In this study, we aim to conduct community-based research while also evaluating the professional development experiences in STEM, agriculture and public health that center equity for researchers, extension educators and students at UMass Amherst. Centering equity is based on the evidence that there is a chronic under-representation and exclusion of racially minoritized peoples in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields in the United States and in leadership positions in agriculture and public health. This deficit, fueled by discriminatory policies and systemic racism, limits innovation in these fields and introduces hurdles to advancement in these communities.
Compounding diversification of the educational pathway in STEM, agriculture, and public health is evidence that underrepresented minoritized individuals have lower educational attainment, have disproportionate representation in agriculture and farmland ownership, experience higher rates of food insecurity and greater prevalence of chronic-health diseases than Whites. Moreover, agricultural and economic policies, either independently or when combined, can support or compromise public health efforts. Community-engagement, especially with low-income and racially minoritized communities, provides a unique opportunity to strengthen the local STEM, agricultural, and public health learning environments. Community organizations, businesses, policymakers, and community members offer research and experiential learning and practice opportunities, real-life examples, and a diversity of role models that can support gains in STEM education, as well as understanding of food system and public health challenges, for students educators and other community learners.
This study aims to implement and evaluate a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) program for academic-extension-community teams designed to build research capacity at the community level. The CBPR program will improve our understanding of food security, urban agriculture, dietary-related diseases and social determinants of health, and facilitate a transfer of STEM knowledge between academic-extension-community partners through community engagement. As such, we hope to gain insight into a range of persistent community problems while preparing students, extension educators and community members to be active participants in research programs related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), agriculture and public health.