Community Engagement: A Short Course to Optimize Research Endeavors (CE-SCORE)

MPI: Leah C. Neubauer, EdD, MA, CPH, associate professor of Preventive Medicine

MPI: Gregory Phillips II, PhD, associate professor of Medical Social Sciences and Preventive Medicine

As the field of behavioral and social science research (BSSR) increasingly recognizes the value and strength of community-engaged research (CER) approaches, the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Research Office will offer a unique opportunity, "Community Engagement: A Short Course to Optimize Research Endeavors" (CE-SCORE). The course is designed to inspire both new and seasoned investigators, public health scholars and practitioners to embrace methodologies that prioritize the role of community partners in the pursuit of greater human health and well-being. 

Led by Gregory Phillips II and Leah C. Neubauer, CE-SCORE invites learners to (re)conceptualize their approach to collaboration in order to foster meaningful engagement, build trust and drive change through community-based partnerships. The course promises to empower learners as they practice CER application in real-world settings, with teaching methodologies and curriculum that leverage critical adult education and ongoing mentorship. Learners will enhance their current practice to foster a more equitable world through their scientific efforts. 

CE-SCORE lecturers will include local community-based researchers in addition to faculty across the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS), the Center for Community Health (CCH), the Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC), the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH) and the Departments of Medical Social Sciences and Preventive Medicine. 

With generous funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), this initiative promises to bridge the gap between theory and practice, ensuring that the next generation of BSSR professionals is well-equipped to conduct research that truly benefits the communities they serve. 

Learn more about this project.