why and how to collaborate? HELP

[tinjoh]

Hi All. I have a new, permanent post at a university, and I'm confused about the process of academia, particularly collaborations. What are collaborations FOR and how do I initiate them and get the most out of them? I'm often at a loss when meeting and talking to people who could be potential collaborators. What to say and what to do as a result? I

Comments

[aryanhwy]

I have to confess a bit of amazement that you've made it this far if you're confused about how academia works.

Do you go to conferences and present your research? Talk to people doing related things during the coffee breaks. Do you have an opportunity to apply for grants to fund your research? Find out who else is doing related things and write them an email to see if they're interested in doing something joint. Do you keep up to date on the literature in your field? Find out who's writing on what you're interested in, and send them an email. Do you teach? Get your students involved in your research. Do you have departmental colleagues? Talk to them about what they're doing, and see if there are any interesting connections that can be drawn with what you're doing.

[momsalive1]

This.

[biascut]

Could be someone working in a vocationally-focused area who has lots of professional experience but is relatively new to academia. Where I used to work we had a lot of people in subjects like translation, built environment, health sciences and so on who might come in at a relatively senior level with lots of professional experience but without very much experience in academia beyond their undergraduate education and maybe a one-year masters

[nzraya]

I agree with this. Seek out mentors in your field (at your institution AND elsewhere) and ask them about this stuff. Without knowing your field OR institution, it's hard for us to comment; I've never collaborated with anyone in my life, but I work on literature and it's pretty much a solitary pursuit.

[max_ambiguity]

"I love you all, thankyou."

Unreciprocated.

[doctorex]

I am seeking a collaborator right now. Preferred qualifications: ability to decipher what on earth this OP is really asking.

[sensaes]

I'm not sure that professing your love for 4,750 strangers on the Internet is necessarily a viable way of initiating a collaboration, but I haven't been here for ages. Things might've changed. Good luck.

[tellezara]

You should definitely be asking others at your institution - a local collaboration is definitely a good way to ease in and learn to deal with the pitfalls. But you don't want to be your collaborator's RA. Think about what you can offer them and what they can offer you to ensure you end up working on an equal level with them. I'd say hold off for now if you're new, you probably don't know who to trust and who's gonna screw you over right now. Once you've made some friends, then they can give you some advice.

Collaborations are usually to access facilities or knowledge. You need to find out what makes your institution different from others in your area of research - then you'll know what your bargaining chips are.