URBAN UT has launched the Community Research Collaborative. This interdisciplinary group of faculty and community organizations are working on guidelines for community-based research in Utah.
The original Community Research Collaborative (CRC) was brought together by University Neighborhood Partners in 2006. In collaboration with UNP and Dr. Barbara Brown, the CRC was involved in two reports about how to conduct and institutionalize mutually-beneficial research (1, 2). Over the years, these reports have been used to guide researchers, develop grants and awards, and move the University of Utah toward increased research partnerships with communities.
URBAN UT, in partnership with the Bennion Center and UNP, has re-launched the CRC for a new era. We have brought together an amazing interdisciplinary group of faculty and staff with expertise in community-based research together with community leaders representing diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic communities (the full member list is below). The CRC is meeting six times over six months (July-December 2020) to develop an updated set of guidelines. The goal is to ensure that research in communities of color and other marginalized communities is not only rigorous in its research methodology, but also in its community engagement methodology — addressing critical issues such as equity, power, commitment, reciprocity, and bias.
The CRC guidelines will be the backbone for a series of projects that could include initiatives like:
- A credit-bearing community based research methodology course
- Workshops and learning communities on how to build research partnerships and navigate RPT and publishing
- Workshops for Deans, Chairs, and RPT committee members on evaluating community-based research
- A community-based review or advisory board; and
- Seed grants for CBR projects.
CRC Members
Heather Brown, Center for Clinical and Translational Science
Mehdi Taheri, Iranian community
Edwin Napia, Urban Indian Center and Community Faces of Utah
Tino Nyawelo, Center for Science and Math Education
Julie Metos, College of Health
Joél-Léhi Organista, Casa Quetzalcoatl
Saia Langi, Youth Voices
Laneta Fitisemanu, Queen Center
Susie Porter, Gender Studies
Ivis Garcia Zambrana, College of Architecture + Planning
Javier Alegre, Latino Behavioral Health Services
Naima Mohamed, Refugee Services, DWS and Somali Youth Center
Lamar Spotted Elk, Salt Lake City School District
Mayra Cedano, Comunidades Unidas
Abdulkhaliq Barbaar, University Neighborhood Partners and Al-Huda Islamic Center
Melshina Folau, United Micronesian Women
Sarah Hart, College of Nursing
Marissa Diener, Department of Family and Consumer Studies
Lina Svedin, Department of Political Science
Leticia Alvarez Gutiérrez, College of Education
Caren Frost, College of Social Work
Ex-Officio Members
Andrew Weyrich, VP for Research
kathryn stockton, Dean, TRANSFORM
Keith Diaz Moore, Dean, College of Architecture + Planning
Dean McGovern, Director, Bennion Center
Jennifer Mayer-Glenn, Special Assistant to the President for Campus-Community Partnerships
Committee Leads
Andi Witczak, Bennion Center
Adrienne Cachelin, Environmental and Sustainability Studies
Ana Antunes, Gender Studies and University Neighborhood Partners
Paul Kuttner, University Neighborhood Partners
Student Research Assistant
Anahy Salcedo, Bennion Center & Science in the Parks