Do collaboratories mean the end of face-to-face interactions? An evidence from the ISEE project

Scientific collaboration encompasses two main issues: knowledge sharing and trust. Geographical distance has an impact on both. Our purpose is to test the impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) sophistication on remote collaboration: do collaboratories mean the end of face-to-face interactions? We first analyse the importance of geographical proximity with regard to knowledge transfer and trust. For both, we address the main problems set by geographical distance and the answers provided by ICT. These technologies come in a rich variety in a 'collaboratory'. They can be classified according to two criteria: their degree of synchronisation and the 'quality' of the communication cues. It turns out that the diversity of technical solutions can lead to firm solutions or palliatives to overcoming the barriers of geographical proximity. A case study in the field of space physics allows us to test our hypotheses.