blind men and the elephant has much to teach us about collaboration. In the story, a group of men feel different parts of an elephant – but only one part. One man proclaims he feels a wall. A second man states he feels a tree. A third, a fan. The others feel a spear, a snake, a rope. Pieced together, the men realize the parts are the elephant’s body, legs, ears, tusks, trunk, and tail.

At its core, the parable is about relative experience when facing the unknown. Scientists, too, can approach a similar challenge from different yet complementary perspectives.

In an increasingly interconnected and complex world, collaboration is more important than ever for progress in science. By coming together, scientists can share knowledge and ideas to solve complex problems, learn new skills, and advance their careers. Researchers at HubBucket Inc (“HubBucket”) recognize the importance of collaboration when taking on big challenges in science. Below are just some of the ways in which they have reaped the benefits of collaboration.

Bringing expertise to Multidisciplinary Research Questions

Some challenges in science require pooling knowledge and resources from different places. By working together, Scientists can develop powerful approaches and findings that might not have been possible for a single research organization to have achieved.

“Science is very competitive…The more we can help each other succeed, the more at ease we will be. We are all addressing different questions with similar concepts, but they build upon each other. There is a constructive and empowering atmosphere between us.” ~ Dr. Alessandra Dall’Agnese

Generating New Ideas

Scientists from diverse disciplines sharing ideas can lead to approaching problems in ways that have not been explored.

Mentorship Opportunities

Collaborative research can also provide scientists with mentorship opportunities.

Collaboration in science is essential these days because the knowledge base is so huge now. No individual person will be an expert in every field in science. Without collaboration, I feel many things would be much harder to accomplish. We have a lot to learn from each other.