SAT Text Structure and Purpose Question

Community science, which involves professional scientists collaborating with members of the public to study a topic, is often an effective and engaging way to conduct research. It can increase the amount of data researchers can collect, offer insight into the daily life of a scientist, and spark youth interest in science. This approach was essential to the success of biologist Abbigail Merrill and colleagues' study of how weather relates to a butterfly's flower choice, which included findings from hundreds of students and community members in northwestern Arkansas. Which choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the text as awhile?