Team Science
At the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN), we work across discipline boundaries and recognise that our successes are a collaborative effort. We celebrate the contributions of all, including those who provide the platforms to make great research happen.
Working as teams
Neuroimaging is a truly cross-disciplinary science, requiring contributions from fields spanning computing, software engineering, physics, biochemistry, physiology, psychology, psychiatry and clinical medicine. WIN, and its predecessor centres, were founded with this cross-disciplinary nature built in.
From the management board through to students, from early career researchers to core staff, we aim to build cross-disciplinary teams that work closely together, bringing their own expertise to achieve the scientific goal. WIN actively cultivates an inclusive workplace where all members of the team, from all backgrounds and identities, feel a sense of belonging, and that they are welcomed and valued.
Recognition of all contributions
Crucial to this teamwork is the recognition of all contributions that are made to WIN's research outputs. WIN has a clear authorship policy to ensure that developers of tools, creators of datasets, core staff, technicians and radiographers get the appropriate authorship or acknowledgement for their contribution to the work.
We actively promote the CRediT taxonomy and seek to ensure that a wide range of outputs, beyond journal publications, are published in a citable way. An example of this is our Protocols Database, that includes usage guidance written by and credited to our radiographers.
Valuing team players
WIN is keen to celebrate all contributions to scientific outputs and to our positive culture. Every year we present 'Good Citizen Awards' recognising outstanding contributions to life at WIN, including public engagement, open science, teaching and research support.
We actively use recognition schemes through the University and other routes, particularly to reward those who might otherwise receive less acknowledgement for their contributions, and work with a range of University initiatives, such as the Technicians Commitment, to raise the profile of technical staff.
Training and career development fOr all
Alongside our Graduate Training Programme, we have developed a range of additional sessions to support all researchers in their career and professional development, especially early career researchers and core staff. This includes topics such as 'Failing gracefully' and 'Conflict prevention and stress management', all aimed specifically at neuroimaging researchers.
For core staff, we have developed a dedicated programme of training for our team leads and senior technical specialists, looking at topics such as 'The manager as coach' and 'Project management'. We hold yearly away days for all core staff, bringing them together to share expertise and learn from each other. These days also serve as an opportunity for the leadership to recognise the contributions of core staff to WIN research. We also encourage core staff to develop their skills by, for example, attending components of the WIN Graduate Programme, courses run centrally by the University, or training by external providers.
For more senior academics we run training to help them be effective leaders of diverse teams.