Social Scientists

The purpose of the social science team is to:

• identify interesting social science questions associated with the development and use of cyberinfrastructure,
• to facilitate data collection efforts to address those questions, and 
• to disseminate the results of research back to the iPlant Collaborative and the larger research community.

An important research question at the intersection of social science and information systems concerns the degree to which groups, organizations, and institutions are transformed through the use of technology. Likewise, it is interesting to examine how groups, organizations, and institutions transform the use of technology. Thus, during the course of iPlant development, we will be asking members of the cyberinfrastructure user community questions about how work is done, both with and without iPlant. Research suggests that when a system is compatible with the way work is done, individuals are more likely to adopt it. However, we recognize that iPlant may change how work is done by plant scientists. And, plant scientists might change how technology is deployed for collaboration. Thus, observing this evolution at iPlant can provide insights for future cyberinfrastructure initiatives.

Another important area of inquiry in social science involves understanding the current connections among people, groups, labs, and institutions. One very important goal for social science research is to monitor how social networks change over the course of the project. The social scientists involved in this project will examine the existing social networks among plant scientists using social network analysis and bibliometric techniques. These networks will be monitored over time to understand how and why the community of users changes with system use, and the role that the system plays in these changes. Evaluating the social network will also point out the types of (new) tools that may need to be developed to enable new types of collaborations. Finally, the evaluation can be used to identify areas of support that are needed so that collaboration will continue, even after funding has ceased.

An important aspect of virtual collaboration concerns the various tools that are available. Tools such as blogs, Wikis, and discussion forums are examples of technology applications that can support collaborative work over geographic distances. To achieve the goal of facilitating interaction among scientists, it is essential that these sorts of tools are used, and where they do not meet the Collaborative's needs, new ones are developed. In this way, social science researchers will interact with the developers to identify tool gaps and recommend directions for further development. In addition, it is important to insure iPlant’s software systems are designed with usability in mind. Usability has been defined in a variety of ways, but essentially it focuses on the ability of users to engage with a system in order to achieve desired outcomes effectively and efficiently, and ultimately to be satisfied with the experience. Usability assessments are important both during the development of systems and as a way to enhance adoption.

Throughout the life of this project, it is our intention to solicit input from members of the plant science community in order to develop a cyberinfrastructure environment that is both useful and easy to use.  We hope that you will participate in the surveys and data collection efforts (see Research Programs and Surveys). iPlant is by, for, and of the community and by sharing your perceptions, you will help us to make the iPlant Collaborative even better.