Science of Community Outreach and Engagement (SoCOE) Conference

Community outreach and engagement (COE) has become the gold standard in addressing the burden of cancer at the community level. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) encourages all NCI-designated Cancer Centers to foster and share “COE knowledge-base, best practices, and tools” for adoption, adaptation and implementation by other NCI-designated cancer centers, the scientific community and the public at large to advance progress against the burden of cancer and cancer risk factors. Unfortunately, there have been limited nation-wide opportunities to facilitate mutual learning of COE knowledge, best practices and tools by COE administrators, COE researchers, COE professionals, cancer survivors, cancer advocates and community stakeholders. The Science of Community Outreach and Engagement (SoCOE) conference is proposed by the Alliance of COE Scientific Directors who lead COE Offices and Programs in several NCI designated Cancer Centers serving rural, underserved, understudied and under-resourced communities across the United States. The primary objective of the conference is to provide a platform for COE academic-community stakeholders to share best practices and recommendations that will address cancer prevention, early detection, care and survivorship in communities with negative health drivers. A five-year conference funding is requested to support the SoCOE conference, with the 1st conference proposed to be hosted by the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center from May 8 to 10, 2024, in Florida, United States. Subsequent conferences will focus on: Optimizing Cancer Research, Care & Outcomes for All (2025); Innovative Approaches to Contextual Differences in Health (2026); Precision Oncology/Genetics in Cancer Care (2027); and Community Outreach and Engagement: Strategies for Success (2028). Led by outstanding researchers and COE scientific directors, the SoCOE conference will foster the development of sustainable and evidence-based resources to facilitate COE in the catchment areas of Cancer Centers. Additional tangible outcomes are published meeting proceedings, collaborations among conference participants, and increased expertise among participants. We expect a minimum of 250 delegates to participate in the conference.