Open, Honest, Equitable: How to Build Meaningful Community-Academic Relationships

Dr Nicole Kennard will talk about how to build mutually beneficial collaborations between academia and communities.

How often is community involvement in research treated as an afterthought? Too often, community groups are invited only after research topics, questions and methodologies are set. When partnerships are treated merely as a paper exercise for funding bids, then relationships break down and projects - and the people they serve - suffer.

The most impactful projects ensure community members are actively involved from the very beginning. Only then do we have the best chance of addressing the pressing sustainability and societal challenges we face.

Join us for a session with Nicole Kennard, Assistant Director for Community-Engaged Research at the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems and a Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures alum. Nicole will share how Georgia Tech has confronted historical injustices and extractive practices to build true, mutually beneficial collaborations, with a particular focus on marginalised communities.

Developed over two years, with a wealth of community and academic partners, Nicole will discuss:

• Principles and frameworks for how to build equitable research relationships with communities.
• Real-world examples of these principles in action, as well as best practices and lessons learned along the way.
• Key resources and scoping agreements that can help ensure transparency and accountability in partnered projects.

Whether you are a researcher wanting to improve your practice, or an organisation or community member keen to work with academia on solution development, this session will provide you with real examples of the types of agreements, practices and outcomes to advocate for in research projects.

There will also be ample opportunity for shared reflection and learning. Lunch will be provided.