Welcome to the Community
Engagement Core
Building meaningful relationships, providing health
education, identifying community needs and co-creating
sustainable public health solutions
About the Community Engagement Core
The FSU Clinical and Translational Science Award Program's Community Engagement Core works closely with a variety of partners, including other universities, government agencies, healthcare providers, non-profits, community leaders, and members. Our Community Research Coordinators have experience in public health and community engagement, helping connect researchers with the community.
We create educational programs based on what the community needs, such as the Learning Series for Community Leaders and Our Community, Our Health Town Halls. These programs aim to strengthen the community’s role in research, share important resources, and provide helpful health information.
The Community Engagement Core has worked on research projects across Florida, including studies on health and wellness involving people of different ages, genders, races, ethnicities, and income levels. These projects include everything from practical clinical trials to community-based research in rural, suburban, and urban areas.
Stay up-to-date on community events, research, training, and volunteer opportunities:
Our Values
- Serving diverse, rural and underserved populations
- Ethical and responsible conduct of research
- Relationship-driven, respectful research culture
- Vision and innovation
- Intellectual pursuit
- Collaborative partnerships
- Excellence and quality improvement
Community Engagement Core Goals
Goal #1
Build and sustain trusted community partnerships through coordinated engagement, education, outreach, and relationship development.
Goal #2
Expand research participation via targeted pilot partnerships and optimized engagement strategies.
Goal #3
Address Health Disparities by leveraging resource guide dissemination, increasing local health and social services awareness, and standardized community communications.
Goal #4
Build Capacity for Sustainable Community including workforce development, stakeholder support, and student experiential training.
Meet Our Team
Our Community Engagement team members are trusted connectors who serve as vital links between academic research and the communities we serve. Rooted in the neighborhoods they support, these coordinators work hand-in-hand with individuals, families, and local organizations to ensure that health initiatives are not only evidence-based but also culturally relevant and community-informed.
They engage in a wide range of activities—from building meaningful relationships and conducting health education to collecting and analyzing data that reflect the lived experiences of community members. Their work helps identify health needs, inform public health strategies, and co-create solutions that are both sustainable and impactful.
By amplifying community voices and fostering trust, our coordinators play a critical role in advancing health, improving access to care, and shaping research that truly reflects the needs and strengths of Florida's populations.
Mama Yata Young
Community Research Coordinator
Learning Series for Community Leaders
The Learning Series for Community Leaders is a monthly educational series aimed at providing community leaders with valuable resources and knowledge to enhance community health, leadership, and overall well-being. The series will focus on a variety of relevant topics that impact communities, and each session will feature expert speakers, tools, and resources to help strengthen community resilience.
Veterans Mental Health Presentation
November 18, 2025 | 4-5pm
Join us for a session that will include a powerful personal story from a veteran who explores life’s challenges, the lessons learned along the way, and the resilience it takes to keep moving forward. This session also includes a Q&A, giving you the chance to reflect, ask questions, and connect. You’ll leave reminded that none of us are truly alone when life gets hard, and with meaningful tools to carry in your own “toolbox” for the road ahead.
Speakers: William "Billy" Francis & Eric Haynes
Participate in Research
Researchers at Florida State University conduct many types of studies, including clinical trials. Some focus on certain health conditions, while others need healthy volunteers. Learn about available studies at FSU—we can't do this critical research without participants like you!
Community Engagement Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on community events and research opportunities by signing up for the CTSA's Community Engagement Newsletter!
Our History
The Community Engagement Core is a cornerstone of the FSU CTSA Program. The Network for Clinical Research and Training (NCRT) was formally launched in the fall of 2010. Health IMPACTS for Florida (Integrating Medical Practice and Community-based Translational Science) was our initial community-based research effort, which combined one of FSU College of Medicine's strengths, its distributed medical education model, with University of Florida’s expertise in clinical and translational research.
With the addition of the University of Miami and multiple healthcare institutions across the state, Health IMPACTS for Florida became the OneFlorida Clinical Research Consortium, uniting researchers, clinicians, patients, and other stakeholders to address the Florida’s biggest health challenges. In 2022, with FSU and UF’s strong commitment to community engagement, NCRT expanded services to include support for community-engaged research, becoming the NCRT-CE.
In 2025, FSU Health Research Connections was launched, and NCRT-CE was sunset. Despite changes, the Community Engagement Core remains integral to the structure of the FSU CTSA Program.