UK ASCEND (Achieving Success in Community-Engaged research to elimiNate Disparities)

ABSTRACT The University of Kentucky (UK) will establish Achieving Success in Community-Engaged research to elimiNate Disparities (UK ASCEND), driven by one overarching objective—to advance health by promoting community-engaged research (CER) success among ESIs. We propose the comprehensive ASCEND Scholars Program (ASP), a CER Training Program followed by a robust CER Pilot Program, infused with bi-directional engagement with community stakeholders. The proposed Center of Excellence in Investigator Development and Community Engagement is led by multiple principal investigators with complementary expertise and experience, scaffolded by a well-resourced and committed university structure and leadership, and centered within longstanding community partnerships. Housed in UK’s preeminent community-engaged health research and training center, the Center for Health, Engagement and Transformation (CHET), UK ASCEND proposes the following aims: (1): Coordinate bold and effective scientific leadership and governance, fiscal and regulatory management, communication and dissemination strategies, and evaluation to assess key outcomes on CER training and success (Administrative Core). (2): Cultivate community-engaged health research success among early stage investigators (ESIs) by immersing them into a productive research career advancement program, the ASCEND Scholars Program, consisting of a three-component CER Training Program followed by an opportunity to deploy those skills through a CER Pilot Program, within an environment of strong community partnerships and institutional strengths (Investigator Development Core); (3): Catalyze and sustain long-standing bidirectional community stakeholder-ESI research partnerships and translate findings into community and system-level innovations that promote health (Community Engagement and Dissemination Core). We will focus on three outcomes: ESI CER career development, community engagement, and ESI research success. UK ASCEND takes a comprehensive orientation to addressing health challenges by fostering authentic exchanges among community stakeholders, researchers, providers, and policymakers. UK ASCEND has the motivation, vision, and capacity to conduct the most impactful health promotion research by providing comprehensive, rigorous, and inclusive CER training essential for impactful scientific discovery.