PRC Seminar - Public Impact Research and International Engagement

Lunch provided starting at 11:30 a.m.

In this seminar exploring the intersection of public impact research, international engagement, and prevention science, we’ll discuss:

• The role of the university in a modern, global environment and the opportunities in motivating and contributing to public impact.
• How public impact research recognizes work such as sustaining partnerships with local community organizations, establishing interdisciplinary teams and utilizing team science approaches, and participating in policy debates as crucial contributions to the research missions of universities, funding organizations, and other partners.
• The global movement (and local action) seeking to reform the academy and research assessment practices specifically to better account for societal impact, open scholarship, equitable engagement, and related priorities.
• How this line of work aligns with prevention science and the work of the Prevention Research Center in having a tangible impact on the lives of people around the world.
• International collaboration and the opportunity to initiate and grow international research programs by fostering partnerships and leveraging expertise across borders to advance prevention efforts.
• Navigating complexity and context – cultural considerations, grants and contracts, security, and ethical research practices in an international setting.

Michael W. Donovan is the Associate Director of the Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative, leading strategic engagement and outreach efforts with the policy, philanthropic, and business communities. He facilitates collaborative projects between the research community and external partners, including federal, state, and local government agencies, philanthropic organizations, industry and business organizations, and think tanks.

In recent years, Michael has contributed to collaborative research efforts related to health equity, substance use and addiction, child maltreatment, rural health, juvenile justice, integrated data systems and data policy, research process innovation and improvement, the societal effects of COVID-19, and science communication and translation. His efforts aim to build and maintain strategic partnerships that both produce scientific value and contribute to the creation of policy-relevant, practical insights. He manages various projects and initiatives and brings external perspectives to maximize scientific impact. His interests encompass the intersection of scientific inquiry and public policy in areas of administration, business, communication, and technology. He brings more than a decade of experience in government to this role, including in his previous position as Special Assistant to the President in the Obama White House.