PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Ada Pastor
AU  - Elena Hernández-del Amo
AU  - Pau Giménez-Grau
AU  - Mireia Fillol
AU  - Olatz Pereda
AU  - Lorea Flores
AU  - Isis Sanpera-Calbet
AU  - Andrea G. Bravo
AU  - Eduardo J. Martín
AU  - Sílvia Poblador
AU  - Maite Arroita
AU  - Rubén Rasines-Ladero
AU  - Celia Ruiz
AU  - Rubén del Campo
AU  - Meritxell Abril
AU  - Marta Reyes
AU  - Joan Pere Casas-Ruiz
AU  - Diego Fernández
AU  - Núria de Castro-Català
AU  - Irene Tornero
AU  - Carlos Palacin-Lizarbe
AU  - María Isabel Arce
AU  - Juanita Mora-Gómez
AU  - Lluís Gómez-Gener
AU  - Silvia Monroy
AU  - Anna Freixa
AU  - Anna Lupon
AU  - Alexia María González-Ferreras
AU  - Edurne Estévez
AU  - Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano
AU  - Libe Solagaistua
AU  - Tamara Rodríguez-Castillo
AU  - Ibon Aristi
AU  - Aingeru Martínez
AU  - Núria Catalán
TI  - Early-Career Coordinated Distributed Experiments: Empowerment Through Collaboration
AID  - 10.1101/704502
DP  - 2019 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 704502
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/07/23/704502.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/07/23/704502.full
AB  - Coordinated distributed experiments (CDEs) enable the study of large-scale ecological patterns in geographically dispersed areas, while simultaneously providing broad academic and personal benefits for the participants. However, the effective involvement of early-career researchers (ECRs) presents major challenges. Here, we analyze the benefits and challenges of the first CDE exclusively led and conducted by ECRs (i.e. ECR-CDE), which sets a baseline for similar CDEs, and we provide recommendations for successful CDE execution. ECR-CDEs achieve most of the outcomes identified in conventional CDEs as well as extensive benefits for the young cohort of researchers, including: (i) receiving scientific credit, (ii) peer-training in new concepts and methods, (iii) developing leadership and communication skills, (iv) promoting a peer network among ECRs, and (v) building on individual engagement and independence. We also discuss the challenges of ECR-CDEs, which are mainly derived from the lack of independence and instability of the participants, and we suggest mechanisms to address them, such as resource re-allocation and communication strategies.