Challenges in Community Academics Research Partnerships

• Defining “the community”
• Tenuous nature of university and community relationships
• Lack of infrastructure and process to engage in research
• Understanding the science of clinical and translational research and being seen as credible partners with expertise
• Coping with the dynamic and fluid process of community engagement
• Issues of power differentials between institutions and communities
• Financial and political realities that determine university research and the research enterprise
• Research subject, design, methodology and perceived usefulness
• Establishing a structure and process for inclusion, communication and decision making
• Building relationships based on trust