Chippewa Valley Times

UW-Eau Claire’s Community Based Research Program, directed by the new Office of Corporate and Community Partnerships, is calling for research proposals that engage with community organizations, public sector entities, or grassroots groups. Proposals can be submitted by community members or organizations, as well as university faculty or staff.

Dr. Doug Dunham, interim director of strategic partnerships and program development at UW-Eau Claire, emphasized the importance of community involvement in university research. “The university is an important part of the community, and we want to share the research expertise of our faculty and the enthusiasm of our students to make our community better,” says Dr. Dunham. “We don’t want our students to think their world is just on campus. We want students to build a connection with the community to serve the public good.”

A review panel composed of UW-Eau Claire faculty and staff along with community members will evaluate proposals based on several criteria: alignment with community-identified priorities, feasibility within the given timeframe, identification of faculty and/or staff for research involvement, and potential benefits for both the community and the university through new knowledge.

For its inaugural year starting July 1, 2025, one project will be selected with plans to expand in future years.

Proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25 in either PDF or Word format to partnerships@uwec.edu. Inquiries can be directed to Dr. Dunham at dunhamdj@uwec.edu.