Leadership to Span Science and Community Boundaries: A Comparative Case Study of Community-Centered Geoscience Projects

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Community Stakeholders and University-Community Partnerships

Abstract

Participatory research holds potential to encourage greater diversity of scientists and their ideas through projects that center community needs and questions. However, this potential is contingent on such projects being led in ways that meaningfully, equitably bridge the worlds of scientists and those of community stakeholders. In this comparative case study of two projects funded through an NSF initiative, one centered at an urban farm in Hawaii and one on the Los Angeles River in California, we use theories of symbolic boundaries and methods of qualitative case study to identify leadership qualities that facilitate successful coordination of community-based participatory research involving scientists and underrepresented communities. This study will inform leadership development for community-based science.

Authors

• Julie Renee Posselt, University of Southern California

• Deborah Elizabeth Southern, University of Southern California

• Corey Garza, Cal State Monterey Bay

• Julia Parrish, University of Washington

• Lora Harris, University of Maryland