Accelerating Collaborative Team Science (ACTS) is a Team Science educational program based at the Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
ACTS functions as a connector, bridging the gap between researchers, coordinating centers, and other parties involved in practicing and promoting collaborative team science theory and practical applications across the scientific research landscape.
With twenty years of experience coordinating team science efforts, RENCI provides a unique vantage point for those seeking to understand the role of the coordinating center and the challenges specific to large, geographically dispersed scientific teams.
ACTS is not affiliated with the grantmaking ACTeR Pilot Grant, a program of NC TraCS.
Upcoming Events
ACTS Webinar Series
We host a monthly webinar series designed to explore the different paths and people that use Team Science principles to move their work forward. This is about asking questions, embracing differences, leveraging strengths, learning how to advance the field of Team Science and make it better together.
From Competition to Collaboration: Fostering a Data Sharing Culture for Collaborative Team Science: Insights from the NIH HEAL Data Ecosystem
Thursday, October 17, 2024 | 12:00 – 1:00pm ET
Open, accessible research data provides a foundation for scientific discovery and paves the way for team science-based collaborations. Despite clear benefits to data sharing and increased emphasis on making federally funded research outcomes public, data sharing hesitancy remains common. We will explore that hesitancy, discuss what can be done to improve data sharing and explain how to encourage better scientific collaboration through large-scale data sharing efforts like the one in the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative. We will highlight work underway in the NIH HEAL Data Ecosystem (HDE) to engage with NIH HEAL-funded investigators and promote data sharing, exploring practical strategies research data administrators and stewards employ within the HEAL Data Ecosystem to overcome hesitancy and create a culture of data sharing to benefit collaboration and knowledge integration within and across scientific research teams seeking to end the opioid crisis.
UNC Research Week | ACTS Presents: Successful Collaborative Writing in Team Science
Thursday, October 24, 2024 | 2:00 – 3:00pm ET
Join our ACTS Team at UNC’s Research Week (Oct. 21-24). RENCI’s Dr. Julie Horvath and Brandy Farlow will host a workshop-style event teaching participants essential skills across all stages of the writing process—from brainstorming to drafting and editing. Key topics include addressing diverse scientific perspectives, conflict resolution, managing authorship, using technology and generative AI, defining contributor roles, and assessing document readiness for submission. By focusing on effective organization and collaboration, the workshop aims to enhance grant writing, research publications, and communication within interdisciplinary teams.
Previous Events
- April 11, 2024 | ACTS: Team Science and the Academic Research Enterprise
- May 9, 2024 | ACTS: Introduction to Understanding and Assessing Teamwork Processes
- June 13, 2024 | ACTS: Leadership Considerations in Collaborative Team Science
- September 19, 2024 | ACTS: The Role of AI as a Team Member in Scientific Research
Click below to view summaries and recordings of previous webinar events.
