Scientist-Community Partnerships: A Scientist’s Guide to Successful Collaboration

How to Use

This guide will be most helpful to those scientists and practitioners who are motivated to apply their scientific expertise to community needs, but may be new to the process of community engagement and collaboration. Museum and science center professionals who are facilitating these relationships may also find this guide useful for distribution to academic partners. Strong rationale for pursuing this work is found in an extensive list of the mutual benefits that scientist-community partnerships offer, and eight case studies document models of successful collaboration (including the work of ASTC member Museum of Life and Science with the Carolinas Collaborative on Climate, Health, and Equity!). 

Use this guide to help prepare scientists to narrow their focus, jumpstart their engagement, and to allay common concerns--all while prioritizing meaningful engagement rooted in trust and respect with community partners. Key components include: a newly updated values-driven framework which can be used to explore the iterative process of sustaining effective collaborations; strategies for addressing common barriers to engagement (such as scientists’ concerns over balancing science and advocacy); and a list of resources linking to partnership-building tools, third-party connectors, and science communication toolkits.