# Science Speed Dating to Spur Inter-Institutional Collaborative Research

## TL;DR

This paper describes a speed-dating-style workshop that helped researchers from different institutions form new collaborations to improve health outcomes for minority populations.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a novel speed-networking format to foster inter-institutional clinical research collaborations among early-career researchers.

## Key findings

- The Science Speed Dating sessions successfully facilitated cross-site collaboration discussions among RCMI investigators.
- Participants reported high satisfaction with the interactive format and its value for professional development.
- The approach is seen as beneficial for reducing health disparities through collaborative research.

## Abstract

A principal strategic goal of the RCMI Coordinating Center (RCMI-CC) is to improve the health of minority populations and to reduce ethnic and geographic disparities in health by coordinating the development and facilitating the implementation of clinical research across the RCMI Consortium. To more effectively spur inter-institutional collaborative research, the RCMI-CC supports a Clinical Research Pilot Projects Program for hypothesis-driven clinical research projects proposed by postdoctoral fellows, early-career faculty and/or early-stage investigators from two or more RCMI U54 Centers. The purpose of this brief report is to summarize the Science Speed Dating sessions to facilitate cross-site collaboration at the RCMI Investigator Development Core (IDC) Workshop, held in conjunction with the 2024 RCMI Consortium National Conference. RCMI investigators and IDC Directors from 20 RCMI U54 Centers participated in two rounds of highly interactive small-group presentations of research ideas and resource needs in search of new collaborative and mentoring partnerships. Workshop participants expressed a high level of satisfaction with the speed-networking format and strongly agreed that the workshop was beneficial to their professional-development goals.