Over 50 UNH researchers, engagement specialists, and practitioners gathered on Thursday, February 29th to network and explore future collaborations. Planned by REEO Fellows, the Research and Engagement Collaborative is the first in a series of opportunities to elevate understanding with respect to the intersections of our work, find transdisciplinary partners, and identify funding sources.
The purpose of the Collaborative was to:
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- Identify differences in use of language across disciplines and find the intersections.
- Employ the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to elevate our knowledge of each other’s research and engagement while addressing global challenges.
Participants were asked to identify big topics of research interests and then join a few topic groups to share key research questions, partnerships, and resources needed. Tables were formed on focus areas, such as, access to health care and social equity; aging and care for older adults; biosensors, tissue engineering, and bioengineering; climate change, health, and the environment; early childhood development; and public health improvements, substance abuse, and chronic disease.
We were joined by Jack Goodman, a representative of Lewis Burke Associates, who provided an overview of funding opportunities and trends in the broad area of good health and well-being.
As the event concluded, connections had been made on topic areas, such as, health literacy, supporting older adults leading active lives, benefits of spending time outdoors, mental health of the farming community, identifying risk/protection factors affecting early childhood development, rural/urban disparities, and defining what is “good health and well-being”. Participants will soon be receiving a summary of notes and contacts to pursue.
The UN Sustainable Development Goal #3 on good health and wellbeing exists to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages. This could include but is not limited to bio-related sciences, public policies, technology advancements, and engineering solutions to promote physical and mental wellbeing, the study of the influence of environmental and socioeconomic factors on health, and the investigation of the distribution of health and wellbeing resources.
We encouraged broad participation, not only those who are focused on health related research and engagement, because we know achieving good health and wellbeing for all is not only about equitable access to good health care, but requires systems level change that improves underlying social, environmental and economic conditions, including mitigating climate impacts, access to clean water and sanitation, good air quality, and minimizing toxics, as well as access to decent affordable housing, strong transportation networks, education, and decent working conditions and opportunities.
