Frontiers in Education (Feb 2020)
Early-Career Coordinated Distributed Experiments: Empowerment Through Collaboration
- Ada Pastor,
- Elena Hernández-del Amo,
- Pau Giménez-Grau,
- Mireia Fillol,
- Olatz Pereda,
- Lorea Flores,
- Isis Sanpera-Calbet,
- Andrea G. Bravo,
- Eduardo J. Martín,
- Sílvia Poblador,
- Maite Arroita,
- Rubén Rasines-Ladero,
- Celia Ruiz,
- Rubén del Campo,
- Meritxell Abril,
- Marta Reyes,
- Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz,
- Diego Fernández,
- Núria de Castro-Català,
- Irene Tornero,
- Carlos Palacin-Lizarbe,
- María Isabel Arce,
- Juanita Mora-Gómez,
- Juanita Mora-Gómez,
- Lluís Gómez-Gener,
- Silvia Monroy,
- Anna Freixa,
- Anna Lupon,
- Alexia María González-Ferreras,
- Edurne Estévez,
- Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano,
- Libe Solagaistua,
- Tamara Rodríguez-Castillo,
- Ibon Aristi,
- Aingeru Martínez,
- Núria Catalán
Affiliations
- Ada Pastor
- Aquatic Biology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus Universitet, Aarhus, Denmark
- Elena Hernández-del Amo
- Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Pau Giménez-Grau
- Aquatic Biology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus Universitet, Aarhus, Denmark
- Mireia Fillol
- Catalan Institute for Water Research, Girona, Spain
- Olatz Pereda
- Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
- Lorea Flores
- Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
- Isis Sanpera-Calbet
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia I Ciències Ambientals, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Andrea G. Bravo
- Department of Environmental Chemist, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
- Eduardo J. Martín
- Swiss Federeal Institue of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Sílvia Poblador
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia I Ciències Ambientals, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Maite Arroita
- Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
- Rubén Rasines-Ladero
- Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados, Water Institute, Madrid, Spain
- Celia Ruiz
- The National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Rubén del Campo
- 0Department of Ecology and Hydrology, Campus de Espinardo, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Meritxell Abril
- 1BETA Technological Centre, University of Vic—Central University of Catalonia, Vic, Spain
- Marta Reyes
- Swiss Federeal Institue of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz
- 2Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Diego Fernández
- 3Institute for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
- Núria de Castro-Català
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia I Ciències Ambientals, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Irene Tornero
- Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
- Carlos Palacin-Lizarbe
- 4Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- María Isabel Arce
- 5Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Espinardo, CSIC, Murcia, Spain
- Juanita Mora-Gómez
- 6ISTO, CNRS UMR 7327, Université d'Orléans, BRGM, Orléans, France
- Juanita Mora-Gómez
- 7Le Studium Loire Valley Institute for Advanced Studies, Orléans, France
- Lluís Gómez-Gener
- 8Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Silvia Monroy
- Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
- Anna Freixa
- Catalan Institute for Water Research, Girona, Spain
- Anna Lupon
- 9Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain
- Alexia María González-Ferreras
- 0IHCantabria - Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
- Edurne Estévez
- 0IHCantabria - Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
- Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano
- 1Department of Geography, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
- Libe Solagaistua
- Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
- Tamara Rodríguez-Castillo
- 0IHCantabria - Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
- Ibon Aristi
- Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
- Aingeru Martínez
- Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain
- Núria Catalán
- Catalan Institute for Water Research, Girona, Spain
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.00013
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 5
Abstract
Coordinated distributed experiments (CDEs) enable the study of large-scale ecological patterns in geographically dispersed areas, while simultaneously providing broad academic and personal benefits for the participants. However, the effective involvement of early-career researchers (ECRs) presents major challenges. Here, we analyze the benefits and challenges of the first CDE exclusively led and conducted by ECRs (i.e. ECR-CDE), which sets a baseline for similar CDEs, and we provide recommendations for successful CDE execution. ECR-CDEs achieve most of the outcomes identified in conventional CDEs as well as extensive benefits for the young cohort of researchers, including: (i) receiving scientific credit, (ii) peer-training in new concepts and methods, (iii) developing leadership and communication skills, (iv) promoting a peer network among ECRs, and (v) building on individual engagement and independence. We also discuss the challenges of ECR-CDEs, which are mainly derived from the lack of independence and instability of the participants, and we suggest mechanisms to address them, such as resource re-allocation and communication strategies. We conclude that ECR-CDEs can be a relevant tool to empower ECRs across disciplines by fostering their training, networking and personal well-being.
Keywords
