COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION CORE (COEC)

Directors: Laura Hemminger, MPH
                    Joanna Burger, PhD

Overview:

The Community Outreach and Education Core (COEC) translates the Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease (CEED) research information into tools and resources for community stakeholders. Community outreach and education have played a key role in translating the Center since 1994. In 2003, the newly named Community Outreach and Education Core modified its focus from primarily school-based programs to community-based programs under the direction of M. Robson. L. Hemminger was named Director of COEC in 2007 and further refined the focus of COEC to address the new NIEHS RFA guidelines to ensure COEC efforts are fully aligned and integrated with the research strengths and focus of the Center.

The overall goals of COEC are to (1) develop partnerships with community stakeholders to translate and disseminate Center research information; (2) enhance the dialogue between community stakeholders and Center researchers regarding environmental health issues; (3) increase awareness and understanding of environmental health research; and (4) promote environmental health research as a science career option. COEC’s target audience is the Community which is divided into three main segments: Research Attentive, Research Interested and Future Researchers. Based on definitions provided at a 2002 conference on “Best Practices for Communication of Science and Technology to the Public”, “Research Attentive” refers to community members who have a high level of interest and want to stay well informed on a particular environmental health issue due to their or a family member’s disease or exposure state. “Research Interested” refers to community members who have a general interest in environmental health issues. “Future Researchers” includes science-oriented high school, undergraduate and graduate students who have demonstrated their intentions to pursue a science career (e.g., enrolling in additional science courses in high school, majoring in a science area in college or presently a student in a science-related graduate program). COEC also strives to continue its leadership role in multi-Center collaborations.