News

The Public Engagement Project

A collaboration between the Center for Public Policy and Administration (CPPA), the Center for Research on Families (CRF), the Peace and Violence Concentration in Psychology, and Sociology has led to the new Public Engagement Project (PEP). It will support faculty members who want to take their research outside of the academy through engagement with the media, community groups, policymakers, and others.

PEP is spearheading two different initiatives this spring. The first is a once-a-month meeting for researchers who would like to get together on a regular basis with others to brainstorm and exchange information and experiences. This will be both a working group and discussion group for researchers who are seeking to build or maintain some form of broader public engagement as part of their ongoing research program. Some ideas for the group's activities have already come forth, but the actual plan will be decided at the first meeting that will take place on Monday, February 4 from 2:00 to 3:30 in the CRF conference room, 622 Tobin Hall.

The second initiative is to hold informative panels, which like last semester's media panel, will address one particular topic and be open to all members of the UMass Amherst community. The spring panel, tentatively scheduled for early March, will focus on writing and placing op-ed pieces. Other panels will address topics such as providing Congressional testimony, working with government officials, and working with community health groups.

January 30, 2008