Community-Engaged Research: From Theory to Action

How can academic research serve the public good? This intensive Winter Session course bridges the gap between scholarly inquiry and community impact, challenging the traditional boundaries between the classroom and the city. In a condensed “lab” environment, students move rapidly from studying the ethical foundations and disciplinary methodologies of collaborative work to executing real-world research projects with Providence community partners. This is an immersive, high-stakes experience designed for students who want to apply their analytical skills to urgent social problems in real-time. By reframing the researcher as a collaborator rather than an observer, we transform the academic process into a vehicle for civic agency and institutional accountability.