Abstract: Disclosed is a scientific collaboration apparatus that in one general aspect includes a user-configurable workspace and a communication interface operative to communicate with a computer network. The invention also features a scientific information processing tool library that includes a selection interface responsive to a user selection of ones of a plurality of scientific information processing tools that include: one or more scientific data management tools, which are operative to manage scientific data annotated with research identifying meta-data, and one or more scientific data communication tools, which are operative to communicate the research identifying meta-data with communication tools in other user-configurable workspaces via the communication interface. A workspace design interface is provided as well, and it is responsive to user input to assemble a series of the scientific information processing tools from the scientific information processing tool library in the user-configurable workspace.