We are proud to share that our Science Cafe project was recently published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. Program Manager Phoebe Chastain and WellShare staff were instrumental in the methods that contributed to this paper. Science Cafés and Local Dissemination: Fulfilling the Responsibilities of Community-Engaged Research, was written by Milton ‘Mickey’ Eder, Ida Darmawan, and Elisia L. Cohen.
Since 2019, WellShare has partnered with the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) at the University of Minnesota to conduct a Science Cafe Program with Somali and Karen community members. Having originated as a way to promote scientific dialogue within informal settings, the Science Cafe model has gained popularity in recent years. This model fosters mutual trust between both community members and research scientists and allows for impactful conversations within the context of a welcoming setting.
The program promotes bi-directional dialogue between community members and medical experts about common health topics, with a goal of strengthening science literacy within underserved communities in Minnesota. Science Cafes demonstrate how translational research, which aims to translate scientific findings into results that directly benefit humans, enhances community benefit by combining both short and long term health goals.