WVCTSI engaging communities across West Virginia through Ambassadors for Community Health Research Program

To ensure research is making the biggest impact possible across the Mountain State, the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute (WVCTSI) is recruiting its second cohort of the Ambassadors for Community Health Research Program, a program focused on increasing rural community involvement in research.

The program, created by the WVCTSI’s Community Engagement and Outreach Core, is inviting West Virginians to work alongside researchers to make a positive local impact in their communities. Through this active collaboration, community members will advise on multiple aspects of community-based research, including funding, study conduct, and result dissemination back to the community.

"The Ambassadors for Community Health Research Program provides a unique opportunity for members of our community to see behind the scenes and engage with researchers in order to promote and support research efforts directly impacting communities throughout the State of West Virginia," said Dr. Heather Henderson, ACHR program director for the WVCTSI Community Engagement and Outreach Core. "We are excited to partner with community members who want to contribute to the well-being of West Virginians by serving as Ambassadors who help translate research into action within their communities."

To join the program, no prior education is required. Community members chosen as Ambassadors will receive training and education to better understand clinical and community research, basics of human subjects research, and community-engaged research plans. They will also receive a stipend of $1,000 for their participation in the program. Ambassadors will then be matched with investigators interested in working closely with communities to implement community-engaged research.

Individuals selected to participate in the ACHR Program will become the second cohort since the program launched in October 2023.

Applications for the ACHR Program are currently being accepted for the upcoming cohort beginning this fall. For additional information and questions, visit the Ambassadors for Community Health Research webpage, or email Bree Gustke, community engagement and research manager.