In February, the Center for Social & Behavioral Science (CSBS), in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute (IHSI) and the College of Education, hosted Dr. Diane Doberneck, Director for Faculty and Professional Development in the Office for Public Engagement and Scholarship at Michigan State University. As part of the Community-Engaged Research series, Doberneck facilitated two events: a training of trainers for staff who support community engaged researchers on campus- “Support Strategies for Community-Engaged Scholars and Practitioners” – and a presentation – “Community-Engaged Work: Write, Publish, Disseminate” for community-engaged researchers. Doberneck also led a lunch discussion on building sustainable partnerships with community.  

At the staff session, Doberneck shared strategies for supporting community-engaged research at every stage of the research process. She shared practical tips and tricks as well as findings from her extensive research and work in community engagement. At the faculty session, Doberneck shared insights into how community engaged research benefits from community perspectives, strengthening both research design and broader impact. For effective research, engagement is not only about translating findings, but also about designing research in ways that recognize and incorporate community knowledge, priorities, and expertise from the outset. She shared frameworks for structuring these partnerships, demonstrating how researchers and community stakeholders can co-develop research questions, methodologies, and applications that are relevant for all partners. 

Attendees learned about different models of collaboration and how community partners can be involved at every stage of the research process, from identifying questions to collecting and analyzing data to disseminating results. These approaches are particularly important for social and behavioral scientists seeking to ensure their work is responsive, applicable, and ethically grounded in real-world contexts. 

A key focus of the faculty discussion was the practical challenges of integrating community engagement into research workflows. Doberneck provided tools for structuring partnerships in ways that are possible and realistic within the constraints of academic research, as well as strategies for measuring and documenting engagement efforts. These resources can help researchers expand their projects in ways that add analytical depth while also making their work more compelling to funders, collaborators, and institutions. 

As one organizer of the series shared, “What an opportunity to satisfy the request of many to have Diane return for our Community-Engaged Research series! For a second time, she has shared her wealth of knowledge and well-curated collection of resources. She continues to bring a true passion for this work, and we are grateful to host an event for faculty and for staff to learn from her again.” CSBS, IHSI, and the College of Education are committed to facilitating research that connects scholars with communities in meaningful ways that benefit the public.