ABSTRACT
The Internet, crucial to the conduct of science, is now being used to create virtual collaborative laboratories, or collaboratories. A collaboratory is an open meta-laboratory spanning multiple geographical areas where collaborators interact via electronic means-“working together apart.” Despite progress in technology that has allowed for successful network based scientific collaboration, many hurdles remain. In particular, the psychosocial barriers of human interaction over a limited electronic system inhibits the full success of collaboratory implementation. Application to the physical sciences and development of an environmental sciences collaboratory is discussed.
