Veazey gives talk on team science and lessons from kindergarten

On Monday, September 13, 2021, Alice “Pips” Veazey presented her talk titled “Team Science and Lessons from Kindergarten – The Essence of Collaborative Research” at the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, at the University of Maine in Orono. Veazey’s talk is part of the center’s Fall 2021 Sustainability Talks series.

As society continues to manage dynamic and complex global issues, we clearly see that no person, approach, or way of knowing can adequately address these issues single-handedly. From climate change to the current coronavirus pandemic, humanity seeks answers to challenges fundamental to our survival.

Research teams have a great capacity to develop novel and effective approaches and solutions, but there are some challenges along the way. To promote these broad collaborations, we must offer experiences that initiate, encourage, and extend ways that we can all work together.

Veazey’s doctoral work at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks focused on the competencies required to lead large, interdisciplinary science teams, and she has worked with dozens of research teams across the country to facilitate the co-development of research collaboration plans.

In her talk, Veazey points out that lessons we learned in kindergarten form a good foundation, which can be expanded upon and used in team science to maximize how we work in collaborative settings.

She points out that at an early age we learn about sharing, respect, and kindness and have an innate drive to understand the world around us. These ideas hold true throughout life and can be mindfully incorporated in large, interdisciplinary research activities to enhance the effectiveness, trust, and collaborative nature of our team research projects.

Veazey is the director of the University of Maine Portland Gateway, a new initiative that provides a dedicated office in Portland to help people and businesses in southern Maine access the vast array of research and education opportunities at the flagship research university.

Prior to accepting the director’s position, she served as the Principal Investigator for the Alaska Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, a statewide program funded by the National Science Foundation and the State of Alaska aimed at increasing research capacity.

Veazey’s talk at the Mitchell Center can be viewed on Vimeo.

Contact: gateway@maine.edu

Written by Tilan Copson