Citizen Science is scientific research conducted, in whole or in part, by amateur or nonprofessional scientists.
The study aims to answer the following questions:
- How many people are cycling at key locations in Winston-Salem?
- How diverse are bicycle riders with respect to age, gender, race, and ethnicity?
Be a Citizen Scientist. Participate in the scientific process. We are looking for people willing to monitor use of green-ways and streets for 2 hour blocks of time, counting the number and characteristics of riders, walkers, or runners, and share that information via a webpage accessible by smartphone or computer. We will train you in this process and the fundamentals of human subjects research protection.
The Program in Community Engagement's newest initiative raises awareness of the unique needs of infants and small children for healthy brain development.
A healthy brain is an essential foundation for all aspects of adult life. The ability to learn, to build self-esteem, to regulate one’s emotions, to make and sustain healthy relationships, all depend on the establishment of early brain development in infants. Because we are bi-pedal creatures, we have big heads and narrow pelvises. Thus, our infants must be born before the brain is fully developed. Much of that development occurs in the first few years of life. When infants receive optimal stimulation from their environment (human relationships, enough food, and safety), they thrive and brain development proceeds normally. When infants do not receive those needed ingredients for normal development, either because of abuse, neglect or constant stress in the environment, their brains cannot grow the necessary platform for normal development. Many children arrive at age 5 without the brain “hardware” to benefit from all the future “software” they will receive through school, work, or relationships with other people. Sometimes love, extra tutoring, or mentoring is not enough if the “hardware” is already damaged or never developed properly in the first place.
The Parent/Child Interaction project attempts to address this problem by raising awareness of the unique needs of infants and small children for healthy brain development in the first few years of life. This is a collaborative effort among many different organizations and individuals, including Nikki Byers and Mary Beth Beck-Henderson (Imprints for Families), Dean Clifford (Clifford Consulting), Joanne Sandberg and Carmen Strickland (Department of Family & Community Medicine), Christine Simonson (The Children’s Museum), Heidi Krowchuk (UNCG School of Nursing), Ellen Wenner (Forsyth Tech), and Chris Kelsey. Tom Arcury and Phillip Summers (Wake Forest School of Medicine’s Program in Community Engagement) lead this collaborative effort.
Building on the research of Dr. Jack Shonkoff at Harvard’s The Center for the Developing Child, the group is in the process of sponsoring a series of workshops to raise awareness of the need for optimal stimulation through interaction with caregivers in order for brain development to proceed normally.
The first workshop was held in January 2014 for early childhood educators, with 65 people attending. Dr. Dean Clifford was the workshop leader, integrating research on early brain development with practical classroom strategies. In April 2014, a second presentation was made to residents in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine. This lunchtime talk was led by Dr. Heidi Krowchuk, Associate Professor in the UNCG School of Nursing. Feedback from this audience will be used to develop a workshop for practicing physicians to educate them about the importance of addressing the role of caregivers in actively stimulating the brain development of infants and toddlers. Additional workshops are planned for other target audiences.
Farm Fresh Healthy Living Program (FFHL), is a local initiative to address limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables among low-income families through a program combining education and empowerment. FFHL is a partnership of the Wake Forest Translational Science Institute, Harmony Ridge Farms, and several Triad non-profits.
The program’s mission is to promote the consumption of healthy, locally-produced food by low-income families in the Piedmont Triad. The program envisions a local food system in which all families, regardless of their economic means, have equal access to healthy, locally-produced food.
FFHL empowers participating families to make healthy choices by providing them with fresh, locally grown produce and educational resources on better nutrition practices. This includes a 16-week share of seasonal produce; a 3-session, hands-on program of cooking classes focused on incorporating fresh produce into family meals; and a farm tour to establish a connection between families and the farm. FFHL is coordinated through established non-profits already serving low-income families. The program has grown from 25 families in 2012, to 90 families in 2015. Evaluation of FFHL has shown its success: participating families consume an increased amount and variety of healthy food, and they have strongly positive experiences.
The program started with funds from a federal grant and in-kind donations from Harmony Ridge Farms. It is now sustained by donations to a fund held by the Winston-Salem Foundation from individuals in the Triad, by grants from corporate sponsors, and, beginning in 2014, a small weekly payment from participating families.
This research has been facilitated by Dr. Sara Quandt and Dr. Thomas Arcury.
Domestic Violence Kick-Off and Candlelight Vigil
October 5, 2016
Sponsored By: Winston-Salem Police Department, Community Intervention & Educational Services, and the MindSight Counseling & Consultation Services
What is a PhotoVoice Project?
Authoring Action, a local arts and education nonprofit organization developing teen authors toward social change, partnered with the Program in Community Engagement. Eight teens, ages 14-17, worked with faculty and staff to research Violence as a Health Disparity through photography, writing, discussions about their work, and a public exhibit including a live engagement of their written work. Participants:Learned about the process of qualitative research and data collection, photographed their experiences with violence, created spoken word pieces, explored qualitative data analysis, performed spoken word pieces from their written works for community stakeholders, displayed photos and documents for community discussion, and developed and expanded critical thinking skills related to taking photos, safety and consequences.
Summer Film Series
- Let’s Treat Violence Like a Contagious Disease
August 5, 2014
A third and final film in the series was a TED talk, entitled Let’s Treat Violence Like a Contagious Disease by Dr. Gary Slutkin. Following this brief video, Jason Clodfelter and Joseph Sloop, from MapForsyth, made a presentation about “Locating Distressed Areas in a Community.” Ms. Lynne Mitchell (Forsyth County Department of Public Health), Mr. Paul Norby (City-County Planning Department) and Dr. Kevin High (Wake Forest School of Medicine) answered questions and commented on the film.
- Trigger: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence
July 8, 2014
This film was produced by the Presbyterian Church and frames gun violence as both a disaster and a public health issue. Following the film, Susan Browder shared her family’s story of the murder of their daughter by their son-in-law. A facilitated discussion about how to change our thinking about gun violence in our community was led by Dr. John Stewart, Associate Professor of Surgery at Wake Forest School of Medicine and Ms. Sarah Green, Triad representative for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
- Changing the Conversation: America’s Gun Violence Epidemic
June 10, 2014
This film re-frames the conversation about gun violence in America by focusing on public health prevention. A facilitated discussion followed the screening, led by Dr. Stephanie Daniel (Center for Youth, Family and Community Partnerships), Mr. Andy Hagler (Mental Health Association in Forsyth County) and Dr. Robert Rominger (President of the NC Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) and moderated by Dr. Tom Arcury.
The Health Impact of Male Gun Ownership on Intimate Partner Violence
March 26, 2014
This event was co-sponsored by Family Services, Inc., the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity, and the Program in Community Engagement. Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell, Professor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, led the main workshop as well as a smaller discussion group for health care professionals on the topic of The Health Care Provider’s Role in Safety, Health, and Intimate Partner Violence. Over 60 people participated from diverse organizations such as law enforcement, health care, non-profits, government, and educational institutions.
Mental Health and Gun Violence
November 14, 2013
The Mental Health Association of Forsyth County and the Translational Science Institute of Wake Forest School of Medicine hosted a community panel discussion on mental health and gun violence on Thursday, November 14th, 2013 at Goodwill Industries. Nearly 70 people came out to attend the event and ask questions. The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Jeffrey Swanson, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine.
Panel members included:
- Mike Bridges, Customer Service Director, CenterPoint Human Services
- Stephen Kramer, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine
- Connie Southern, Assistant Chief, Investigative Services Bureau, Winston-Salem Policy Department
Gun Violence: A Campus and Community Discussion
September 19, 2013
This event originated as an idea of the Winston-Salem State University Sociology Club and came to the attention of the Program in Community Engagement through members of our Gun Violence as a Health Disparity work group. It grew into a collaborative effort involving representatives from WSSU, Salem College, Wake Forest University, City of Winston-Salem Gang Violence Reduction Program, and Wake Forest School of Medicine. The panel discussion was envisioned as a way to inform the campus and larger community about preparedness for, potential responses to, and the consequences of gun violence, and to engage the audience in a discussion about these concerns.
Panel members included:
- Mr. Darrell Jeter: Preparedness for Gun Violence: Emergency Management
- Chief Barry Rountree: Law Enforcement Processes
- Dr. Kimya Dennis: Varying Impact of Gun Violence
- Dr. John Petty: Medical Issues in Treating the Effects of Gun Violence
- Chief Assistant District Attorney for Forsyth County Jennifer Martin: Relevant Laws & Criminal Prosecution of Gun Cases
- Dr. Thomas Arcury moderated the discussion
LaDeara Crest New Generations Project
The LaDeara Crest New Generations Project was implemented with the vision of Mayor Pro-Tempore, Vivian Burke as a deterrent to gang violence. Facilitated by Winston-Salem Police Department Community Relations Specialist Pam Peoples-Joyner, young men of high school age residing in the LaDeara Crest neighborhood meet weekly to participate in life skills education and receive social support on current issues relevant to their lives. The Program in Community Engagement in collaboration with the Department of Pediatrics provide resources, community referrals for youth participants and their families along with guided discussions on health and social topics to empower youth to create positive life choices.