Welcome to the tremendous, amazing, Big Asheville Science Salon!
September 3rd: Nothing About Us Without Us
Research in Partnership with Queer Appalachian Communities with community health scientists John Chaffin and Dr. Scott Rhodes.
“The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.” – Ralph G. Nichols
“If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.” – Winnie-the-Pooh (A. A. Milne)
Ahh, science – valiant researchers pursuing knowledge with dogged focus, profoundly changing how we see the world. Scientific exploration is, at its core, seeking understanding. Look closer, dig deeper, analyze more … analytically.
Somehow, the majority of studies manage without ever asking their subjects for input. It’s reasonable, perhaps, not to ask the remipedes why they seek shadows, or to assume we know best how to calculate the orbits of moons and typhoons. But trying to understand humans (a notoriously confusing species) without involving those humans seems … silly.
At the September salon, explore community-based participatory research (CBPR), a collaborative approach in which researchers engage community members as partners, and how it leads to better science. Our presenters will share their use of CBPR in developing and evaluating interventions for improving health outcomes for marginalized communities in Appalachia, specifically populations enduring higher rates of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and hepatitis C.
John Chaffin is the Community Health Worker Coordinator at the Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP), serving communities across 18, primarily rural counties. John leads client-centered navigation services, overcoming barriers (both geographic and social) to connect people living with HIV to medical care, housing support, legal assistance, and other essential resources.
Dr. Scott Rhodes is Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, where he chairs the Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy. For three decades, Dr. Rhodes has focused on improving health outcomes in populations that experience disproportionately high disease burdens. Scott has championed and advanced community-based participatory research (CBPR) at local and global levels by developing, implementing, evaluating, and refining a remarkable number of intervention projects.
Doors open at 5:00. Have a drink with old friends, meet new ones, and get ready for some serious science in a seriously un-serious setting.
Presentation starts at 7:00 PM. Then, stick around for a lively Q&A, discussion, and general mingling.