Mission
The community-engaged research (CEnR) workgroup is led by an interdisciplinary team of community engaged faculty and researchers who are committed to advancing community health and well-being, equity and justice. Our approach to (CEnR) is guided by a model and set of processes that involves community members and university researchers co-creating and co-investigating pressing social issues (Goessling, K., Witherspoon, D., & Francis, L. (2024). Community engaged research map. SSRI Community Engaged Research Workgroup. Penn State University).
Background
Community-university partnerships—also referred to as engaged scholarship—are collaborations between community-based groups and higher education institutions working together to advance equity and justice by co-creating new knowledge, policies, and/or practices that promote individual and social transformation (Bowers 2017; York et al., 2020). Our framework draws upon multidisciplinary approaches to community engaged research, including community based participatory research (Andrews et al., 2012; Israel et al., 2010), research practice partnerships (Ishimaru et al., 2022; Teeters & Jurow, 2018), participatory action research (Fine et al., 2021; Goessling, 2019; 2020), public scholarship (Holland et al., 2003; Learning in Places Collaborative, 2021) and others. Our approach is built on the following key pillars:
- embracing broad definitions of expertise and diverse knowledge systems
- fostering democratic participation through co-creation and co-learning
- prioritizing reciprocal relationships
- maintaining a continuous focus on power dynamics and historical context
- pursuing transformational goals that promote equity and justice
Aims
The CEnR workgroup is focused on increasing the Social Science Research Institute’s capacity to (1) advance community engaged research (CEnR), (2) promote ethical, healthy, and sustainable community-university partnerships, (3) build community engaged research capacity, and (4) disseminate research findings and take action to address pressing social issues that communities identify as priorities, with a focus on equity and justice.
Workgroup Co-Leads
Lori Francis, Biobehavioral Health
Kristen Goessling, Penn State Philadelphia Center
Steering Committee Members
Mallika Bose, Landscape Architecture
Kristina Brant, Rural Sociology
Sarah Brothers, Sociology and Public Policy
Justine Lindemann, Community Development and Resilience
Raffy Luquis, School of Behavioral Sciences and Education, Penn State Harrisburg
Harrison Pinckney, Recreation, Park and Tourism Management
Niki vonLockette, Public Policy and African American Studies