This case study examines how an intentional team-based approach to center-level integration within the Generation 4 National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC), ATP-Bio, evolved over five years into an effective mechanism for strengthening collaboration, guiding leadership decision-making, enhancing research productivity and organizational connectivity.

NSF ERCs, organized around pillar structures (research, innovation ecosystem, and engineering workforce development), are intended to operate in an integrated manner but often function in parallel. This presents a persistent challenge, particularly as the ERC program increasingly emphasizes convergent approaches requiring deep integration across disciplines and sectors to address complex societal problems (NSF, 2024; NASEM, 2017). Traditional approaches tend to address integration challenges after they emerge, making them reactive and limited rather than supportive of continuous integration and system-level coordination.

To address the silos created by the ERC structure, ATP-Bio pioneered a distinct model centered on an Integration Team (IT), consisting of an Integration Director (supported by an Integration Committee (IC)), Administrative Director, and External Evaluator. The IT convenes monthly with IC, composed of faculty, trainees, and staff leaders representing all center areas, to provide a consistent and neutral venue to surface and address integration-related challenges in real time.

The IC functions as a network of “embedded sensors,” providing insight into barriers emerging within and across pillars. These range from early-stage structural challenges during center formation to evolving issues associated with cross-pillar collaboration on complex, interdependent projects. Committee members contribute by diagnosing root causes, identifying misalignments, recommending actionable solutions, and connecting stakeholders to accelerate progress.

Through structured listening sessions and strategic discussions, the IT and IC distinguish between isolated and systemic challenges, enabling prioritization of issues that require coordinated, center-wide responses. This process allows leadership to receive timely, evidence-based feedback and to implement solutions aligned with the operational realities of each pillar. As a result, ATP-Bio has reduced barriers to collaboration and steadily improved productivity over time as documented across comprehensive annual reports and reviews.

An additional key component of this model is the intentional integration of team science education into center culture. Annual meetings include dedicated sessions that build awareness of team science principles, clarify the roles and contributions of different community members, and promote shared understanding of the ERC’s interdisciplinary structure. Interactive exercises further reinforce these concepts by bringing diverse participants together to collaboratively address center needs and identify opportunities for cross-pillar engagement. Over time, these efforts have contributed to the normalization of integration as an expectation; embedded in both formal processes and informal interactions across the Center.

This presentation will share five years of survey data, interviews, and document analysis. Findings indicate consistent improvement in center-wide integration measured through ERC-wide surveys and network analyses. Three illustrative examples are highlighted: (1) a structured onboarding process, (2) the core project review process which enables interdisciplinary input into the center’s research agenda, and (3) a trainee-driven “Trainee Tuesdays” webinar series. We will share how new challenges/opportunities emerged as others resolved, illustrating our developmental approach to integration.