Biological research stations as central nodes in promoting North-South collaborative networks for teaching and research

Addressing global environmental problems requires collaborative international arrangements that incorporate the strengths of multiple partners with cultural, infrastructural, educational, and economic differences to produce more robust research and improved environmental outcomes. This can be especially important for research in the tropics given the ecological importance and economic and social constraints. However, significant economic, social and institutional barriers exist towards establishing effective collaborative networks, especially between North-South partners. In this paper, we integrate best practices from the collaboration and social networking literatures to examine a teaching and research partnership between American and Costa Rican institutions. This case demonstrates the potential for research stations to serve as central nodes in establishing collaborative networks involving researchers, government, and community organizations.