The event brings together WashU faculty, staff and community partners to foster collaboration and advance community-engaged research. Participants will make connections, explore how community-engaged research is effectively practiced, and learn about research funding and support structures available. In collaboration with our co-sponsors, participants will have the chance to network with peers and explore the needs and opportunities in community-engaged research across areas such as social and economic mobility, food security and systems, community resilience, and health equity.
Agenda
Speakers include:
Mary McKay, PhD, Executive Vice Provost
Bettina Drake, PhD, MPH, Michael F. Neidorff Professor of Surgery, Division of Public Health Sciences Faculty; Director, St. Louis Confluence Collaborative for Community-Engagement
Engage in a compelling panel discussion featuring community and academic leaders as they delve into the collaborative efforts driving community-engaged research. Explore how these partnerships are transforming research practices to better address the unique needs and priorities of local communities.
Kelly Harris, PhD, CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Surgery (Public Health Sciences), WashU School of Medicine
Cheryl Harris EdD, Normandy Schools Collaborative, Director of Federal Programs
Veronica Macklin, EdD, Hazelwood Central High School, Principal
Rowhea Elmeksy, PhD, MS, Associate Professor of Education, WashU Arts & Sciences
Susan Hill, EdD, School District of University City, Curriculum and Instruction
Matthew Tuths, University City High School, Teacher
Moderator: Bettina Drake, PhD, MPH, Michael F. Neidorff Professor of Surgery, Division of Public Health Sciences Faculty; Director, St. Louis Confluence Collaborative for Community-Engagement
Urban Food Systems and Security, Lora Iannotti, PhD, Lauren and Lee Fixel Distinguished Professor, WashU School of Public Health
In this breakout session, we will explore research opportunities and collaborative strategies to improve nutrition and health at the local, national and global level – from sustainable agricultural practices to equitable food distribution networks – focusing on interdisciplinary solutions that involve academia, private, and public sectors.
Community Resilience & Adaptation in a Changing Climate, Alex Morales-Heil, WashU Center for the Environment and Heather Navarro, JD, Midwest Climate Collaborative
In this breakout, we will discuss community resilience to climate change and other environmental impacts. We will talk about how, from the neighborhood to the regional level, we plan and respond to events like heat waves and flash floods, and also about long-term adaptation strategies that ensure community health and well-being in a changing climate – from water quality systems to building materials.
Collaborating for Health Equity: Strengthening Community-Engaged Research Partnerships, Kia Davis ScD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Surgery (Public Health Sciences) and Keisha Windham, DPA, MPPA, Assistant Director of Outreach, Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities, WashU School of Medicine
Authentic partnerships between researchers and community organizations can advance health equity and address cancer-related and other health disparities. The discussion will highlight strategies for building trust, co-developing research priorities, and translating findings into sustainable improvements in community health and well-being.
Economic and Social Mobility, Chris van Bergen, WashU Brown School and Public Exchange
The May 16th tornado exposed the deep gaps in economic mobility across St. Louis. This moment challenges us to use community-engaged research as a pathway to collaboration with WashU and community organizations.
During this insightful panel discussion, local funders and research supporters share their perspectives on community-engaged research. Discover how philanthropic efforts are driving impactful projects that foster collaboration and address pressing community needs.
Panelists include:
Preeti Dalawari, MD, The Longer Life Foundation
Brian Washington, MHA, Missouri Foundation for Health,
Moderator: Katie Houck, Associate Director, Confluence Collaborative for Community Engagement
Thank you to the Center for the Environment, the School of Public Health, Public Exchange, Siteman Cancer Center, the Missouri Foundation for Health, the Longer Life Foundation, the WashU Research Development Office, our panelists, and our facilitators for their support.