The Social Science Community-engagement Lab (SSCL)

Directors: Dr. Lisa J. Hardy and Co-Director, Dr. Leah Mundell

Location: Bilby Research Center, Room 131

The SSCL serves as a central location for learning and best practices for community-engaged research in northern Arizona. Faculty, students, and community partners develop and implement interdisciplinary projects through the SSCL. With a focus on medical anthropology and community health, partners develop projects and conduct training sessions on ethics, primary data collection, mixed-methods analysis, and dissemination of findings through professional presentations and publications. The lab also offers opportunities in collaborative writing, journal editing, and the development of policy recommendations for students and partners.

Participation in the SSCL is based on a strong foundation of the principles of ethical engagement in social science research.

Community partners include Red Feather Development Group, Native Americans for Community Action, The Sunnyside Neighborhood Association, Northern Arizona Interfaith Council, and others. We welcome new community partners and undergraduate and graduate students as interns and researchers. Students are also welcome to participate in the lab for course credit as part of Community and University Public Inquiry.

Examples of recent research

• Sociocultural Dimensions of Covid-19—faculty, graduate students, and international collaborators conducting a mixed-methods investigation of life during Covid-19; 
• Supporting Immigrant Families in Flagstaff Schools—faculty and undergraduate researchers collaborate with Flagstaff Unified School District and Northern Arizona Interfaith Council to support improved language access services, teacher training, and parent engagement;
• Immigration and Public Health—faculty and graduate students implementing mixed-methods research to assess impacts of immigration policy on health and wellness in Arizona;
• Systems Change for Healthy Homes—developing locally appropriate and carefully designed assessment instruments to improve home health among Hopi and Tewa people living on tribal lands.

Would you like to learn more about the lab or this research? Visit our Current Projects page, Contact the lab at lisa.hardy@nau.edu or leah.mundell@nau.edu, and follow the lab on Twitter @SocialScienceC6