Goal

Reduce the overall amount, toxicity, and health disparities from airborne PCBs through rigorous scientific research that is co-created with affected communities and that develops innovative prevention and intervention strategies.

Aims

1) Facilitate community-engaged research between the ISRP, Portland Harbor Community Coalition, and other interested parties in Portland, Oregon to address community concerns about sources and impacts of airborne PCBs

2) Integrate community and ISRP expertise to support school officials and staff in Vermont in making informed decisions about PCB remediation interventions

3) Embed community engagement best practices across the ISRP to mobilize whole-Center involvement with ISRP community partners and increase overall volume of ISRP community-engaged research

The activities of the Community Engagement Core (CEC) have increased dramatically in the last few years as communities from around the country have reached out to the ISRP with concerns about PCBs in their communities and schools. A significant partnership has been built with the Portland Harbor Community Coalition (PHCC) in Portland Oregon. Since PCB data collection in July 2022, ISRP leaders and trainees have met regularly with the PHCC, other community members, and local and state regulatory officials to collectively interpret findings. The CEC helped manage the frequent meetings, edited a flyer and a video, and organized an in-person visit with the PHCC. Trainee Alexis Slade explains the community involvement in this video.

In Vermont Project 4 investigators have been sampling and analyzing PCBs from schools. The CEC has supported Dr. Hornbuckle and the team in developing a framework to engage this community of practice – the school principals, superintendents, school board members, parents, and other community members – in responding to the challenge of remediating airborne PCBs in schools. 

In Iowa City the CEC supported the AESOP study (Project 3) as they engaged students and teachers in the Iowa City Community School District. In particular, the CEC advised the AESOP study on individual report-back materials to teachers who had participated in their pilot study in a way that helped teachers interpret their data and demonstrated to teachers how valuable their input was in the development of AESOP’s research methods by providing examples of what the team learned and how they are adapting their methods based on teacher input.