Oak Crest is organized similarly to a university academic department and a formal tenure system, modeled on academia, is in place. While faculty members (definitions) pursue research within their own groups , they also collaborate heavily with other Institute scientists. The emphasis on multidisciplinary team research enables Oak Crest to cost-effectively examine broad environmental problems, rather than focusing on one specific aspect of the research project (example).

Research at Oak Crest is broadly rooted in the environmental and medical sciences. Therefore, projects are inherently diverse and interdisciplinary, ranging from the development and field testing of a laser-based system for the characterization and monitoring of atmospheric aerosol, to novel catalytic methods for CO₂ sequestration and chemical fixation, to the development and clinical testing of a non-invasive cardiac output monitor to study the cardiopulomonary effects of air pollution.