As we set our sights on Mars, and other destinations beyond lower Earth orbit, we must enable extreme forms of teamwork across Spaceflight Multiteam Systems (MTSs) composed of teams that are separated by unprecedented degrees of space and time. In “Project FUSION: Facilitating Unified Systems of Interdependent Organizational Networks,” we embark on a transformative research program rooted in the past decade of theory and research on MTSs, but breaking new ground in how MTSs are conceptualized and studied. Our programmatic research illuminates the underlying forces that give rise to the psycho-social relational states (e.g., influence, trust, shared cognition) within and between teams that underpin mission success. These crucial relationships, and the drivers of their emergence, will be understood, monitored, and at times, circumvented using countermeasures in order to enable coordinated efforts across the Spaceflight MTSs involved in Long-duration Exploration Mission (LDEMs).

This project constitutes a three-year, multi-pronged, multi-method, interdisciplinary project with three main research foci:

  1. field investigations using NASA personnel;
  2. development of an agent-based computational model capturing the drivers of relational states; and
  3. controlled laboratory experiments and analog studies.

Our research design is iterative: findings within each foci will continually infuse the refinement and design of research in other foci. We will provide the following deliverables:

  1. report explaining the most important MTS factors affecting the performance of the LDEM MTSs,
  2. detailed countermeasure toolkit including a validated training countermeasure ready for operational implementation with astronauts and mission controllers, and a validated debriefing protocol;
  3. report that includes specific recommendations for tools and technologies to support inter-team coordination in space MTSs,
  4. composition recommendations based on the results of our simulation and analog studies, and
  5. report including code and documentation needed to utilize our ABM.
  • Dorothy Carter (PI), University of Georgia
  • Leslie DeChurch, Northwestern University
  • Noshir Contractor, Northwestern University
  • Marissa Shuffler, Clemson University
  • Aaron Schecter, University of Georgia
  • Steve Zaccaro, George Mason University
  • Shawn Burke, University of Central Florida
  • Lauren Landon, NASA

Post Doctoral Researcher:

  • Alina Lungeanu, Northwestern University

Graduate Student Researchers:

  • Ashley Niler, Northwestern University
  • Lindsay Larson, Northwestern University
Niler, A. A., Pendergraft, J., Larson, L. E., Carter, D. R., DeChurch, L. A. (2019, May). Learning to lead multiteam systems. In Carter, Dorothy & DeChurch, Leslie (co-chairs), Facilitating multiteam system collaboration in high-stakes environments. Symposium presented at European Association for Work and Organizational Psychology Annual Congress, Turin, Italy.

Lungeanu, A., Park, P., DeChurch, L. A., & Contractor, N. S. (2019, June).  Leveraging Simulations to Improve the Functioning of Multiteam Systems. To be presented at the 9th annual congress of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology, Turin, Italy.

DeChurch, L. A., Larson, L. E., Gokhman, I., Wojcik, H., Bell, S., & Contractor, N. S. (2019, June). Can We Get Along Long Enough to Get to Mars? Team Performance over Time. To be presented at the 9th annual congress of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology, Turin, Italy.

Vazquez, M., Outland, N., Bell, S. T., DeChurch, L. A., & Contractor, N. S. (2019, April). Examining Interpersonal Compatibility Using fsQCA Across Two Samples. To be presented at the 34th annual meeting of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, National Harbor, MD.

DeChurch, L. A. (2019, February). Collective Intelligence in Space Crews. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Associations for the Advancement of Science,  Washington, DC.

Contractor, N. S., Antone, B., Lungeanu, A., Bell, S. T., & DeChurch, L. A. (2019, January). Validating Models Of Team Composition Decisions For Long-duration Space Exploration. Presented at 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.

Gokhman, I.A., Plummer, G., DeChurch, L. A., Bell, S. T., Vazquez, M. & Contractor, N. S. (2019, January). Crew Information Sharing And Decision Making Over Time. Presented at 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.

DeChurch, L. A., Rudra, K. & Contractor, N. S. (2019, January). Using Interaction Data To Predict Interpersonal Relationships In Space Multiteam Systems.  Presented at 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.

Contractor, N. S., DeChurch, L. A., Larson, L.E., Gokhman, I. A., Wojcik, H., & Bell, S. T. (2019, January). Collective Intelligence In Space Crews. Presented at 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.

Larson, L. E., Gomez-Zara, D., DeChurch, L. A., Bell, S. T., & Contractor, N. S. (2019, January). Informal Leadership In Space Crews. Presented at 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.

Schultz, M., DeChurch, L. A., & Contractor, N. S. (2019, January). Networks As Filters: Selective Information Transmission In Conversations Aboard Skylab. Presented at 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.

Lungeanu, A., DeChurch, L. A., & Contractor, N. S. (2019, January). The Emergence And Development Of Crew Shared Mental Models: An Agent-based Model. Presented at 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.

Izadinia, N., DeChurch, L. A. Contractor, N. S., & Waechter, A. (2019, January). Using Optimization Methods To Benchmark Performance In Space Teams. Presented at 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.

Tanaka, K., Ennab, N., DeChurch, L. A., & Contractor, N . S. (2019, January). Antecedents And Outcomes Of Network Acuity In Space Multiteam Systems. Presented at 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.

Mesmer-Magnus, J. R., Niler, A. A., Plummer, G., DeChurch, L. A.  & Contractor, N. S. (2019, January). Team Cognition In Context: A Meta-analysis. Presented at 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.

Plummer, G., DeChurch, L. A., Mesmer-Magnus, J. R., Johnson, J. & Contractor, N. S. (2019, January). The Development Of Crew Shared Cognition. Presented at 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop Annual Conference, Galveston, TX.

Doctoral Dissertation Supported:

Niler, A. A. Developing leadership capacity in multiteam systems (Unpublished dissertation). Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.