Research Units as Social Groups: The Impact of Virtual Meetings on the Persistence of Academic Labs

Abstract Innovative research emerges within research units that pool a rich treasure trove of experience, knowledge, and practices, and collaborate on complex experiments and research setups. But how can members of a research unit also understand themselves as a cohesive unit? What role do regular meetings play in this understanding? And how can a research unit withstand external influences that represent a deviation from normality? Using Neidhardt’s group sociology and qualitative guided interviews with members of university research units, the paper examines the importance of regular face-to-face meetings for the sociality of a research unit and the impact of the transition to virtual meetings on the unit and its perceived persistence. The results suggest that research units persist as social groups even in virtual settings, albeit with certain limitations. To strengthen the sociality of research units, regular meetings should be held with all members physically present.