Building a Research Collaboration Network

Science is increasingly collaborative. Conferences, articles, and discussions generate ideas. Pilus connects them before you forget so you can build and maintain a research collaboration network over time.

Why Track Research Collaborations?

• Find collaborators: Identify researchers with complementary expertise
• Suggest reviewers: Know who's active in specific research areas
• Understand research landscape: See how groups and institutions connect
• Track your network: Maintain relationships with conference contacts
• Grant writing: Identify potential co-investigators

Creating Researcher Profiles in Pilus

Pilus lets you create detailed researcher cards to track scientists in your field:

• Name, affiliation, email, and ORCID
• Key publications (linked to article cards)
• Collaborations (linked to other researchers)
• Conference presentations attended

Building Collaboration Links

The power comes from connecting researchers to each other and to their work:

Researcher → Researcher: "Collaborates With"

When you see co-authored papers, link the researchers together. Over time, you'll build a complete collaboration network.

Researcher → Article: "Authored"

Connect researchers to their publications. This helps you quickly see all papers by a specific scientist.

Researcher → Gene/Process: "Works On"

Note what topics each researcher specializes in. This is invaluable when looking for expertise.

Tracking Conference Contacts

Conferences are goldmines for networking. Use Pilus to:

1. Create a conference card for each meeting attended
2. Add researcher cards for people you met
3. Link researchers to the conference
4. Note conversation topics and potential collaborations
5. Add their recent papers to follow up

Visualizing Your Network

Pilus's graph view lets you see your entire research network at a glance:

• Identify well-connected researchers (network hubs)
• Find bridges between research groups
• Discover indirect connections to target collaborators
• See clustering by institution or research area

Best Practices for Network Building

1. Start with Your Co-authors

Begin by adding your direct collaborators and their connections. This creates an immediate useful network.

2. Add Conference Contacts Promptly

Create researcher cards within a day of meeting someone. Include context about your conversation while it's fresh.

3. Link to Publications

When reading papers, create or update researcher cards for key authors. This builds your network passively.

4. Note Expertise Areas

Tag researchers with their specialties. This makes finding the right expert easier later.

Conclusion

A well-maintained research collaboration network is an invaluable professional asset. By using Pilus to track researchers, link collaborations, and connect to publications, you build a living map of your scientific community that grows more useful over time.