Global Justice and Equity Conference: Centering Communities in Research (VIRTUAL)
This year's conference brings together researchers, community leaders, and practitioners to explore meaningful, equitable, and collaborative approaches in community-engaged research. This daylong conference offers participants a platform to discuss and learn about innovative methods, ethical practices, and the power of storytelling in co-creating impactful research with communities. Panel themes include 'Asking the Right Research Question,' 'Collaborative Research in Action' and 'Responsible Storytelling.'
The conference will take place via zoom on February 19th from 9am-3pm.
Schedule
9:00am - Welcome from Kerilyn Schewel, vdH Fellows Faculty Director
9:15am – Asking the Right Questions in Approaches to Environmental Justice
- Karly Alderfer and Wan Ning Seah, Co-Chairs
- Hannah Conway, Duke University
- Jennifer Richmond-Bryant, NC State University
- Anaís Roque, Duke University
10:30am - Break
11:00am – Collaborative Research in Action: Methods for Meaningful Community Engagement
- Dana Grieco and Ankita Gupta, Co-Chairs
- Irene Felsman, Duke University
- Cynthia A. Grace-McCaskey, East Carolina University
- Madhusudan Katti, NC State University
- Camryn Smith, Communities in Partnership
- Danielle Spurlock, UNC-Chapel Hill
12:30pm – Break
1:30pm – Responsible Storytelling
- Justin Rasmussen and Renzo Severino, Co-Chairs
- Hannah Postel, Duke University
- Miguel Rojas-Sotelo, Duke University
2:45pm - Closing remarks
This panel will explore how we should choose the right research questions and what asking the “right” research question entails. It will bring together three guest speakers who are doing community-engaged research relating to environmental justice. The panel will have guest speakers presenting their work and sharing their thoughts on how to ask the right questions, followed by a moderated and open Q&A. The guiding questions motivating the panel are: What kinds of questions should we ask in our research? How should community engagement inform our research? How do we navigate the process of setting questions, engaging the relevant community, and having community engagement shape our research process?
- Karly Alderfer and Wan Ning Seah, Co-Chairs
- Hannah Conway, Duke University
- Jennifer Richmond-Bryant, NC State University
- Anaís Roque, Duke University
This panel will explore practical and innovative methods for fostering meaningful community engagement in research. Drawing on diverse experiences across disciplines, panelists will share strategies for building trust, co-creating knowledge, and designing culturally relevant, community-centered approaches. Topics will include navigating ethical considerations, leveraging local knowledge, and creating lasting partnerships that empower communities. Whether you are a researcher, practitioner, or community advocate, this discussion will provide valuable insights into actionable methods for conducting impactful, collaborative research.
- Dana Grieco and Ankita Gupta, Co-Chairs
- Irene Felsman, Duke University
- Cynthia A. Grace-McCaskey, East Carolina University
- Madhusudan Katti, NC State University
- Camryn Smith, Communities in Partnership
- Danielle Spurlock, UNC-Chapel Hill
Writing articles, applying for grants, collecting data, creating visualizations: so much of what we do as researchers is telling stories. And these stories take place within communities, whose interests may be promoted or hampered by the way we tell the story. In this panel, we’ll consider how community researchers can be responsible storytellers and create “good” stories, narratives which are valuable as pieces of scholarship, while also considering and respecting the community in which the story takes place. Dr. Miguel Rojas-Sotelo and Dr. Hannah Postel will discuss their experience with storytelling in history, policy, visual artistry, and activism.
- Justin Rasmussen and Renzo Severino, Co-Chairs
- Hannah Postel, Duke University
- Miguel Rojas-Sotelo, Duke University