Center for Scientific Collaboration and Community Engagement

The Center for Scientific Collaboration and Community Engagement (CSCCE) is a research and training center to support and study the emerging field of scientific community engagement.

Scientific community engagement, also known as community management, refers to the human infrastructure that is necessary to support healthy and productive STEM communities. These roles include a range of job titles – from community manager, program manager, and network engagement manager to assistant director of a research center. In all cases, the purpose of community engagement is to connect and empower members to work together towards a common goal.

The goal and focus areas of the Center

The goal of CSCCE is to professionalize and institutionalize the role of the community engagement manager within science. All of our activities are in service of this.

Underpinned by an ethos of collaborative, evidence-based activities and the development of network-centric leaders, CSCCE has three focus areas:

Cohort-based learning

Multi-format training options and a community of practice to support scientific community professionals through the creation of shared language and mental models, group reflection, and peer support.

Consultancy and Resources

The development of trusted resources for individuals and organizations working to build or fund scientific networks and communities, and the provision of responsive, contextualized consultancy.

Research

Research to better characterize and support the emerging role of the scientific community engagement manager – including through collaborations with others.

These three areas are tightly interlinked – with the research informing training materials and organizational feedback signposting future areas for research and/or curriculum development.

Trainings open for registration

The digital badge image for Scientific Community Engagement Fundamentals (CEF) is a purple circle with a white center. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS is spelled out in white, over the top of the purple circle, and a purple umbel design is overlaid in the white center. At the bottom right, on the outside of the circle, it says “CSCCE Training Course” in two shades of teal.

Community Engagement Fundamentals (CEF) will run from 4 September – 23 October 2025.

The digital badge for Nurturing Online Communities.

Nurturing Online Communities (NOC) will run from 30 September – 14 November 2025.

Project Management for Scientists (PMB) will run from 18 November – 12 December 2025.

The CSCCE Certified Community Manager digital rosette. It is made up of a dark blue circle with an umbel flower motif in the center, and a lighter blue ribbon descending from the bottom of the circle. The words “CERTIFIED COMMUNITY MANAGER” are spelled out in white on the dark blue circle, and “CSCCE” appears on the lighter blue ribbon.

The CSCCE Community Manager Certification Program – enrollment is open year-round!

Open-source leaders can apply now for the inaugural cohort of the Birdaro Training Program.

APPLY FOR BIRDARO

Get started with CSCCE

There are multiple ways to engage with CSCCE, our vibrant community of scientific community professionals, and the resources we have published.

COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

We host a community of practice of more than 850 scientific community professionals from around the world with programming including a monthly community call.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY