A category or “box” we put ourselves or others into based on professional or personal identity (e.g., researcher, journalist, expert, nonexpert). Silos can be useful for defining the boundaries or scope for participants in a community space; however, they can be problematic when they create barriers to the sharing of knowledge, for example, collaboration across scientific disciplines. Bridging between silos is important in knowledge work (e.g., communities of practice are one mechanism for doing this). See also Jargon.
Citation: Center for Scientific Collaboration and Community Engagement. (2021) CSCCE Glossary: Inclusive Language in Community Building. Woodley, Pratt, Bakker, Bertipaglia, Dow, El Zein, Kuwana, Lower, Roca, and Santistevan doi: 10.5281/zenodo.5718783