Community-Engaged Research Day builds relationships

Kathleen Best, left, Community-Engaged Research Core project manager for Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute, reacts to comments by Carmen Henry-Harris, community liaison with the Parents and Children Together Initiative, as the latter makes welcoming remarks during Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute's first Community-Engaged Research Day at the Dixon Center in Harrisburg on June 6, 2019.

Community leaders and scientists shared breakfast and sought solutions to problems like opioids, obesity and depression at the first Community-Engaged Research Day in June 2019. This was an opportunity for Penn State researchers to discuss with community-based organization representatives what Harrisburg’s challenges are and how research can help.

“Community involvement in all phases of research can help to ensure that new treatments and health discoveries are more effective and meaningful for the people they are intended to reach,” said Andrea Murray, project manager and community engagement coordinator at the institute.

After making new connections and identifying areas of need, the attendees learned about the next steps to get started with the research process.

Investigators and community leaders can fill out proposals for planning grants that will allow them to discuss mutual interests further, develop research questions, identify leaders, conduct literature reviews and collect pilot data. For details, email engage@pennstatehealth.psu.edu; the institute has details on this and other funding mechanisms here.

Community members who are interested in conducting a similar event, or who want to connect their community organization with a Penn State faculty member with similar interests, can email engage@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.

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