Project Summary (2017-2022)

The overall goal of the Research Translation Core (RTC) is to disseminate scientific knowledge acquired from the University of Louisville Superfund Research Program (UL SRP) Center in a timely manner that are targeted and useful to the intended audience.

Their primary target audiences are:

• The local community and community-based groups involved in protecting human health and the environment;
• Scientists and public health professionals working at other academic institutions and at local and federal agencies including the NIEHS and the broader SRP community;
• Local, state, and federal policy makers, and nongovernmental organizations that contribute to the development of environmental regulations and policies; and
• Local media and press.

The RTC tailors messages to appropriate audiences and uses conventional and innovative tools such as social media, blogs, and tweets to communicate with their audience about environmental issues of mutual interest. Their intent is to cultivate an informed, participatory audience as well as to enhance awareness and understanding of UL SRP Center research and of environmental issues of interest and concern to both local and national stakeholders. Serving as a multi-directional bridge, the RTC facilitates, maximizes, and optimizes interactions between the UL SRP Center and its wider audience. This arrangement ensures that environmental issues, particularly those related to VOC exposure and cardiometabolic health, inform research activities and that the findings of their research are appropriately disseminated. It also ensures that knowledge generated by the program contributes substantially to practices and policies relevant to environmental health across Kentucky and the nation.

The RTC serves as bidirectional bridge between the community and the UL SRP Center and develops effective and contextually appropriate communication strategies and tools. The RTC communicates routinely with policy makers and public health organizations and assists Center investigators in their efforts in disseminating research findings and facilitate intellectual and technology transfer of promising scientific and engineering applications to promote timely application of research. The RTC works closely with the Community Engagement Core to furnish educational information to be incorporated in their community and trainee education activities and provide a venue for Training Core participants to experience and learn research translation and regulatory science. The Core also evaluates its effectiveness in facilitating communication between the program and its broad audience and in facilitating technology transfer and enabling educational activities.