Community Engagement Core

REVISED Community Engagement Core – Summary Extreme weather can substantially impact human health, potentially differentially impacting experiences across communities and hindering healthcare delivery. Under the joint leadership of Dr. Ami Zota and Dr. Marcela Tamayo-y-Ortiz, the Community Engagement Core (CEC) of the CHART (Charting Solutions for Health Impacts of Extreme Weather) Center aims to address this research need. We will advance evidence-based solutions for extreme weather and health within New York City (NYC) and beyond by building networks of emerging leaders capable of driving change within their communities. Our approach involves engaging community-based researchers, atmospheric and data scientists, and community changemakers to heighten awareness of public health impacts and bolster capacity for evidence-based action. Recognizing that facts alone do not lead to change, we will prioritize storytelling principles that integrate emotion, logic, and belief to enhance public communication. Our vision for the CEC leverages the infrastructure, resources, and networks of successful Columbia University programs to ensure CHART is responsive to community needs. These include Agents of Change (AoC) and a global consortium on education on extreme weather and health (GCCHE). AoC cultivates leadership in environmental, extreme weather, and health sciences by training scientists from varied backgrounds in science communication. GCCHE ensures health professionals worldwide possess the knowledge and skills to prevent, reduce, and respond to the health impacts of extreme weather. As part of the CEC, we will: 1) integrate the NYC community perspective into all CHART activities, 2) provide researchers and community changemakers with the skills to translate their extreme weather and health research into compelling documentary films for public audiences, and 3) advance evidence-based solutions for extreme weather and health within New York City by training and supporting emerging community leaders through the CHART Fellowship. CEC will help incubate, communicate, and disseminate research and policy strategies that promote research on extreme weather and health at local, national, and international levels. Critically, the CEC will center the voices and needs of related communities as it trains emerging scientific and community leaders, ultimately promoting community-driven research to advance public health.