Community Engagement Studios
A Community Engagement Studio is a tool to engage community partners, enhance research practices, and improve study analysis communication. On average, a Community Engagement Studio event is a one-time, 90-minute meeting to collect feedback from community members for research project improvement and provides a window into the value of community-engaged research.
Community Engagement Studios inform the development, conduct, or dissemination of research. Perspectives shared and information collected during a studio can be used to support a grant proposal or help refine existing research plans, including protocols and dissemination.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Community Engagement Studio is not considered research and, therefore, does not require prior Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.
CTSI's Community Engagement team will recruit, host, and involve community members in the session.
Community Engagement Studio events are held virtually or in person.
From the initial consultation to the studio event date, our community engagement team requires six to ten weeks to plan a studio for researchers. Timelines fluctuate based on availability, event format, target population, etc. Typically, researchers spend no more than a total of 4 hours preparing a studio.
Community Engagement Studios are supported by CTSI and free to Penn State researchers. However, researchers are encouraged to include studio costs in future grant proposals. Studio community members are compensated for their time.
Research teams are responsible for budgeting expenses, such as meals, snacks, and room rental charges for in-person events. The recommended budget is $15 per participant for meals and $150 per event room rental. Our team strives to help researchers reserve free or low-cost event locations. Early-career researchers with limited funding can apply for a Community Engagement Studio grant.
CTSI CES Flyer
A Community Engagement Studio is an efficient, cost-effective tool to engage community partners, enhance research practices, and improve study analysis communication. Download our flyer to learn more.