Supporting professional development in a multi-site consortium

The scientific success of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development^SM Study (ABCD®) rests on the data collection and analysis efforts of the staff and trainees within the Consortium. To support the critical work carried out by ABCD staff and trainees, the Professional Development Workgroup was launched in 2020 to offer resources and career guidance to better support the Consortium members comprising the backbone of the study. Here, the ABCD Professional Development Workgroup outlines key programming that has been offered to ABCD staff and trainees, including those instated before the official launch of ABCD data collection, and the addition of events throughout the years to meet the evolving needs of interested consortium members. We also discuss specific efforts to enhance a sense of community and facilitate communication among a large body of ABCD staff and trainees. We end with a discussion of challenges and proposed solutions that our Workgroup has encountered in leading professional development efforts, as well as future opportunities for further growth to nurture the next generation of scientists and professionals. As the number of large-scale datasets and multi-site collaborations grows across the globe, our hope is that the examples and lessons learned from professional development efforts in ABCD could be helpful for current or future scientific consortia.