Join a Research Team

As an Industry Member:

CII's groundbreaking research relies on diverse perspectives from industry and academia. CII forms new Research Teams each year. Beginning around February, we introduce research topics and request nominations of volunteers to join our Research Teams. The nomination period extends until late April. To be part of the distribution list that receives the request for nominations, make sure you have an active CII account. CII Board of Advisors and Alternates also receive the request and a description of the topics in the CII Spring Board of Advisors Meeting. 

As a CII Research Team member, you:

• Influence Capital Projects: Past research on topics on Project Definition Rating Index (PDRI) and Advanced Work Packaging (AWP) significantly improved project delivery. We aim to keep impacting the industry with member support by identifying research areas, improving current processes, and identifying new practices.  

• Collaborate with Peers and Academics: Build a diverse network, gain new professional perspectives, and form lasting connections.  

• Gain Early Access and Pivotal Expertise: Be a front-runner in industry knowledge, becoming an expert in emerging areas and tools. Share your expertise with peers.  

• Develop Professional Skills: Enhance your leadership, presentation, and communication skills through unique opportunities with your team.   

Typically, CII Research Teams work between one and two years with a mix of online and face-to-face meetings of about three or four meetings per year. Team members can expect to spend an average of three to 10 hours each month. The time commitment will be higher in months with face-to-face meetings (eight hours plus travel time) and lower in months with online calls (a one-hour call and some time for small tasks or data collection).  

All volunteer nominations are vetted by each member organization's CII Board member. CII assesses the nomination with the goal of maximizing the team's diversity in terms of backgrounds, types of organization (owner, contractors, service providers, suppliers), and industry sector representation. If you have any questions about participation in Research Teams, contact Kristi Delaney.

As an Academic:

CII selects Principal Investigators (PIs) for overarching research using Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) and Requests for Proposals (RFPs). RFQs or RFPs are typically sent out once a year to a distribution list maintained by CII and to the Construction Research Congress (CRC) distribution list. RFQs will focus primarily on the PI’s qualifications and do not require a proposal. To qualify, an academic must hold a terminal degree and have a full-time tenure-track appointment at an accredited university. 

If you are an academic in the U.S. or Canada and want to be included in CII’s distribution list, please fill in the online form.