ABSTRACT
Big-Team Science (BTS) offers a powerful framework for advancing psychological research through large-scale collaboration, yet the unique challenges of conducting in-person BTS studies remain under-examined. This manuscript draws on the Psychological Science Accelerator’s in-person stereotype threat study, which involved 2500+ Black undergraduate students at over 20 U.S. universities, to illustrate these challenges and solutions in action. The project focused on testing social psychological theories of stereotype threat in real-world educational settings, a context highly relevant to social and personality psychology. We identify and analyze three central challenges in in-person BTS: (1) balancing standardization with contextual sensitivity, (2) addressing disparities in research infrastructure, and (3) supporting coordination and sustainability at scale. While much of the PSA’s work has emphasized online studies, this paper centers the logistical, ethical, and scientific issues specific to in-person data collection. We offer concrete strategies developed during the study, including metadata documentation, flexible protocol design, adaptive assignment, and shared infrastructure, and then provide a roadmap for more inclusive and efficient future collaborations.