Community Engagement Community Members | UC Davis CTSC

We provide an opportunity for members of the community to work with researchers on health issues that are of greatest priority.

What kind of issues might community members want to explore?

We can help you learn how to:

• Identify researchers with expertise in a particular disease or healthcare issue of importance to the community
• Get assistance in carrying out community healthcare needs assessment studies
• Get feedback on a research proposal and how it can reflect the interests of community members
• Identify research topics that are relevant to community needs
• Identify where to look for project impact
• Build skills in community-engaged research

How can community members get involved?

Establish a partnership with academic researchers. This can be done through periodic CTSC Community Engagement Pilot Grant opportunities. Examples include:

• A refugee and immigrant resettlement agency along with a community of recent refugees traumatized by war who worked with a UC Davis psychiatrist interested in refugees, trauma, and community-engaged research methodology. The partnership has produced a comprehensive report (PDF) , and continues to work on this issue although the initial project has ended.
• Members of the African American Leadership Coalition and a UC Davis pediatric endocrinologist wrote a grant to explore the knowledge and attitudes of African Americans in Sacramento. Topics of discussion included causes of diabetes and obesity, barriers to better care, and ideas for prevention in family and community settings. An article describing the findings of this project (PDF) is found on the CDC website.
• Writing a grant or working on a project with a researcher who shares your health research interests.
• Attending our Community Engagement seminars and events.
• Participating in the activities of our Research and Education Community Advisory Board (RECAB).