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| We present a case for using Global Community Innovation Platforms (GCIPs), an approach to
improve innovation and knowledge exchange in international scientific communities through a common
and open online infrastructure. We highlight the value of GCIPs by focusing on recent efforts targeting the
ecological sciences, where GCIPs are of high relevance given the urgent need for interdisciplinary,
geographical, and cross-sector collaboration to cope with growing challenges to the environment as well as
the scientific community itself. Amidst the emergence of new international institutions, organizations, and
meetings, GCIPs provide a stable international infrastructure for rapid and long-term coordination that can
be accessed by any individual. This accessibility can be especially important for researchers early in their
careers. Recent examples of early-career GCIPs complement an array of existing options for early-career
scientists to improve skill sets, increase academic and social impact, and broaden career opportunities. We provide a number of examples of existing early-career initiatives that incorporate elements from the GCIPs
approach, and highlight an in-depth case study from the ecological sciences: the International Network of
Next-Generation Ecologists (INNGE), initiated in 2010 with support from the International Association for
Ecology and 20 member institutions from six continents | |
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